Iconic Comic Book Artist John Romita Sr. Passes Away at 93
Iconic comic book artist John Romita Sr. has passed away at the age of 93. The news of his death was shared by his son and fellow comic book artist, John Romita Jr., on social media saying his father passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, June 12th. He said:
“I say this with a heavy heart, My father, John Romita passed away peacefully in his sleep this Monday morning. 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.”
I loved the comic art that Romita Sr. created! I used to draw a lot when I was a kid, I wanted to be a comic book artist, I wanted to do animation, and my main comic book influence was the art that came from Romita Sr. He’s mostly known for his work on Marvel Comics’ The Amazing Spider-Man and also co-created characters such as Mary Jane Watson, Wolverine, Luke Cage, Bullseye, and The Punisher.
John Romita Sr. left an indelible mark on the comic book industry and became an iconic figure in that industry. The artist was born on January 24, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, and he began his career in the late 1940s, working in the comic book industry as a production assistant and occasional penciler. He worked for Timely Comics, which ended up being Marvel Comics. This is where he met Stan Lee, before being drafted into the army.
In the 1950s he worked for DC Comics, but it was in the 1960s that Romita joined Marvel Comics and became the principal artist on The Amazing Spider-Man, taking over from Steve Ditko. It’s here where his career flourished. Romita's work on Spider-Man is widely regarded as some of the most influential and defining in the character's history.
When talking about taking on Spider-Man in 2001, the artist said: “I really felt it was obvious that I couldn’t do Spider-Man as well as I could do Daredevil. I was amazed when Stan gave me Spider-Man to do. I felt he was desperate. So I did the book to help him out, hoping all the while that it would be temporary.”
Beyond Spider-Man, Romita worked on various Marvel titles, including Daredevil, The Avengers, and Iron Man, leaving his mark on each series. His storytelling skills were fantastic, as he managed to bring depth and humanity to his characters, making them relatable and engaging.
In the 1970s, he transitioned into the roles of art director and editor at Marvel, where he continued to shape the visual direction of the company's publications, and was also behind Monica Rambeau’s Captain Marvel debut in 1982.
In an interview in 2002 interview, he talked about his career saying: “I always felt that I became a follower of necessity. Because they had already done the ground rules. And I became a guy who was just following everybody else’s lead. I think I would have been more of a pioneer and more of a person in my own right rather than a follower. I think it stamped me forever. No matter what success I’ve had, I’ve always considered myself a guy who can improve on somebody else’s concepts. A writer and another artist can create something, and I can make it better… I don’t consider myself a creator. I’ve created a lot of stuff. But I don’t consider myself a real creator in a Jack Kirby sense. But I’ve always had the ability to improve on other people’s stories, other people’s characters. And I think that’s what’s made me a living for 50 years.”
His work laid the foundation for modern comic books and his influence continues to be felt throughout the industry. Our condolences go out to his family and friends.