When you look at Adams' early Deadman stories in Strange Adventures, it’s easy to see how he became an industry superstar. Adams also helped the character of Deadman soar to new heights, as his mean, moody and magnificent illustrations captured the imaginations of readers. Working alongside writer Denny O’Neil, Adams helped produce some of the most iconic Batman stories of the Bronze Age, including the introductions of Ra’s al Ghul and Man-Bat. To this day, his Batman cowl is considered the gold standard. Among many other things, Adams redesigned Batman’s cowl, changing the placement and size of the ears.

In fact, in many ways the arrival of Adams to DC Comics can be seen as the end of the Silver Age and the dawn of the Bronze Age.

Influenced by the hit Adam West TV show, the Gotham of the 1960s was a city of bright colors and high camp, but Adams recognized that it was time for Batman and his world to grow and evolve. To truly understand how revolutionary Adams’ art was, it helps to take a look at how Batman was drawn in the comics prior to his arrival.

During his time on Batman and Detective Comics, Adams helped push the Dark Knight to new heights. Neal Adams was an artist unlike any other, and his legacy will be celebrated for generations to come.Īdams began illustrating for DC in 1967, and he quickly reinvigorated the medium like a bolt of lightning. While it’s only natural to grieve for the visionary we lost, we should also celebrate all that he gave us-and there was much, both on the comics page and off. Last week we were saddened to hear about the passing of Neal Adams, a legendary artist who helped reshape comic book storytelling.

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