We’re shocked and saddened to report the unexpected death of Vietnamese artist Vu Danh, whose incredible art had, for many here in the UK, only recently gained attention though his work on PSYComics “Odysseus” project.
“It is with sadness and shock that we report Vu Danh has passed away quite suddenly,” Laurence Alison announced on behalf of PSYComics. “You will know he worked with us closely on Odysseus and Madness and Monsters. He was a rare talent, a kind and compassionate work colleague and a very gentle soul. He has left behind a legacy of quite remarkable work and was a true craftsman.
“I described him before as a Master of this age and unsurpassed as a sequential artist. The world has lost an incredible storyteller and a beautiful person. Our thoughts are with his family.”
A concept artist, character designer in the game industry, comic artist and illustrator, who graduated from Vietnam University of Fine Arts, Vu Danh, who lived in Hanoi, worked with digital painting, traditional painting, especially ink on paper. His portrait work was, and remains, absolutely stunning.
Vu had only recently moved into the world of comics, circulating a stunning set of samples imagined and created for practice during the COVID lockdown, based on the game released, Shadow Hunters: Lost World. The game is heavily inspired by Dark Souls and Elden Ring.
In addition to his incredible art for PSY Comics, he had also recently provided variant cover art on US publisher Comics Elite‘s Seeds of Evil: The Massacre at Pigeon Roost, written by Kiel Curtis, drawn by Lorenzo Nicoletti; and, last year, provided art on a story “The Golem“, written by Dolan Waddick, published in Unholy Nightmares #2, by Mutant Farm Comics.
His work in gaming included art for Archvillain Games, such as their recently-released title, Agama: Stampede Echoes!
Last year, Gregory L. LeVitre, head developer at Battlegate, announced Vu Dah as artist on their “King Conan” project, planned for publication in mainland Europe where the character is in the public domain, unconnected with the Conan comic book series by Titan, Marvel or Dark Horse comics, or the movies by Dino De Laurentiis Company.
He saw his work on “Odysseus” for PSYComics as an important milestone in an early stage of his comics career. “I can see myself growing with each page, and by this fourth volume, I’m proud of what I’ve created,” he wrote last year, so it is so awfully sad we will not see more of his work.
Vu Danh is survived by his wife, Ngân Hoàng. Our sympathies to her, family and friends at this time.
Vu Danh, born 10 December 1983, died January 2026
• An Artist’s Story: Mr. Vu Cam Cong Danh
This document outlines the process Vu Danh took to develop concepts for characters. It includes sketches of ideas taken from sources like Dragonball and H.R. Giger. The document discusses habits, advantages and disadvantages of habits in the conceptual process
- About the Author
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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