George Pérez, a figure in superhero comics, died at the age of 67 from pancreatic cancer, his entourage announced on Saturday May 7. “George left yesterday peacefully, at his home with by his side the one who had been his wife of 490 months and his family”, wrote on the artist’s Facebook page one of her close friends, Constance Eza. His two main publishers, Marvel and DC Comics, immediately paid tribute to him.
George Pérez made everything look effortless. His contributions were pivotal in both driving and reinventing DC’s long and rich history. George’s stories were a joy to read, and his work resonated with everyone he met. He will be missed by those here at DC and fans worldwide. pic.twitter.com/g8lMC62tK5
— DC (@DCComics) May 7, 2022
“His contributions have been instrumental in advancing and reinventing DC’s long and storied history”greeted the publisher on Twitter. “Our family at Marvel mourns their loss”reacted his competitor, stressing the importance of his work “through all the comics”.
Coming from a family originally from Puerto Rico, George Pérez was born in 1954 in the Bronx in New York. He is undoubtedly one of the most famous American comic book designers and scriptwriters of the 1980s, having mainly produced superhero comics for Marvel Comics and DC Comics.
George Pérez started at Marvel in the 1970s, working in particular on the Avengers, or, influenced by Jack Kirby, one of Marvel’s major creators, he brings his sense of anatomy and a brighter world. He continues on another important series, Les Fantastic Four.
The designer is gradually approaching DC editions, Marvel’s big competitor. After passing through the Ligue of Justice of AmericaPérez’s career took off with the Young Titans written by Wolfman and the revival of Wonder Woman in the late 1980s.
George Pérez announced his retirement in 2019 due to health issues.