Whether you’re a self-proclaimed comic book nerd or just a casual fan, there’s a high chance you’ve come across Kirby Krackle. Created by the legendary comic book artist Jack Kirby, it’s used to depict everything from explosions and smoke to cosmic energy and outer space phenomena. The technique involves drawing a series of overlapping black dots on a coloured background around the edge of an energy effect.

The earliest instance of this device can be traced back to the 5th issue of Blue Bolt in 1940. As well as explosions and power bursts, Kirby used this technique to bring space-faring stories like the Silver Surfer to life. Instead of repetitive black-void backgrounds, Kirby drew dots over oceans of violets and blues to create captivating scenes that transported readers to otherworldly realms.

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