For casual comic book fans, or fans just getting into the world of comics through Marvel and DC's cinematic and television ventures, it's easy to overlook the importance of comics illustrator Neal Adams. He not only mentored some of the greatest creatives in modern comics but also fought for fair rights and pay in the industry, helping to shape the modern comics industry.
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His death caused a shockwave of responses. Many took to social media to share their experiences and memories of Adams, highlighting his inspiration to artists and writers through his work onBatman,X-Men, or other projects.
Comic Book Companies
Both of the major comics companies released official statements on their social media and publication homepages. Marvel's social media post praised his "photorealistic style [that] helped shape the Marvel Universe and beyond, inspiring generations of comic artists as he championed their mentorship & growth." They highlighted Adams's work onX-Men andInhumans.
DC Comics released a similar statement, stating "The modern comic landscape would not be what it is today without the incomparable work of Neal Adams." His work for DCincludes the Green Lantern/ Green Arrowtitle, which covered multiple social justice issues in its run and the introduction of the character Ra's al Ghul to theBatman mythology.
Jim Lee
Current DC Comics Chief Creative Officer, Jim Lee, posted a multi-thread tribute on his Twitter account, with his personal connection to Adams's work. He stated that "Neal’s work has influenced every image I have created and continues to be the gold standard I aspire to when I put pencil to paper."
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Lee goes on to post the cover ofAll-Star Batman and Robin #7 he did with Frank Miller, alongside one of Adams's panels fromX-Men, to demonstrate how much of Lee's style was influenced by Adams's work. He touches on Adams's legacy of social justice before finishing his post with heartfelt condolences to Adams's family and fans.
Paul Levitz

Lee's predecessor, former DC Chief Creative Officer Paul Levitz, wrote a guest editorial on the site 13th Dimension. In it, Levitz calls Adams "a force of nature" and says that Adams "had no fear" when it came to campaigning for fair rights for industry professionals. His article goes far more in-depth about Adams's penchant for social justice and fair pay for creative rights.
Levitz's response to the death of Neal Adams emphasizes the main trend through the social media responses. His words and stories correspond with many other professionals and their admiration of Adams's work and willingness to stand up for what he believed was fair.
Tom King
Fellow DC Comics creative, Tom King, spoke of Neal Adams's dedication to creator rights on his Twitter post about the artist."He drew as well as anyone ever has, and he fought for us. I’m going to miss him.” Alongside the post was Adams'sSuperman vs Muhammad Ali, one ofthe best Superman comics of the 1970s.
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After Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in the 1930s and sold to DC Comics, the pair sued to regain the rights unsuccessfully. Eventually, they reached out to Adams, who took the pair on a press tour to encourage the company to pay the pair royalty fees ahead of the release ofSuperman.
Jen Bartel
The Eisner-winning artist and co-creator ofBlackbird from Image Comics, Jen Bartel shared a post on Twitter that expanded on a snippet that Stan Lee had written about Adams's desire to unionize the industry and focus on creator ownership. Bartel expanded on Adams's battle for creator ownership and recognition by saying in her Tweet that "It's because of his efforts that today, comic artists are allowed to sell our originals and set our own prices.”
The battle that Neal Adams fought for creator rights is still active today, as seen withMarvel's inspiration from Matt Fraction and David Aja's run ofHawkeye for the streaming series.
Neil Gaiman
Writer Neil Gaiman posted that Neal Adams was "the reason I drew Batman in every school exercise book...[Adams] made me care about comics at the point where I didn’t care any more..." The genius of Neil Gaiman's projects has also influenced the entertainment industry, and it's hard to believe that he ever didn't care about comics.
But his admittance makes the inspiration of a creator like Neal Adams that is much more poignant and highlights the interconnection between each generation of industry professionals. Gaiman's work is currently inspiring the next generation of writers and artists in the same way that the work of Neal Adams had once done for him.
Gail Simone
Gail Simone, writer of series likeBirds of Prey,Batgirl, and the upcoming Jessica Jones-focused title, The Variants, posted images of Neal Adams's cover art for the Tarzan paperbacks, saying "‘Legend' hardly seems to cover the man’s talents and achievements. So many of the keystone comics in my life were his."
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Simone actively uses her social media to bring awareness to issues in the industry and highlight how social justice issues impact the world at large and the way they're represented in media. Adams did much of the same in his career, using his reputation to speak up and out for others. "It just seemed like he'd be around forever," Simone posted.
Bernard Chang
Artist Bernard Chang paid tribute to the industry giant by sharing a photograph of himself alongside Neal Adams on Instagram. Part of his caption shares that his parents bought Chang a copy of Adams'sDetective Comics #400with a record to "read along and learn english. i read that book so many times the pages came apart, and i would sit at my desk after school trying my best to copy his art."
Chang would eventually have the opportunity to meet Adams while working for Valiant Comics, and stated that one of Adams's greatest qualities was his passion for mentorship, saying "neal was always gracious and honest, sharing his wisdom and experience, and generous with his time."
Bill Sienkiewicz
Neal Adams helped many artists break into the industry, including Frank Miller, Denys Cowan, and artist, Bill Sienkiewicz who was responsible forwhat's regarded asNew Mutant's best issue. Sienkiewicz struggled to put his emotions into words, first posting on Twitter saying "My artistic father #nealadams has passed. No words."
He eventually managed topost about the loss on his Facebook page, saying in part that "The world just lost an amazing artist, a brilliant storyteller, a wild creative force of nature, a man who forever changed the comics medium and the culture of entertainment. His impact was beyond seismic; it also changed the course of my very existence. His work saved my life. Literally.”
Josh Adams
Of all of the social media responses to the death of Neal Adams, his son, Josh Adams', stands out most. He writes of his father's dedication but says “Neal Adams' most undeniable quality was the one that I had known about him my entire life: he was a father. Not just my father, but a father to all that would get to know him….”
Adams then answers the question, saying, “What is it like having Neal Adams as your dad?" Don't be silly. To know Neal Adams is to know what it's like having Neal Adams as your dad.” His heartfelt post summarizes why so many in the industry mourn the loss of this legend.
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