Dick Giordano, 1932-2010
Comic book legend Dick Giordano has passed away at the age of 77.
The tragic news has hit the internet today. Dick Giordano has passed away.
Giordano was born Richard Jospeh Giordano in New York City on July 20, 1932. His first contribution to comics came in 1951, when he was hired as a freelance artist for the Jerry Iger Studio. He worked as a journeyman comics artist at different publishing houses until being named Editor-In-Chief of Charlton Comics, where he was instrumental in revitalizing a flagging line of superhero comics (helped, in large part, by the arrival of Steve Ditko to the company in 1966).
In 1967, Giordano was hired by Carmine Infantino at DC Comics as an editor, where he struck up a close working relationship with artist Neal Adams. Adams and Giordano left DC in 1971 to form Continuity Comics, a production house that specializes to this day in packaging artwork, advertising design, and movie storyboards. He also provided the artwork for some stories at Marvel Comics, before being re-hired at DC in 1980, this time as the publisher’s Batman editor. He swiftly moved up the ranks to Executive Editorial Director in 1983, a post he held for the next decade. It was during this time that DC underwent a creative revitalization, as the comics in the line moved to a more mature, emotionally complex storytelling style that has helped define modern comics. He brought about many changes at DC, amongst them the mega-crossover CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (for which he also inked George Perez’s pencils), as well as the influx of writers from Britain, such as Alan Moore (WATCHMEN), Neil Gaiman (SANDMAN), and Grant Morrison (ANIMAL MAN), who went on to become major fixtures in the American comic book industry. It was also on Giordano’s watch that the Vertigo imprint was formed, just before his semi-retirement in 1993.
Giordano continued to sporadically work in comics on a largely freelance basis in recent years. In 2004, Marvel released the four issue STOKER’S DRACULA, a comic book adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel DRACULA, featuring the artwork of Giordano. The story had started in Marvels DRACULA LIVES magazine in the mid-1970’s, but was interrupted by the cancellation of that magazine. Marvel reunited Giordano and writer Roy Thomas so they could finish what they had started. Giordano also co-founded the short-lived Future Comics with Bob Layton (his former pupil) and David Michileine. He also served on the board of The Hero Initiative.
Throughout his career, Dick Giordano was regared as a superlative artist and inker, and excellent judge of talent, a staunch supporter or creator’s rights, and an exceptional editor. He will be greatly missed.
The Outhouse sends its condolences to Giordano’s loved ones.
Syndicated from The Outhouse – The Greatest Comic Book Website
Posted originally: 2010-03-27 17:23:46
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