On December 7, legendary comic book artist George Pérez announced he has been diagnosed with Stage-3 pancreatic cancer. Instantly, peers and fans alike began celebrating Pérez on social media, with memories and favorite moments showing why he's considered a giant in the field of comics.
Pérez's announcement has prompted a surge of admiration from all levels of the medium, with the artist expressing his wish to engage in one last signing event, saying he hopes to be photographed with as many fans as possible. Pérez explained that he has opted not to pursue chemotherapy and radiation therapy, with a life expectancy of six to twelve months, expressing a desire to say goodbye with both joy and sorrow. As fans, writers, editors, and fellow artists celebrate Pérez, that certainly seems like it will be the case.
A Titanic Career
George Pérez broke into the comics industry in the early 1970’s, making his debut in 1974’s Astonishing Tales #25. He would find more work at Marvel, working on a number of titles, including Fantastic Four, but it was his work on The Avengers that rocketed him into the big time. Here, he acquired the reputation for being one of the foremost artists for team books.
Pérez's tenure at DC was equally legendary. While working at Marvel, Pérez met then editor-in-chief Marv Wolfman. Later, in the early 1980s, the team reunited at DC, creating The New Teen Titans. The book breathed new life into the dormant Titans franchise, and it became a runaway sales hit thanks in large parts to Pérez’s dynamic pencils. He followed this with a run on Justice League of America, a book Pérez had long expressed interest in drawing. Pérez also worked on the landmark Crisis on Infinite Earths, which revitalized DC continuity for the modern era. Pérez’s follow-up was an equally legendary run on Wonder Woman; his run is considered definitive and is often the yardstick against which other Wonder Woman runs are measured.
Pérez kicked off the 1990s in style, illustrating the first four issues of The Infinity Gauntlet, which would go on to serve as the blueprint for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Pérez did a number of works for smaller publishers, as well as creator-owned books during this time, but returned to the spotlight in a grand fashion, working with Kurt Busiek on their ambitious Avengers run. The duo also released the landmark JLA/Avengers book - the last time the two companies would collaborate on a crossover.
Health issues have forced Pérez to slow down in recent years, and in 2019 he retired from public appearances, only illustrating commissions for fans. Pérez broke the news of his cancer diagnosis on December 7, 2021. Pérez has opted not to undergo treatment. The outpouring of support and love for Pérez among the comics community was immediate, and what follows is a roundup of them.
Celebrations of George Pérez
Before meeting George Pérez, Marv Wolfman had established a name for himself at Marvel as one of their top writers, and Wolfman even served as the company’s Editor-in-Chief at one point. He worked briefly with Pérez at Marvel, and Wolfman was able to lure Pérez to DC in the 1980s. Wolfman and Pérez produced some of the publisher’s definitive books, including the aforementioned New Teen Titans and Crisis on Infinite Earths. Wolfman took to Facebook on December 7 to share his thoughts on the news of Pérez's diagnosis in a heartfelt message, saying:
Today, my dear friend, George Pérez, publically [sic] announced on his facebook page that he has stage 3 pancreatic cancer. His letter totally explains why he is loved by absolutely everyone who knows him. I can honestly say I have never known a better or more caring person. My friend, my wonderful friend, thank you for letting me be your friend. You have enriched my life and the lives of so many others. All my thoughts are with you and Carol. With love, Marv
Wolfman’s sentiments were echoed by fans, and responses from industry professionals such as former DC Publisher Paul Levitz, who praised Wolfman and Pérez for their professionalism, calling their working relationship “one of the longest and purest” in the industry. Another Pérez collaborator, Gerry Conway also took to social media to share his recollections of Pérez, and to wish him well. When the news broke, Conway said on Twitter his “heart just broke.” Conway praised Pérez, and implored fans to express their “gratitude for the joy he’s brought us all.”
Afterwards, Conway shared Tweets from other professionals praising Pérez, including Dan Slott. Conway worked with Pérez on the Justice League of America and the writer pointed to issue 200 as a “favorite moment of work with George.” Conway singled the issue out further, saying it “[summed] up his incredible storytelling and powerful visual imagination.” Artist Phil Jimenez was another professional who reminisced over Pérez's legacy and influence. Like Pérez, Jimenez had a career-defining run on Wonder Woman and also like Pérez, his influence on the character is still being felt. Jimenez recently teamed with Kelly Sue DeConnick to pencil the first issue of Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons. Jimenez acknowledged his debt to Pérez, sharing a tweet he made a week prior saying he “would have no career or intimate professional attachment to Wonder Woman without the profound influence of George Pérez on my career and soul.”
Other creators shared their memories of George Pérez. Writer Gail Simone said Pérez “changed my life” and called him “the best ever, that’s all.” She then changed her banner pic on Twitter to a Pérez Wonder Woman illustration. Acclaimed creator Tom King, writer of Mister Miracle and Strange Adventures, called Pérez “the kindest of men” in a Twitter post. King praised him further, saying Pérez “will always be an inspiration” to creators and fans.
Writer Scott Snyder said there was “no quantifying” Pérez's influence on both him as a creator and on comics in general, sharing a sentiment from Mitch Gerads that there is still time for fans and peers to express to George Pérez that "he is the absolute GOAT" (greatest of all time.) Writer Vita Ayala echoed Snyder’s belief that Pérez's influence cannot be measured, saying “Pérez is a legend” and that he “shaped the world as I know it.” Major collaborator Kurt Busiek has shared several stories about Pérez on Twitter, including the fact that a characteristic splash-page of the Avengers fighting Ultron includes one android Pérez didn't draw, added as a joke for the artist.
In a testament to Pérez’s influence beyond the comics industry, professionals in other industries shared their thoughts on Pérez. One of them was acclaimed director James Gunn, who spearheaded both Guardians of the Galaxy films and this year’s The Suicide Squad. In a Tweet, Gunn called Pérez “an incredible artist and incredible guy.” Gunn acknowledged his debt to Pérez, saying Pérez “helped to form my creative life.” Similarly, actor Phil LaMarr - who has provided voices for numerous animated programs including Justice League Unlimited and Static Shock - said in a Tweet he was “absolutely devastated” at the news, showing off a copy of New Teen Titans #1, with a Pérez cover.
Numerous professionals, and many fans, shared stories of Pérez’s graciousness and kind heart. Pérez was a major presence at comic book conventions until his retirement in 2019. Writer Jessica Ritchey shared an image of Pérez helping a fan recreate his iconic cover to Crisis On Infinite Earths #7, showing Superman, crying to heaven, holding Supergirl in his arms. Popular Twitter account Cool Comic Art shared iconic Pérez art, while Comic Book Couples Counseling shared a photo of Pérez posing with fans, bound by countless versions of Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth.
George Pérez is one of America’s greatest comic book artists, with legendary runs on numerous characters across multiple publishers, and fans are taking the opportunity of his recent announcement to let him know it.
Sources: Marv Wolfman, Gerry Conway, Gerry Conway, Phil Jimenez, Gail Simone, Tom King, Scott Snyder, Mitch Gerads, Vita Ayala, Kurt Busiek, James Gunn, Phil LaMarr, Jessica Ritchey, Cool Comic Art, Comic Book Couples Counseling