The Jam, formally known as the Jammer, is a fictional costumed hero, created by writer-artist Bernie Mireault, who originally appeared in Canadian comic books published by Matrix Graphics Series. The Jammer made his first appearance in New Triumph Featuring Northguard #2 (1985).
The Jammer is the alter ego of Gordon "Gordie" Kirby, an otherwise normal guy who found he enjoyed patrolling the rooftops of his home city of Montréal in a homemade superhero costume. The Jammer is not really a superhero. He often finds himself in the right place at the right time, and is compelled to act heroically. Sometimes he is hired to do good deeds. His personal mission is to "dominate the world with peace, love, and free beer". Through the course of his career, he has battled terrorists, a delusional psychiatrist, and even servants of the Devil.
Publication history
The first published stories of the Jam appeared in New Triumph Featuring Northguard from Matrix Graphic Series between 1985 and Summer of 1986. These stories were collected, along with a new unpublished story, by Matrix Graphics Series as The Jam Special #1 in 1987. A second special, The Jam, Urban Adventure: Super Cool, Color-injected, Turbo Adventure from Hell #1, was published in 1988 by Comico, and advertised a series "bi-monthly starting this summer from Matrix".
Slave Labor Graphics published The Jam, Urban Adventure #1–5 between November 1989 and the Summer of 1991. The Jam, Urban Adventure #1 (November 1989) was an expanded version of the new story found in The Jam Special #1 (1987). Tundra Publishing colorized and republished The Jam, Urban Adventure #1–5 between January and May 1992. Dark Horse Comics picked up the title and published issues' #6-8 between October 1993 and February 1995. Finally, Caliber Comics published issues #9–14 between 1995 and 1997, as well as the Jam short story "The Chair" in Negative Burn #25 (1995).
In 1998, Dark Horse Comics published Madman/Jam, a two-issue series featuring Mike Allred's character Madman. Madman/Jam #1–2 and Nexus Meets Madman were collected and reprinted as the Madman Boogaloo! Starring Nexus & The Jam trade paperback from Dark Horse Comics (1999).
Evil Twin Comics published a story called "Team Jam" in Awesome: The Indie Spinner Rack Anthology (2007) featuring the Jammer and other Bernie Mireault characters.
In 2009, CO2 Comics posted an animated version of the second Jam story, first published in New Triumph Featuring Northguard #3 (1985).
In 2011, the graphic novel To Get Her was published by BEM Graphics and documented the continued adventures of Gordon Kirby and Janet Ditko.
In March 2013, Bernie Mireault posted colorized versions of the first Jam story and "The Chair" feature from Negative Burn to his Comic Art of Bernie Mireault blog.
In 2016, EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy published a short prose story "The Jam: A Secret Bowman" in Tesseracts Nineteen: Superhero Universe.
In 2017, About Comics published a collection of Bernard Edward Mireault's independent work called "XVI Short Stories" which included versions of the first four Jam stories. In 2022, About Comics published The Jam, Urban Adventure: Super Cool, Color-injected, Turbo Adventure from Hell #2 which includes a new comics adaptation of "The Secret Bowman" as well as the colorized version of "The Chair".
Images of the Jammer were featured in Canadian Comics Cavalcade (Artworx, 1986), Amazing Heroes Swimsuit Special #2 (Fantagraphics Books, 1991), the Caliber Comics 1996 Calendar (Caliber Comics, 1995), Overstreet's Fan #7 - Indy Jam Variant (Gemstone Publishing, 1995), Comic Eye (Blind Bat Press, 2007), Modern Masters, Volume Sixteen: Mike Allred (TwoMorrows Publishing, 2008), and Madman 20th Anniversary Monster! (Image Comics, 2012).
The Jammer's creator Bernie Mireault was featured in Demi-Dieux, 40 ans de super-héros dans la bande dessinée québécoise ("Demi-Gods: 40 Years of Superheroes in Québec Comics") published by Jean-Dominique Leduc at Mem9ire (2014). The Jammer appeared, along with other notable characters, on the cover of the book.
Fictional character biography
Major story arcs
Fun with Flarks
While vacationing in Montréal with friends, the Blood King hired Jane Marble to protect him from a small but determined army of terrorists who followed in his wake. Jane contracted the Gordon Kirby to be the king's body double.
Spans The Jam, Urban Adventure #1–5 (1989–91).
Broken Hearts
The Devil took a special interest in Gordon Kirby when he learned Gordie's happiness ratings were "off the chart".
Spans The Jam, Urban Adventure #1–5 (1989–91), #9–10 (1995).