George Pérez, the legendary DC and Marvel comic book artist, has died at the age of 67.
As reported by Variety, Pérez died on Friday, May 6 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, but he leaves behind a legacy mostly unmatched in the world of comics. The news of his death was shared by his friend Constance Eza, who wrote a few words about his importance to not only her, but the entire world.
"Everyone knows George's legacy as a creator," Eza wrote. "His art, characters and stories will be revered for years to come. But, as towering as that legacy is, it pales in comparison to the legacy of the man George was. George's true legacy is his kindness. It's the love he had for bringing others joy - and I hope you all carry that with you always."
DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee also wrote a few words in honor of Pérez, and his words show just how much Pérez impacted the worlds of both DC and Marvel.
"Both the DC and Marvel universes owe so much to the pen of George Pérez," Lee wrote. "From his runs on the Avengers and Fantastic Four to his reinvention of the New Teen Titans and relaunch of Wonder Woman and of course his seminal universe defining work—Crisis on Infinite Earths—George’s vision and attention to detail were unparalleled and made devout readers into fans and fans into super fanatics.
"He could bring to life both the sweeping, epic clashes between the Gods & also capture the small, quiet interludes between the most mundane characters with equal deftness & power. Most importantly—George defined to me what it meant to be a fan favorite in the modern age. Not just because he has countless fans all around the world but because of how humble, gracious & generous he was with his time and talent when in their company."
George Pérez made everything look effortless. His contributions were pivotal in both driving and reinventing DC’s long and rich history. George’s stories were a joy to read, and his work resonated with everyone he met. He will be missed by those here at DC and fans worldwide. pic.twitter.com/g8lMC62tK5
— DC (@DCComics) May 7, 2022
Pérez was born in 1954 in the South Bronx and he dreamed of being an artist since he was a child. At 19, he began working for Marvel Comics as an assistant to Fantastic Four artist Rich Buckler. In 1974, Pérez made his official debut as an artist for the anthology series Astonishing Tales.
In 1980, Pérez was asked by DC to work on The New Teen Titans, which was a relaunch of the teenage superhero team that was led by Marv Wolfman. He would continue to work in the world of DC and would be an integral part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event that saw DC's heroes team up against Anti-Monitor.
Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pérez helped relaunch Wonder Woman and would even write on the series. Pérez's work would be citied as an inspiration for Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman film from 2017.
As the years continued, he would jump back and forth between Marvel and DC, and in 2012 he chose to leave DC after disagreements on rewrites of his work and subpar editorial planning. After DC, he wrote and drew a sci-fi miniseries called Sirens for Boom! Studios.
George Pérez was an artist, a writer, a role model, and a friend. His work paved seminal stories across comics, and his legacy of kindness and generosity will never be forgotten. Our family at Marvel mourns his loss today, and our hearts are with his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/Z61gXE1zk4
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) May 7, 2022
In 2019, Pérez announced his retirement due to health issues.
Pérez is survived by his wife, Carol Flynn. For those interested, Eza shared that Pérez's memorial service will take place at MEGACON Orlando at 6pm ET on Sunday, May 22, and it will be open to all.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
