Gene Colan

• Born 1926-09-26 · Died 2011-06-01

Gene Colan was an American comic book artist best known for his work for Marvel Comics, where his signature titles include the superhero series Daredevil, the cult-hit satiric series Howard the Duck, and The Tomb of Dracula, considered one of comics' classic horror series. He co-created the Falcon, the first African-American superhero in mainstream comics; Carol Danvers, who would become Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel; and the non-costumed, supernatural vampire hunter Blade. Colan began working in comics in 1944, doing illustrations for publisher Fiction House's aviation-adventure series Wings Comics, where also his first comics story appeared. After military service, Colan went to work for Marvel Comics' 1940s precursor, Timely Comics in 1946. Hired as a staff penciler, the published work was often uncredited. Later Colan began freelancing for National Comics, the future DC. He often worked on war stories. While freelancing for DC romance comics in the 1960s, Colan did his first superhero work for Marvel under the pseudonym Adam Austin. He introduced the *Sub-Mariner* feature in *Tales to Astonish*, and succeeded Don Heck on *Iron Man* in *Tales of Suspense*. Colan became one of the premier Silver Age Marvel artists, illustrating a host of such major characters as *Captain America*, *Doctor Strange* (both in the late-1960s and the mid-1970s series), and his signature character, *Daredevil*. Colan in the 1970s illustrated the complete 70-issue run of the horror title *The Tomb of Dracula* as well as most issues of writer Steve Gerber's cult hit *Howard the Duck*. In 1981, Colan went to DC, where he brought his shadowy, moody textures to Batman, serving as the character's primary artist from 1981 to 1986, penciling most issues of Detective Comics during this time. In the late 1980s, Colan, in addition to his art, taught at Manhattan's School of Visual Arts and Fashion Institute of Technology.