We’re sorry to report the passing of influential American comic artist and writer George Pérez, aged 67, best known for his work on DC Comics Wonder Woman and Teen Titans, and Marvel’s The Avengers. He was also instrumental in making DC’s fist ”Crisis” series, Crisis on Infinite Earths, an incredible success, paving the way for further, similar special comic events from the US publisher.
Pérez announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December and the news of his death was shared by his close friend, Constance Eza, who posted a statement on Pérez’s Facebook page and her personal Twitter.
“To all of George’s fans and friends, Constance here, with the update no one wants to read,” she wrote yesterday. “George passed away yesterday, peacefully at home with his wife of 490 months and family by his side. He was not in pain and knew he was very, very loved.
“We are all very much grieving but, at the same time, we are so incredibly grateful for the joy he brought to our lives. To know George was to love him; and he loved back. Fiercely and with his whole heart. The world is a lot less vibrant today without him in it.
“He loved all of you. He loved hearing your posts and seeing the drawings you sent and the tributes you made. He was deeply proud to have brought so much joy to so many.
“Everyone knows George’s legacy as a creator. 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.
“Today is Free Comic Book Day. A day George absolutely loved and a fitting day to remember his contributions to comics and to our lives. I hope you’ll enjoy your day today with him in mind. He would have loved that.
Please keep his wife Carol in your thoughts and again, I thank you for respecting her privacy. I remain available through the contact on the page.
“…We will miss him always.”
Our sympathies to George’s family and friends at this time. He will be much missed by so many, but his work stretched our imaginations in so many ways, and lives on.
George Pérez 9th June 1954 – 6th May 2022
• George’s memorial service will take place at MEGACON Orlando at 6.00pm on Sunday, May 22nd. It will be open to all.
Details to follow on the official George Pérez Facebook Page
• You can support the work of The Hero Initiative here
DC Comics Tribute to George Pêrez
DC Comics put this together to celebrate George for his birthday earlier this year – and a special version will be available for sale by The Hero Initiative,
The two-page spread featuring some of his most beloved characters will appear in each of DC Comics June periodical releases. Working from a layout designed by Dan Jurgens, some of the industry’s biggest names including Jim Lee, Walter Simonson, Alex Ross, Dave Gibbons, Todd McFarlane, Daniel Sampere, Jerry Ordway, Nicola Scott and many more, collaborated on the colorful spread.
Writing on Facebook last month, Constance Eza wrote that George was “absolutely gleeful” when he saw it, naming the characters and hearing the artists who contributed to this celebration gave him so much joy.
“This labour of love was an incredible undertaking and turned out so beautifully,” his close friend wrote, adding the ailing artist gave his “heartfelt thanks to every person who contributed to this incredible birthday celebration”.
In addition to being included in all of DC’s June issues, the tribute will also be featured as a variant cover for Dark Crisis #7. Each issue of the event series will feature a cover highlighting a previous crisis event from DC’s history, starting with the genre defining Crisis on Infinite Earths by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez for issue #1.
A special version of the Dark Crisis #7 variant cover will also be available for sale by The Hero Initiative.
The Hero Initiative creates a financial safety net for comic creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. Since inception, the Hero Initiative has been fortunate enough to benefit creators with more than $1 million worth of much-needed aid, fueled by your contributions! It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.
“When I was asked to come up with a design and layout that would honor George Pérez and his many incredible contributions to DC Comics over the years, I was truly honored,” said Dan Jurgens. “I have admired George’s work since I first saw it and have had the good fortune to work with him in different capacities, on a number of projects. More importantly, I’ve been able to see the way George treats fans and readers, always smiling, gregarious and approachable. It was a joy to watch this cover come together and I’m sure everyone who contributed feels the same way.”
The tribute features the following DC characters that Pérez is most known for, as well as the man himself, drawn by a number of the top artists in the industry and coloured by Hi-Fi:
- The Monitor & Anti-Monitor – Jim Lee & Scott Williams
- Trigon – Todd McFarlane
- The Spectre – Alex Ross
- Darkseid – Walter Simonson
- Firestorm & The Justice League Satellite – Scott Kolins
- Ares & Hippolyta – Phil Jimenez
- Cheetah & The Amazons – Colleen Doran
- Lady H.I.V.E. & H.I.V.E. Agents – Scott Koblish
- Vigilante – Dave Gibbons
- Cheshire – Joëlle Jones
- Brother Blood – Darryl Banks
- Blackfire – Mike McKone
- Gizmo & Mammoth – Klaus Janson
- Shimmer – Bruno Redondo
- Psimon – Mikel Janín
- Neutron & Jinx – Dan Mora
- The Legion of Super-Heroes – Francis Manapul
- The Justice Society of America – Jerry Ordway
- Power Girl & Huntress – Kevin Maguire
- The Justice League of America (and the background) – Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund
- Superboy-Prime & Alexander Luthor – Ivan Reis
- Supergirl – Gary Frank
- Harbinger – Adam Hughes
- Pariah – Daniel Sampere
- Jericho & Kole – Nicola Scott
- The New Teen Titans, Deathstroke & George Pérez – José Luis García-López
“George Pérez is one of my favorite comic storytellers of all time. To say he’s a ‘great artist’ is a massive understatement,” said Dark CrisisWriter Joshua Williamson. “His work on the original Crisis of Infinite Earths inspired so much of my love for DC Comics. When I saw DC editors pull together this incredible piece with so many amazing legendary artists celebrating George, I won’t lie, it was emotional. And now it’s an honor to have this tribute be a cover to Dark Crisis.”
• You can support the work of The Hero Initiative here
• Official George Pérez Facebook Page
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News, Features, Obituaries, US Comics
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