How Neal Adams built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Neal Adams was a highly influential American comic book artist, co-founder of Continuity Associates, and a significant advocate for creators' rights. He played a pivotal role in securing pensions and recognition for Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Adams' artistic contributions include co-creating notable characters for DC Comics such as John Stewart (Green Lantern), Man-Bat, and Ra's al Ghul, leaving a lasting impact on the comic book industry.
In 1959, after graduation, Neal Adams unsuccessfully attempted to find freelance work at DC Comics and turned to Archie Comics.
In January 1960, Neal Adams' first panel ran in Adventures of the Fly #4, marking his entry into the comics industry.
On November 26, 1962, the first daily Ben Casey comic strip, drawn by Neal Adams, appeared.
In 1963, Neal Adams ghosted two weeks of dailies for Stan Drake's comic strip, The Heart of Juliet Jones.
On September 20, 1964, a color Sunday strip was added to the Ben Casey comic strip, which Neal Adams was illustrating.
In 1965, Neal Adams drew 18 sample dailies of a proposed dramatic serial, Tangent, but it was not syndicated.
On Sunday, July 31, 1966, the final Ben Casey comic strip, which Neal Adams had been drawing, appeared.
In 1966, Neal Adams worked as a ghost artist for a few weeks on the comic strip Peter Scratch.
In April 1967, Neal Adams debuted as penciler and inker of writer Goodwin's story "Curse of the Vampire" in Creepy #14.
In May 1967, Neal Adams collaborated with Archie Goodwin on the story "Fair Exchange" in Eerie #9.
In June 1967, Neal Adams collaborated with Archie Goodwin on "The Terror Beyond Time" in Creepy #15.
In July 1967, Neal Adams made his DC Comics debut as penciler-inker of the story "It's My Turn to Die" in Our Army at War #182.
In July-August 1967, Neal Adams drew The Adventures of Jerry Lewis #101, his first work on licensed titles starring fictional versions of TV, film, and nightclub comedians.
In November 1967, Neal Adams was assigned his first superhero covers for Action Comics #356 and Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #79. He also drew his first superhero story in Detective Comics #369.
In 1967, Neal Adams was hired as a freelancer by DC Comics. Later in 1967, he became the artist for the superhero character Deadman in the comic book Strange Adventures.
In 1967, Peter Scratch series ended.
In November 1967, Deadman debuted in DC's Strange Adventures #205. Neal Adams succeeded co-creator artist Carmine Infantino.
In May 1968, Neal Adams drew his first interior story featuring Batman, titled "The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads" in World's Finest Comics #175.
In June 1968, Neal Adams took over the scripting of Deadman, starting with issue #212.
In 1968, Neal Adams became DC's primary cover artist and drew covers and stories for The Spectre #2-5, also writing the latter two issues.
In 1968, comics historians credit Neal Adams with ghosting two weeks of dailies for Stan Drake's The Heart of Juliet Jones. However, the dates are uncertain.
In March-April 1969, Neal Adams was called upon to rewrite and redraw a Teen Titans story which had been written by then-newcomers Len Wein and Marv Wolfman, which appeared in Teen Titans #20.
In May 1969, Neal Adams teamed with writer Roy Thomas on X-Men, starting with issue #56. Adams handled pencils, colors, and significant plotting.
In June 1969, Neal Adams began freelancing for Marvel Comics, penciling several issues of X-Men.
In 1969, Neal Adams collaborated on "Goddess from the Sea" in Vampirella #1, scripted by Don Glut, while working for DC Comics.
In 1969, Neal Adams updated Green Arrow's visual appearance in The Brave and the Bold #85, designing a new costume and giving him a distinctive goatee beard.
In March 1970, Neal Adams and writer Dennis O'Neil released their second Batman story "Paint a Picture of Peril" in Detective Comics #397, revitalizing the character's dark nature.
In April 1970, Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil re-christened Green Lantern vol. 2 as Green Lantern/Green Arrow with issue #76, teaming the two superheroes in a social-commentary journey across America.
In June 1970, Neal Adams introduced Man-Bat, co-created with writer Frank Robbins, in Detective Comics #400.
In 1970, Neal Adams won a Shazam Award for Best Individual Story for "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight" in Green Lantern vol. 2, #76, which he created with writer Dennis O'Neil. He also won Best Pencil Artist (Dramatic Division) in 1970.
In June 1971, Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil introduced Ra's al Ghul in the story "Daughter of the Demon" in Batman #232, a character who would become a major Batman adversary.
In 1971, Neal Adams and writer Dennis O'Neil created and introduced the Green Lantern character John Stewart in Green Lantern.
In 1971, Neal Adams established the art and illustration studio Continuity Associates with Dick Giordano.
In 1971, Neal Adams won a Shazam Award for Best Individual Story for "Snowbirds Don't Fly" in Green Lantern vol. 2, #85, which he created with writer Dennis O'Neil.
In 1971, Neal Adams won the Goethe Award for Favorite Pro Artist. He also won the 1971 Goethe Award for Favorite Comic-Book Story for "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight" (written by Denny O'Neil) in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #76.
In May 1972, Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil concluded their landmark run on Green Lantern/Green Arrow with issue #89, after undertaking a social-commentary journey across America.
In 1973, Neal Adams and Dennis O'Neil revitalized the Joker in "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!" in Batman #251, restoring him to his homicidal maniac roots.
In 1976, Neal Adams mentioned that after leaving the Ben Casey comic strip, he shopped around a portfolio for advertising agencies and men's magazines, but his material was considered too realistic.
In 1976, Neal Adams recalled his experience freelancing for both DC and Marvel Comics simultaneously, which was rare at the time.
In 1976, Neal Adams won an Inkpot Award.
In a 1976 interview, Neal Adams recalled earning about $16.00 per half-page and $32.00 for a full page for his work in Archie's Joke Book Magazine around 1960, which was significant for his and his mother's financial situation at the time.
Neal Adams was voted the "Favourite Comicbook Artist" at the 1977 Eagle Awards.
In 1978, Neal Adams drew Superman vs. Muhammad Ali, which he considered a personal favorite, marking his last complete story at DC before opening Continuity Associates.
Neal Adams was voted the "Favourite Comicbook Artist" at the 1978 Eagle Awards.
In 1980, Neal Adams directed and starred in Nannaz, later released by Troma as Death to the Pee Wee Squad, featuring his children and fellow comics professionals.
In 1984, Neal Adams founded his own comic book company, Continuity Comics.
In 1987, Neal Adams won his battle for artists' rights when Marvel returned original artwork to him, Jack Kirby, and others, helping establish the practice of returning artwork to artists.
In 1988, Neal Adams designed a new costume for DC's Robin character Dick Grayson, which was later adopted for the new Robin, Tim Drake.
In 1994, Continuity Comics, which was founded by Neal Adams in 1984, closed.
In 2005, Neal Adams returned to Marvel after a long absence, drawing an eight-page story for Giant-Size X-Men #3.
In April 2010, the first episode of They Spoke Out: American Voices Against the Holocaust, titled "La Guardia's War Against Hitler", was screened at a festival sponsored by the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. The series features Neal Adams' artwork and narration.
In 2010, Neal Adams returned to DC Comics to write and draw the miniseries Batman: Odyssey.
In September 2010, Neal Adams's son Josh illustrated a pinup of Batman in Batman: Odyssey #1.
In October 2011, Neal Adams' Batman: Odyssey was relaunched with vol. 2, #1.
In 2011, Neal Adams penciled The New Avengers vol. 2, #16.1 for Marvel Comics.
In May 2012, Marvel announced that Neal Adams would work on the X-Men again with The First X-Men, a five-issue miniseries.
In June 2012, Neal Adams' Batman: Odyssey vol. 2 concluded after seven issues.
In March 2014, Neal Adams produced a short story for Detective Comics vol. 2 #27.
In February 2016, Neal Adams revisited some of his notable DC Comics covers from the 1960s and 1970s, replacing the original characters with the New 52 ones.
In 2017, Neal Adams wrote and drew a Deadman limited series.
In November 2019, Neal Adams' Batman vs Ra's al Ghul miniseries was initially published before delays occurred.
In August 2020, Neal Adams and writer Mark Waid released Fantastic Four: Antithesis, a four-issue miniseries, marking his final work as an interior artist.
In March 2021, the final two issues of Neal Adams' Batman vs Ra's al Ghul were published after delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic; this was his final work as a writer and artist.
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