We’re sorry to report the death of American artist Jackson “Butch” Guice, aged 63, who has died after battling illness. Our sympathies to family and friends at this time.
Much admired by fellow comic creators, Guice was a creative force at Marvel and DC, his first professional work for the former, after working in fanzines. His credits spanned multiple titles, including Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, Iron Man, Micronauts, New Mutants and X-Factor.
At DC, his credits included Aquaman, The Flash, Supergirl, and Superman, where he also created Resurrection Man with Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning.
Guice also worked for publishers including Compass Comics, Crossgen (on Ruse, with Mark Waid), Dynamite, First Comics, Humanoids (Olympus) and Valiant (including Eternal Warrior in the 1990s and Ninjak in 2015, after the publisher’s revival).
“Don’t ink my pencils. Ink my intent,” he once said, noted earlier today by fellow artist and friend Mike Perkins.
“Ahhh, Butcho! You were supposed to be around for another 30 years – at least,” Mike declared. “Enough time that we could have collaborated again and again. Enough time that I could have continued learning from your experience and stunning talent… There’s never enough time to spend with those you love.”
Mike has since posted a longer tribute here.
In recent months, he’d been working on a one-shot project, Stay out of the Woods, with writer Joe Pruett and Marcelo Frusin, and shared a tantalising cover image. Joe teased: “It has the feel of a nice little 70s Disney live-action movie, only if it was done as a horror film.”
The one-shot is scheduled to be published by Image Comics on 25th June 2025, in which a nightmarish terror once again haunts the shadowy woods of a small town community.
Sadly, last month, Butch informed friends and fans he’d been hospitalised due to pneumonia, but felt on the mend, although expecting a recovery to take some time.
He also contributed opening pages to the recently-launched Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma, written by Ram V with art also by Anand Rk, colours by Mike Spicer and lettering by Aditya Bidikar.
Commenting on Guice’s passing, Ram V expressed his heartbreak at learning about Butch Guice’s passing.
“I knew about his health as we were working together. I’m honoured he said yes to drawing more Resurrection Man for our book. Absolutely devastated at the news.”
Tributes to Jackson “Butch” Guice
“Of all the artists I ever worked with, few were as accomplished and smooth across all genres, characters and story concepts as Butch Guice,” said writer and artist Dan Jurgens, paying tribute, who worked with him on Iron Fist and Superman. “He had the incredibly ability to make the characters, settings and subject matter feel as though he’d been drawing it for years and was totally comfortable with anything that could possibly be put in front of him. That’s a rare and remarkable skill.
“Butch was great to collaborate with and even better to know. My best to his family in this difficult time.”
For editor Joe Illidge, Butch Guice was part of his life and career journey in comics for 26 years.
“I inherited the editorial role of Birds of Prey from Jordan Gorfinkel, an upstanding gent and Bat-editor who co-created the Birds of Prey idea and series as a staffer,” he recalls. “Shortly after Gorf left DC Editorial and passed the baton of this book I loved to me, the series’ founding artist Greg Land was about to get moved over to Nightwing as part of the Batman 2000 relaunch of the entire line…
“…which meant I had to find an artist to rise to the occasion and make a mark on the series, while bring embraced by the fans. I spent 45 minutes looking through comic books at Jim Hanley’s Universe when it was behind the Empire State building on 33rd Street, trying to find an artist and coming up short.
“I got back to DC and it hit me.
“Butch Guice was The One.
“I was a fan since he went by his birthname of Jackson Guice while drawing The Micronauts for Marvel, and his work on Doctor Strange and Superman: Action Comics was top-level. The man could draw human drama with the same beauty, skill, and gravitas as the deadly, dynamic superhero battles… Every time I received his newest batch of pages from Editorial Administration, it was a joyful experience. I love his art… He considered the series one of the highlights of his career, and it was certainly a highlight of mine.
“… I’m gonna miss Butch dearly. He was a friend, an old school gentleman, he perfected the old school principles of drawing, and he was A Nice Guy…in a sea of not always nice guys.”
“The Marvel family mourns the loss of legendary artist Butch Guice,” publisher Marvel said in a social media tribute. “His unmatched dynamic artistry and vision for stories spoke volumes through characters like the X-Men, Captain America, Winter Soldier, Iron Man, and many more beyond Marvel. His legacy will never be forgotten.”
“Butch was a tremendous artist and a great guy,” commented Nick Barrucci, the founder and current CEO and publisher of Dynamite Entertainment on his passing. “He was an artist’s artist. Getting better and better all of the time. He was one of the best artists the industry has ever had.
“I remember reading his work from Micronauts, eventually Dr. Strange, X-Factor, Swords of the Swashbucklers, and so much more. But the first time I really appreciated his work was in Marvel Fanfare, where they had a Butch Guice portfolio. Everything Marvel Fanfare was magic at the time, and Butch’s art there even more so.
“He took over The Flash at DC with Mike Baron when Wally West became the Flash. I got to know Butch more when the Death of Superman story was happening at DC. I was fortunate to be able to buy a Supergirl cover by him.
“At Dynamite we worked with him and Bill Mantlo’s brother for Bill on Swords of the Swashbucklers. He drew quite a few covers for us. Everything from James Bond to Masks, Green Hornet/Miss Fury, Game of Thrones, and so much more.
“God Speed Butch. Your talent and work will live on forever. Thank you for making our world better having had you in it.”
“I’m shocked to hear of the passing of Butch Guice,” commented artist and comics archivist David Roach. “Butch was a great guy and a fabulous artist and has left us far too young … It’s been a wretched few years for us in the comic community and this is yet another sad day, my thoughts are with his family and friends.”
“Butch Guice saw something in me that I didn’t way back in 1982,” said Kelley Jones. “I couldn’t trust myself that I had what it took to make comics so Butch said trust him and I did.
“He insisted I follow him as the penciller on the Micronauts when he left the title. For the next couple months he would take time from his new gig, and help me figure out how to draw a monthly book. Butch’s advice and instruction on that matter I use to this day.
“God, the talent he possessed!
“A quiet force of nature with a dry hysterically funny wit and more talent than just about anyone who’s made comic books. But it was his kind heart I will most be striving to follow.”
Jackson “Butch” Guice, 27th June 1961 – 1st May 2025
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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.
Categories: Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Features, Obituaries, US Comics
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