Gene Colan passed away a few days ago.
I can’t possibly do justice to this man’s life and career in the space of a few lines of type. He was one of the finest artists ever to grace comic books. He had a kind word and a keen observation to offer in every situation, and to everyone who crossed his path. His instantly recognizable art style was an essential element of “The Marvel Age Of Comics”, his rendering technique a perfect fit for tales that blended heroism with darker impulses. His draftsmanship and use of camera angles added depth and personality to each panel and each character he touched. His fluid depiction of motion, sense of dynamics, and use of shading are unparalleled by any artist before or since. He’s best known for his work on Daredevil, but his credits are legion: illustrating Night Force and a host of other horror and mystery comics, providing art for legendary runs of Captain America, Dracula, Iron Man, Howard The Duck, Batman, and Doctor Strange. He was co-creator of Blade (who spawned a successful series of films) and The Falcon (the first African-American superhero). His career spanned 67 years, and he was at the top of his game right up until the end, working on special projects and commissions from his home in Brooklyn. HIs final complete comics work was a special issue of Captain America that won an Eisner Award in 2009…
And he was, in my brief encounters with him, a supremely kind and sincere man. I’m saddened that he’s gone. And I’m glad I got the chance to spend a few precious seconds in his presence, and know him ever so slightly.
Thanks, “Gentleman” Gene.
A scholarship fund at The Kubert School has been set up in Gene’s memory. Clifford Meth has the details here.
Photo of Gene Colan © 2010 Marnie Ann Joyce.
A truly unique talent, we’ll never see his like again and we’re the poorer because of it.