This year was tough and was made even tougher with the loss of talented and pioneering comic creators that passed away. The creators that are remembered here worked in all aspects of the industry and for both the major publishers like DC Comics and Marvel and indie creators who forged their own paths in the industry.
While these creators may have left behind family, friends, and fans, their work endures, and the best way to remember them is to check out their creations and their work, which serves as their legacy. It is also a reminder that meeting one's favorite creator in person is a chance to thank them for their hard work and dedication to the craft and industry.
12 Joe Sinnott — Inker For Marvel Comics
Joe Sinnott, "Joltin' Joe" to his family, friends, and fans, was a legendary inker and one of the last "Titans of the Silver Age." Best known for his work on titles with Jack Kirby,such as Fantastic Four, Sinnott also helped define the Marvel style that the publisher became known for beginning in the 1960s. Before entering the comic world, Joe proudly served his country by enlisting in the U.S. Navy and serving in WWII with Seabees in Okinawa.
Sinnott's work earned him many accolades and awards, including being inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Hall of Fame in 2013. He retired from comic book work in 1992 but continued to ink the Sunday Spider-Man comic strip for King Features for 27 years, including the strip's final installment in March 2019.
11 Albert Uderzo, French Comics Artist & Co-Creator of Asterix
Albert Uderzo, the co-creator of the French comic book Asterix which told stories of the diminutive warrior of Gaul and his warriors battling the Roman Empire, passed away this year at the age of 92.
Asterix, which debuted in 1959 in the French-Belgian comics magazine Pilote, now comprises 38 volumes and is published in 100 languages worldwide. The Asterix comic inspired several TV series and live-action movies, and is the mascot for the French amusement park Parc Astérix on the outskirts of Paris.
10 Allen Bellman — Marvel Comics Golden Age Artist
Allen Bellman, the Golden Age of comic books artist who worked for both Timely and Atlas before they became Marvel Comics, was best known for early titles such as All-Winners Comics and Young Allies. Like other artists of his time, Bellman worked on more than just superhero comics, also providing his artist talents to comic books in the war western, jungle adventure, and mystery genre.
Bellman was active on the comic convention circuit, where he made it a point to meet and encourage the younger generations of creators and fans. He also wrote a history of Timely Comics on his personal website, detailing the early beginnings of the comic industry.
9 Nicola "Nick" Cuti — Comics Writer, Editor, Animator, & Artist
In his career in the comic industry, Nick Cuti worked as an artist, writer, editor, designer, and animator, among other things. Cuti is best known for his work with Charlton Comics, where he was co-creator of E-Man with Joe Staton. Other characters he helped create included Captain Cosmos (also with Staton); Mike Mauser, an unkempt private eye; and the underground comic Moonchild the Starbabe.
Cuti served as an editor for DC Comics and, along with Tom Mandrake, created the six-issue miniseries, Spanner’s Galaxy. After leaving DC Comics, he became a background artist and prop designer for Marvel Films and wrote several novels.
8 Dennis "Denny" O'Neil — Comics Writer and Editor
Denny O'Neil was one of the most prolific creators in the comic book industry, leaving his mark at Marvel, DC, and Charlton as both a writer and editor over his decades-long career. After his first comics story was published in 1968 for DC Comics, he quickly became one of the company's most influential contributors, not only for the volume of writing he would do every month but also for the characters he created and helped reimagine.
Denny is probably best for works with artist Neal Adams such as returning Batman to his roots as the Dark Knight and tackling social issues head-on in the pages of Green Lantern/Green Arrow, changing the rules for what could be published in the comics industry for years to come.
7 Morris "Mort" Drucker — MAD Magazine Caricature Artist
Morris "Mort" Drucker worked for several comic book publishers in the early 1950s, such as Dell, Atlas, and DC Comics, before landing at MAD Magazine where he became known for his caricature work. Drucker got into the industry as a self-taught cartoonist after being recommended by Will Eisner, a family friend.
His work includes a wide array of comic books, including titles featuring celebrities such as Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, as well as DC Comics' series The Adventures of Bob Hope. Drucker's work received recognition from the National Society of Cartoonists, earning the Medal of Honor for lifetime achievement in 2015 and being inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2017.
6 Jon Davis — Cartoonist & Illustrator
Science fiction illustrator Jon Davis was best known for drawing various Gerry Anderson-related titles such as the Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Joe 90, The Secret Service, and UFO. He was also part of Linden Artists from the 1960s, for which his book art included work for the 1984 publication of Frankenstein and Rupert the Bear.
Davis was inspired to start drawing science fiction art after reading The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings in the early 1970s. In 2013, he received an MBE for his service to Children’s Literature in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.
5 Martin Pasko — Comic Book Writer
Martin "Marty" Pasko was a comic book writer best known for his work on DC properties for both the comic book and television medium. He worked on DC comic book properties such as Superman, Justice League of America, Wonder Woman, and Saga of the Swamp Thing and was a writer and story editor for Batman: The Animated Series.
Pasko started at DC Comics in 1973, with the story “Private Life of Clark Kent” as his first Superman-related arc seeing publication in July 1974. From 1980 to 1981, he was a regular writer for Marvel's Star Trek series and the Star Trek newspaper strip from 1982-1983, as well as children’s books and video games.
4 Frank McLaughlin — Comic Book Artist
Frank McLaughlin was a comic book artist best known for co-creating with Joel Gill the Charlton Comics character Judomaster, who debuted in Special War Series #4 from November of 1965. He also served as the artist for the newspaper comic strip Gil Thorp and assisted on others such as Brenda Starr, Reporter, and The Heart of Juliet Jones.
Before DC Comics acquired the publisher, McLaughlin was Charlton's art director overseeing titles such as Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and Son of Vulcan. He later became an inker working with artists at Marvel such as Wayne Boring on Captain Marvel; Sal Buscema on Captain America and The Defenders; and later at DC Comics, inking Carmine Infantino's The Flash and Wonder Woman drawn by Gene Colon, among others. McLaughlin was also a teacher and wrote books about telling stories for and drawing comics.
3 Richard Corbin — Comic Book Artist/Illustrator
Richard Corben was a comic book artist best known for his work in Heavy Metal magazine, specifically the stories starring his creation, Den. Starting his career as a professional animator, Corben began publishing his own underground comics before getting work on Will Eisner's Spirit comic book; Vamperella; and reprints of Creepy and Eerie by Dark Horse.
In 2000, Corben worked on various projects for Marvel, DC Comics, and IDW, with characters like The Punisher, Ghost Rider, Hellblazer, and most recently, Hellboy B.P.R.D.: The Crooked Man with Mike Mignola. He was also recognized for his work in comics and animation with the Shazam Award for Outstanding New Talent in 1971, the 1973 Shazam Award for Superior Achievement by an Individual, and the "Favorite Fan Artist" Goethe Award in 1973.
2 Milton Glaser — Graphic Designer
Milton Glaser was the legendary graphic designer who created the "I ♥ NY" logo and the DC Comics bullet. Glaser's DC bullet design graced the covers of its comics from 1976 to 2015 in various colors.
Along with his career as a graphic artist, he also, with Clay Felker in 1968, co-founded New York magazine to compete with The New Yorker magazine. When he was hired to redesign the logo, Glaser's payment for the design was the most ever paid for a logo. The simplicity of the design gives the logo a timeless and classic appearance.
1 Chadwick Boseman
Though not a comic book creator, the loss of Chadwick Boseman, the actor who brought Marvel's Black Panther to life on the big screen as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, had a significant impact on the industry. After making his first appearance in the 2016 film Captain America: Civil War, Boseman's portrayal of the Wakandan King and superhero laid the groundwork for the first major superhero movie to feature an African protagonist, and the 2018 Black Panther movie was the first superhero film to feature a majority Black cast.
Boseman's time in the role may have been short, but he made a lasting impact on many creators who have paid homage to Boseman and his role as T'Challa with their artwork portraying him as Black Panther— such as Red Anvil Publisher and artist, Dave Ryan, featured above.