2001: A Space Odyssey (film) mini-reviews of the film in various issues in 1968, each one slightly more positive than the preceding one; in the final review dated December 27, 1968, the magazine called "2001" "an epic film about the history and future of mankind, brilliantly directed by Stanley Kubrick. The special effects are mindblowing." Pauline Kael called it "a monumentally unimaginative movie", and Stanley Kauffmann of "The New Republic" called it "a film that is so dull, it even dulls our interest in the technical ingenuity for the sake of which Kubrick has allowed it to become dull." Renata Adler of "The New York
2001: A Space Odyssey (comics) by David Anthony Kraft. Shortly after the publication of the treasury edition, Kirby continued to explore the concepts of "2001" in a monthly comic book series of the same name, the first issue of which was cover dated December 1976. In this issue, Kirby followed the pattern established in the film. Once again the reader encounters a prehistoric man ("Beast-Killer") who gains new insight upon encountering a Monolith as did Moon-Watcher in the film. The scene then shifts, where a descendant of Beast-Killer is part of a space mission to explore yet another Monolith. When he finds it, this Monolith