Neal Adams

Neal Adams, the comic artist who revitalized Batman and championed creators' rights, has died. He was 80.

He would become known in the comics industry as one of the most influential creators of all time and champion social and creators’ rights. Deadman became a surprise hit and earned him an Alley Award for “for the new perspective and dynamic vibrance” he brought to the medium. And when they would come in to deliver their art, they’d stop off in production, [saying,] ‘Do you have Neal’s last job?’ or ‘Let me see what’s in the Detective drawer.’ And that becomes a ‘Can you top this?'” He helped change the practice of comic book publishers keeping the original art by artists or even shredding and tossing it, influencing companies to establish policies of returning the art, something that allowed artists to enjoy a second income stream. What would become tales told and retold of the fights he fought were born out of my father simply seeing something wrong as he walked through the halls of Marvel or DC and deciding to do something about it right then and there.” He, along with Stan Lee, formed the Academy of Comic Book Arts, hoping to start a union that would fight for benefits and ownership on behalf of writers and artists. Adams also worked for several years in the ’60s on a daily comic strip featuring Ben Casey. “It was as if the memory of DC Comics went along with the statements that both Denny and I were making, that we want it to be more realistic, more gritty. In the late ’70s, when a new federal work-for-hire law was being enshrined, Marvel and then editor-in-chief Jim Shooter distributed contracts that stated freelancers could not assert copyright over their creations. He also proved to be an influence on generations of artists, giving many a boost or break into the industry. Their 1971 two-part story “Snowbirds Don’t Fly” remains a watermark in the evolution to more mature readers. He created new villains for the rogue’s gallery — the Man-Bat and Ra’s al Ghul as well as the latter’s daughter, Talia, who became Batman’s lover.

In 1969, Adams and writer Dennis O'Neil pulled Batman back from the campy persona he had been saddled with on TV through a series of dark comics appropriate to ...

One of his lesser-know works was pencilling the excellent PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE poster for Richard Corben to color. R.I.P. Neal Adams- one of the first and great stylists to push USA comics to a new level. “R.I.P. Neal Adams- one of the first and great stylists to push USA comics to a new level. He would become known in the comics industry as one of the most influential creators of all time and champion social and creator’s rights. “I come out of a time when bigotry was a lot more subtle than it [was] in the days of slavery,” Adams told The American Prospect in 2011. In 1969, Adams and writer Dennis O’Neil pulled Batman back from the campy persona he had been saddled with on TV through a series of dark comics appropriate to the times.

Neal Adams, the legendary comic book artist known for revitalizing the Batman franchise as well as creating some of the Dark Knight's greatest foes, ...

Neal's photorealistic style helped shape the Marvel Universe and beyond, inspiring generations of comic artists as he championed their mentorship & growth. What would become tales told and retold of the fights he fought were born out of my father simply seeing something wrong as he walked through the halls of Marvel or DC and deciding to do something about it right then and there.” During his tenure working on Batman in the early Seventies, Adams is credited with infusing a dark realism in the comic book franchise then associated with the campy, colorful Adam West-starring TV series. He would become known in the comics industry as one of the most influential creators of all time and champion social and creators’ rights. “The modern comic landscape would not be what it is today without the incomparable work of Neal Adams,” DC Comics tweeted Friday. “Neal portrayed heroes as both super and human in equal measure. His dynamic interpretation of realism combined with the energy shaped generations of artists.

Neal Adams, the artist that defined the modern Batman, has died.

In 2019, he was inducted into the Inkwell Awards Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame. Then, in 1967, Adams took on art duties for Strange Adventures, specifically the stories of the character Deadman, Adams' first breakout artistic hit. In the '70s, Adams attempted to unionize the comic industry. Adams was Jewish, a cultural identity that informed much of his work and advocacy. The artist continued to work on numerous titles over the years, including regular returns to Batman, while also branching his work in the industry into creator advocacy. After a brief stint with Archie, creating one-page humor stories for Archie's Joke Book Magazine, Adams transitioned to newspaper comic strips, interning under cartoonist Howard Nostrand on his Bat Masterson comic strip.

Neal Adams, who illustrated characters like Batman and the X-Men, has passed away at the age of 80.

Muhammad Ali and Batman: Odyssey, as well as helping form the Comic Creators Guild. However, I’d be remiss if I also didn’t mention the work he and Denny O’Neil did on the Green Lantern book from 1970 to 1972, where Hal Jordan was paired with fellow Justice Leaguer Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow. With Adams having already redesigned Green Arrow’s costume and given him a distinct goatee in The Brave and the Bold #85, the Green Lantern/Green Arrow run delivered commentary on issues like overpopulation, racism and drug use, with the latter being explored in the “Snowbirds Don’t Die” two-issue arc, where it was revealed that Green Arrow’s sidekick Roy Harper, a.k.a. Speedy, was using heroin. Adams and O’Neil also debuted John Stewart, the third human member of the Green Lantern Corps, in Green Lantern #87, who was one of DC’s earliest African-American superheroes. Starting in 1969, while he was still freelancing for DC Comics, Neal Adams also started working for Marvel Comics, where he was paired with writer Roy Thomas on nearly ten issues of the X-Men series. During this time, the duo also created villains like Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul and Man-Bat, as well as re-tooled classic adversaries like The Joker and Two-Face. Marvel and DC movies are among the most popular franchise heavy-hitters these days, but that wouldn’t be possible without decades of comic book source material to draw from. Along with Marilyn, Adams is survived by their three sons (Jason, Joel and Josh), as well as his daughter Zeela from his previous marriage to Cory Adams, who was a comic book colorist.

DCComics.com: Welcome to the Official Site for DC. DC is home to the "World's Greatest Super Heroes,” including SUPERMAN, BATMAN, WONDER WOMAN, ...

In 1972, Neal turned to advertising illustration, but he occasionally returned to DC, notably illustrating a popular Superman vs. Born June 5, 1941, Neal received his art training at the School of Industrial Arts in New York City. His first big success came at the age of 21 when he started drawing the Ben Casey syndicated newspaper strip. DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee, who has drawn quite a few Batman stories of his own, said, “Neal Adams was an amazing illustrator, he changed comics.

Adams' version of Batman in the 1970s set the scene for a million dark and brooding takes on the iconic character.

He openly freelanced for both DC and its rival Marvel in the late ’60s—generally frowned at by the publishers—contributing art to a run on X-Men. He also became an open advocate for creators rights; among other things, he was one of the loudest voices in the industry calling for the return of original artwork to creators, and specifically for DC to acknowledge the contributions of Superman creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel for their massive impact on the company. These “relevant comics” can look cheesy to modern eyes, admittedly, but they were also an outgrowth of Adams and O’Neil’s convictions that superhero comics could interface with, rather than ignore, the politics of the era in which they were published. The O’Neil/Adams run was, in some ways, a direct reaction to the Batman of the 1960s, which had embraced the campy elements of the character so prevalent in the hit Adam West television show. It was the beginning of a rise that would see him become one of the most respected artists in the industry, with his work spearheading an increasing understanding of comic book art as art, rather than as a mere vehicle for superhero stories. Characters he left a lasting impact on include Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and especially Batman—whose modern incarnations owe much to the brooding, shadowy take on the Dark Knight that sprang out of Adams’ run on the character during the first half of the 1970s. A long-time artist best known for his legendary, character-creating and -defining runs on DC Comics—and for his work as an advocate for comics creators’ rights—Adams defined the looks of whole eras of the history of some of the most iconic characters in the medium.

Iconic comic book artist Neal Adams died on Thursday in New York at the age of 80, according to his daughter Zeea Adams Moss and daughter-in-law Saori ...

This is a huge loss for the entire industry," Lee said in a statement. "Neal Adams was an amazing illustrator, he changed comics. "His career was defined by unparalleled artistic talent and an unwavering character that drove him to constantly fight for his peers and those in need.

Iconic comic book artist Neal Adams died on Thursday in New York at the age of 80, according to his daughter Zeea Adams Moss and daughter-in-law Saori ...

This is a huge loss for the entire industry," Lee said in a statement. "Neal Adams was an amazing illustrator, he changed comics. "His career was defined by unparalleled artistic talent and an unwavering character that drove him to constantly fight for his peers and those in need.

Remembrances, thanks, and praise have been pouring in for the late comic book artist.

Our hearts go out to Neal’s family, and we want them to know that while the void he leaves behind will remain forever unfillable, it will serve as a reminder of all the joy and inspiration his work brought us and an epitaph of how much he changed the face of our industry. A small handful still do, but today we lost one of the greatest. Joe Quesada, former Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics: “There was a time in the world of comics when giants walked among us.

We talk to the creator & co-star of HBO Max's 2nd American Civil Wars series. We also remember one of he legends of comic culture.

The truly revolutionary Adams passed away at the age of 80. Long an advocate for artists, Adams with Dennis O’Neil and other collaborators changed the way we perceived what comics were capable of as literature and storytelling with his work on Batman, Green Lantern and many more. “We’re telling a story about New York, which if you take a 10% cross section of New York, you are going to get all people from all walks of life, from all faiths, and we needed to do that justice,” DMZ showrunner Roberto Patino says of the decision to look at the periphery of the acclaimed comic for its March 17 launching HBO Max adaptation.

Comic book artist Neal Adams has died at age 80. He illustrated characters such as Batman and the Green Lantern for DC, along with Marvel heroes like the ...

Vulture named it one of the most notable pages in the history of the American comic book. In 1971, he and Dick Giordano co-founded Continuity Studios, a company that created graphic design, movie storyboards, and advertisement art. Adams worked on a wide array of iconic superhero characters, including DC’s Batman and Joker and Marvel’s X-Men and Avengers. “Neal Adams was an amazing illustrator, he changed comics,” DC publisher and chief creative officer Jim Lee said in a statement. “R.I.P. Neal Adams,” Guillermo del Toro tweeted in response to his death, “one of the first and great stylists to push USA comics to a new level.” “I loved his take on Batman. It was lithe, acrobatic, and dynamic. According to his daughter-in-law Saori Adams, he died on April 28.

James Gunn, the director behind “Guardians,” tweeted: “RIP to Neal Adams, one of the greats.” The official Twitter account of DC Comics also issued a statement, ...

“Neal portrayed heroes as both super and human in equal measure. In addition to his iconic art, O’Neil co-founded the Comic Creators Guild in 1978. James Gunn, the director behind “Guardians,” tweeted: “RIP to Neal Adams, one of the greats.”