Comic book artist Jack Kirby may get a street in the Lower East Side named after him. We talk to the man behind the effort.

WNYC News | Oct 17, 2025

New York City comic con came and went last week, but there’s another comic book storyline brewing in our backyard. 

It's the push to co-name a street in the Lower East Side for Jack Kirby. He’s the co-creator of some of Marvel comics most popular characters, and he was born on the L-E-S.  Despite being one of the most influential comic book artists ever, it's often said that he didn’t always get the credit he deserved in his lifetime. 

Pop culture historian and critic Roy Schwartz is one of the people pushing to name part of Essex Street after Jack Kirby. He spoke with WNYC's Sean Carlson more about the effort.

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