Credit – DC Comics
Yesterday, we lost an icon of the comic book world. Neal Adams has passed away at the age of 80, due to complications from sepsis, according to Adams’ wife Marilyn in a report from The Hollywood Reporter. Neal Adams was instrumental in revitalizing the Batman we all know and love today, from the 60’s campy Adam West version, into the dark, gritty, detective, that has influenced many of the versions we have seen in the comic books and movies. Along with writer Denny O’Neil, Adams brought the Dark Knight back to his darker roots and got rid of the comedy, resulting in batman being DC Comics’ number one selling character. Neil Adams was also responsible for, along with O’Neil, in revamping the Joker, Green Lantern and Green Arrow, as well as co-creating the Ra’s Al Ghul, Man-Bat, Talia Al Ghul, and Jon Stewart characters. His artwork was as revolutionary as Curt Swan’s, with a more punctuated fluid style, that jumped off the pages. Neal Adams was a comic book artist and creator ahead of his time, and he will be sorely missed.
The Six Million Dollar Man Magazine First Introduced Me to Neal Adams
I fell in love with Neal Adams’ art, before I even knew what I was being exposed to, was Neal Adams art. I was 6 years old, laying in a hospital bed because of an acute asthma attack. I had a lung infection, and ended up staying in the hospital for a week. My dad bought me an issue of the Six Million Dollar Man Magazine, that featured a ravaged Steve Austin being torn up by Bobcats. Little did I know that Neal Adams had drawn the glorious cover to that issue as well. I was a huge Six Million Dollar Man fan, and couldn’t wait to open the pages of this oversized black and white comic book, completely devoted to numerous stories and art, of one of my favorite characters of all time. I jumped right to that story referenced on the cover, and read it over and over again, mesmerized by the art and the story. The pages jumped right out at you, and the art was exquisite. That was my first introduction to Neal Adams’ style of art, and I immediately fell in love.
Related: Six Million Dollar Man Magazine Issue 2
Comic Book Fans Everywhere Are Grateful For Neal Adams’ Influence in Comic Books
Both Neal Adams and Superman artist Curt Swan, set the the standard of expectation when it came to great comic book art, and both were innovators of their craft. Neal Adams’ version of Batman will always be my favorite hands down, and will never be replicated. I had the fortunate chance to meet Neal Adams a few times at various comic-cons, and he was just as generous with his time, as he was with the art he drew in any comic book. I naively asked Adams one time, if Batman was his favorite character he ever drew. He responded with “I don’t have a favorite…I just love to draw.” Comic book fans everywhere are grateful for his influence and presence in the comic book industry. RIP Mr. Neal Adams.
One Response
Sad..One of the greats, Neal Adams RIP