Neal Adams dead at 80 – Batman and X-Men comic book artist passes away after sepsis battle

LEGENDARY comic book artist Neal Adams, whose prolific style helped create superheroes such as Batman and X-Men, has passed away at 80.

Adams died on Thursday in New York of complications from sepsis, his wife, Marilyn, told the Hollywood Reporter.

“It wasn’t until I sat at tables at conventions next to the same people I would watch treat my father with such reverence that I understood: He was their father, too,” Adams’ son Josh said in a statement.

“Neal Adams’ most undeniable quality was the one 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.”

During the late 1960s and early ’70s, Adams’ work helped reshape some of the most famous superhero characters known worldwide.

While at Detective Comics (DC), Adams helped create, launch and introduce several recognizable characters to fans.

He’s primarily known for his iconic Batman run with writer Dennis O’Neil, which revitalized the character with a darker tone compared to the early Adam West television series.

Adams also created some of The Dark Knight’s popular villains, including Man-Bat, Ra al Ghul, and his daughter Talia, who became Batman’s lover.

Apart from Batman, Adams also upgraded several DC characters such as Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Deadman.

Adams was a major creators-rights advocate who helped writers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster secure pensions and recognition for creating DC’s Superman character.

During his time with Marvel, he worked on characters involved with the X-Men and The Avengers.

Adams acted as a mentor to fellow artist Bill Sienkiewicz, who worked on Marvel’s Moon Knight, New Mutants and Elektra: Assassin.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; sons Josh, Jason and Joel, daughters Kris and Zeea, grandchildren, Kelly, Kortney, Jade, Sebastian, Jane and Jaelyn, and great-grandson Maximus.