This is very well said, and I completely agree with it. I hadn't thought of Kirby's work as containing a persistent anti-corporate element, but now I see it, I agree with that too.

I have been following Garth Ennis' brief Dan Dare reprise for Virgin Comics, and it led me to try to clarify the elements of its great original; which I'd summarize as Frank Hampton's conception of a future worth having. In the same vein, I'll say that the Fourth World is informed by the idea of an America worthy of its citizens' solidarity and self-sacrifice.

If I may, I'd like to link to these posts from time to time, on the comics blogs where I hang out.