Legendary comic artist John Romita Sr, who created most iconic Marvel characters like Mary Jane Watson, The Punisher, and Wolverine, has died at 93, BBC reported. His death was announced Tuesday night on Twitter by his son, John Romita Jr, who is also a successful comic book artist.
''I say this with a heavy heart. My father passed away peacefully in his sleep. He is a legend in the art world and it would be my honor to follow in his footsteps. Please keep your thoughts and condolences here out of respect for my family. He was the greatest man I ever met,'' Romita Jr. wrote.
I say this with a heavy heart, My father passed away peacefully in his sleep. He is a legend in the art world and it would be my honor to follow in his footsteps. Please keep your thoughts and condolences here out of respect for my family.
— John Romita JR (@JrRomita) June 14, 2023
He was the greatest man I ever met. pic.twitter.com/Pe2K3ywbWX
Mr Romita was born in 1930, in Brooklyn New York, and graduated from Manhattan's School of Industrial Art in 1947. Following his stint in the army, he made his foray into the comic book world, as a ghost artist at Timely Comics, the precursor to Marvel Comics.
From 1966, he worked with Marvel editor-in-chief Stan Lee on The Amazing Spider-Man, helping it to become the company's top seller. Characters like Spider-Man's love interest Mary Jane Watson and his adversary Punisher were also introduced by him.
In the early 1970s, he became Marvel's art director, a role he served for over two decades, and contributed to the design of characters including Wolverine.
He also introduced Spider-Man characters like the villainous Vulture, mobster Hammerhead, sonic-powered Shocker, Hobgoblin, journalist Robbie Robertson, and George Stacy, Gwen Stacy's father. He also helped create Luke Cage, the Daredevil villain Bullseye, and Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the evil mastermind Kingpin.
Many took to social media to pay tribute to him and thank him for all his wonderful creations.
Here are some tweets:
A sad, sad day for those of us who grew up adoring and obsessing over Marvel comics. The great John Romita Sr has died. A wonderful artist and a truly beautiful, kind, generous, compassionate and thoughtful man. He was the rock that provided a gloriously rendered foundation to… pic.twitter.com/1R8W0y9lEm
— Jonathan Ross (@wossy) June 14, 2023
RIP John Romita Sr. 1930-2023
— Cool Comic Art (@CoolComicArt) June 14, 2023
Thank you for the happiest of memories ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Rfvg7U1Hcv
One of the greatest comic book artists in history, a man responsible for so much of what we love about Marvel, John Romita Sr., passed away at the age of 93.
— Hector Navarro (@Hectorisfunny) June 14, 2023
My favorite work in his entire career was him coming back to do the last few pages of Amazing Spider-Man #500, from 2003. pic.twitter.com/xQxC1O5Iot
Sorry to hear about the great comic book artist John Romita Sr passing at the age of 93. My brother & I wrote Mr. Romita when we were young kids & sent him drawings of superheroes we were working on. He wrote us back, telling us what he liked about the drawings! A truly… pic.twitter.com/VV1slBPmwH
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 14, 2023
I just heard that John Romita Sr has died. Definitive Spider-Man artist, legendary Marvel art director, father of my great friend Johnny Jr & one of the most beloved human beings in the biz. If we can all end our careers with even A FRACTION of those triumphs we're doing well. pic.twitter.com/6PdZlXxSov
— Millarworld (@mrmarkmillar) June 14, 2023
Romita Sr. was inducted into the Eisner Awards Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Inkwell Awards Hall of Fame in 2020, as per Variety.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia, and two sons Romita Jr and Victor.
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