Comics Great Neal Adams Dies At 80

Above, Neal Adams and yours truly at the 2012 Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles.

by Armand Vaquer

Very sad news!

It is the kind of news that forces one to shout, "Aw, f*ck!"

Comic book artist great Neal Adams has passed away at age 80. He was the man who created the definitive Bronze Age Batman for DC Comics.

Don Glut posted the following on Facebook:

I just heard the sad news that artist Neal Adams -- who  back in the 1960s changed the look of comics -- has died at 80.  Neal illustrated one of my earliest professional stories, "Goddess from the Sea," in VAMPIRELLA #1. What a thrill it was for novice me to open that magazine and find that Neal had done the art for one of  my stories - and made it so much better than it actually was. And I'm so glad that last year -- finally --  in his Crusty Bunkers comic book shop right here in Burbank, CA, he autographed my original copy of that issue.

He also posted:

FYI, I just received this email message from Jim Steranko: Yeah, I was the first that Chris Adams called with the bad news. No prolonged suffering; he died in his sleep about 2-3 in the morning. Don't believe I can accept it—just cannot imagine the Comix World without Neal. At last weekend's show, a couple fanboys mentioned stories about he and I being adversaries—completely fabricated for PR hacking. Even though we were both hard-headed, opinionated SOBs, we NEVER had a negative word between us. Never!!! And I attributed that mostly to Neal!"

I was privileged to meet Neal Adams at the 2012 Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.  

I heard he was in ill health in recent months, but this was totally unexpected, at least to me. This is a big loss for comic book fans.

My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. 

Book: Curt Swan: A Life In Comics

by Armand Vaquer

Ever go to your bookcase to get a specific book to read and it's nowhere to be found?

This happened to me about a week ago when I went to get my copy of Curt Swan: A Life In Comics (2002, by Eddy Zeno) to read. It was nowhere to be found.

I hadn't read the book since I lived in California, so I didn't notice it was missing. Now I have. 

It may still be around somewhere, but since I wasn't sure, I decided to order another copy through Alibris (I already have an account with them). I ordered it last week and it arrived in the mail yesterday. The price was reasonable enough: $24.73 (hardcover). I think my original copy was the trade paperback.

Above, yours truly enjoying the book yesterday.

I started reading it as soon as I got home from the post office and the time passed quickly (about 2 hours) and, before I knew it, it was time to start dinner.

Even if my original copy turns up, I have no regrets ordering another copy. It is an excellent book with lots of examples of Swan's work. I highly recommend it.

Happy 80th Birthday Neal Adams!

Above, Neal Adams and yours truly at the 2012 Comikaze Expo in Los Angeles.

by Armand Vaquer

Neal Adams, the comic book artist who many (including me) consider to be the definitive Batman artist, turned 80 today.

Adams recently was released from the hospital after a bout with sepsis. Thankfully, he overcame it and is enjoying his birthday.

It is hard to believe Neal Adams is 80. Then again, it is also hard to believe that I'm 67. But, there you go.

I became aware of Adams's work around 1967 when he started drawing covers for DC's Superman Family of comic books. Then, he started doing some Batman/Superman stories in World's Finest Comics.

Not long after that, he started illustrating stories in Batman and Detective Comics. And, around about that time, he took over the illustrating chores for the Green Lantern/Green Arrow series of stories in the Green Lantern comic book. Adams also illustrated Deadman stories, some included Batman. Those were great reads.

I got to meet Adams at the 2012 Comikaze Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center. I was there as a panelist on Godzilla.

Adams is still very much artistically active and appears at numerous comic book and science-fiction conventions around the country.

A big Happy Birthday to Neal Adams!