A Batman Legend Has Died
One of the most significant and influential figures in the long history of Batman has passed away. We look back on their life.
This article is more than 2 years old
Notable DC and Marvel comic book artist Neal Adams has passed away. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the talented and influential succumbed to complications from sepsis at the age of 80. Without Adams’ contributions to comics, the DC and Marvel landscape could look very different from what it looks like today.
Neal Adams had significant contributions to both the Marvel and DC universe. For DC, did work for characters like Batman, Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Deadman. For Marvel, he had runs on both the X-Men and the Avengers. Adams’ most famous and significant contribution to comic books was his 1970s run with writer Dennis O’Neil on Batman. Adams and O’Neil took a dramatic, darker shift in tone for Batman. At the time, Batman was known for the campy Adam West-style. Adams and O’Neil flipped that narrative on its head, making Batman stories that were darker and more realistic. Adams contributed to making iconic characters like Ra’s Al Ghul, Talia al Ghul, and Man-Bat. He also contributed to reinventing the Joker character to a darker, more twisted version.
In other words, you can thank Neal Adams and O’Neil for the tone fantastic movies like The Dark Knight and The Batman have today. Surely, the first serious on-screen Batman, with the Michael Keaton movies, would not have been the same without the inspiration from this comic book run. However, that’s not to say Adams and O’Neil didn’t create ripples elsewhere in their careers. The two would also team up for Green Lantern/Green Arrow runs that confront issues like racism and drug addiction. They would also introduce the character of John Stewart, one of DC’s most iconic black superheroes and one who would become arguably the most well-known Green Lantern thanks to his appearances in the animated Justice League series.
Inevitably, Neal Adams was loved by comic book fans for his work on some of the most beloved heroes and villains in the comic book world. But he was also loved by his fellow creators. Adams worked hard to improve working rights for artists and creators. He also helped spearhead campaigns to get comic book artists paid for adaptations, which in today’s comic-book movie and TV saturated world is more important than ever. One of his most famous campaigns was advocating for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, to get credit for their contributions to the world of comics. Neal Adams was not only a prolific and iconic artist but he was an advocate and friend to the creators who have made things like the MCU possible.
Fans of comic books, superhero movies, and TV shows alike all have something to be sad about with losing a giant to the industry like Neal Adams. Fortunately, his great work can still be appreciated and recognized. Remember to keep Adams’ family and friends in your thoughts and check out some Batman comics, TV, or movies to honor the legacy he left behind. Neal Adams will certainly be missed, but his contributions will not be forgotten.
