Neal Adams, one of the most influential Batman artists in the character's history, passed away at the age of 80. According to his wife, Marilyn Adams, the legendary comics creator passed due to sepsis on Thursday. Most well-known for his illustrator work in the 1960s and 1970s for DC Comics, Adams was also a fighter for the rights of those who worked in the comic book industry.
Alongside his frequent collaborator Dennis O'Neil, Adams altered the perception of the caped crusader from the lighthearted wacky adventurer back to a darker, moodier, and more violent vigilante. Adams' art amplified both the human and inhuman aspects of Batman, emphasizing every muscle and athletic movement while also making extensive use of the character's cape and cowl to project a sense of dramatic flair. One of the artist's most famous representations of the character was when Batman fought Ra's al Ghul without a shirt, cape, or gloves. Ra's al Ghul is a villain that Adams and O'Neil created that went on to become one of the most enduring members of Batman's rogues gallery. The imagery of Batman's bare chest combined with his iconic mask is a great representation of how Adams elevated the character's dual nature through his art.
Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Adams passed away Thursday of Sepsis. He is survived by his wife Marilyn, his sons Josh, Jason and Joel; his two daughters Kris and Zeea; as well as his grandchildren. Given Adams' near-legendary status, many comic creators also spoke out about how much Adams' work inspired them. Creators such as Marvel artist Bryan Hitch wrote about how important his work was to comic creators receiving fair compensation.
In addition to championing social issues in his comics, Adams crusaded for the rights of comic creators. He helped form the Academy of Comic Book Arts as well as the Comics Creators Guild, through which he pushed for unionization, better compensation, and better representation for workers in the industry. He lobbied for the proper crediting and payment of the creators of Superman, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, after hearing that they could not attend a Broadway musical featuring their character. He also led a successful campaign to have publishers return original art pages to their artists, allowing them to have a new revenue stream by selling their work to collectors. Neil Adams was the recipient of many awards throughout his career, being inducted into the Eisner Award's Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1998, the Harvey Awards Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Inkwell Awards' Joe Sinnott Hall of Fame in 2019. In the DC Comics 50th anniversary publication Fifty Who Made DC Great, Adams was among those named.
Adams' work inspired generations of artists, from Frank Miller to his own children, who have contributed to comic books as artists themselves. Thanks to Neil Adams' efforts, the comic book industry saw true inspiration and justice.
Source: Hollywood Reporter, Bryan Hitch