Friday, June 12, 2020

Obituary - Denny O'Neil


   Sad to note the passing of writer / editor Denny O'Neil.

   He enjoyed a long and impressive career working for both DC and Marvel while wearing both writer and editor hats - and his long string of accomplishments shows what an impact he had on the industry.

   He helped re-invent Superman. He and Neal Adams breathed new life and purpose into the campy Batman. He guided Wonder Woman through her "New Look" phase. He crafted terrific tales for the Justice League.

   At Marvel, he had a strong run on Amazing Spider-Man and Daredevil.

   His fine work as editor tends to be overlooked, but there's a long line of amazing talent that got into comics thanks to Denny's work.

   But if you had to point at one series that put him on the map, it was his run on Green Lantern (co-starring Green Arrow and often Black Canary) with art by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano.

   It was one of the early attempts to drag DC into the present, featuring stories that focused on the issues of the day: racism, overpopulation, pollution, and drug abuse (to name a few). 

   It was shocking stuff to my young self, and it helped spark a renewed interest in DC's comics, which I had largely abandoned for Marvel's books.

   O'Neil leaves behind a vast amount of excellent work to serve as an inspiration for future creators - and an industry that is much brighter for his efforts!

   

3 comments:

El Vox said...

RIP, Denny. I liked his Question run too.

BobbyNash said...

Sad, indeed. Denny was a powerhouse writer, editor, and a great guy. He will be missed.

Bobby

Dwayne said...

His heyday was right in my wheelhouse. I was 11-12 years old in the early 70's. I can't think of another creator who had a bigger effect on my love for comics. RIP Denny.