DC writer and editor extraordinaire Denny O’Neil passed away last night of natural causes. He was 81.
O’Neil is almost singly responsible for the complex Batman we all enjoy today, bringing social issues to the forefront of mainstream comics, and writing one of my favorite stories of all time — The Question. He created dozens of timeless characters and stories, and oversaw the direction of DC for a generation.
I never got to meet him, but he was always the writer I wanted to meet most. I’m still coping with the fact that now, I never will. He was the absolute best, and he’ll be sorely missed. Another giant, gone.
I’ll be reading some comics in his memory today. I’d also like to hear what Denny means to you. And if you’re just hearing his name for the first time, I encourage you to seek out his work. There’s a lot of places you could start, but I’d personally recommend The Question.
Denny O’Neil was an amazing creator. His legacy will live on in both the Marvel and DC Universes. As a writer an editor, he was involved in some of the most important comic stories of all time. As a writer, I will still go back to his book,
The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, as a reference when I need practical advice on “the rules.”
I have just seen how the great Denny O’Neil has passed away. He was so influential in the comic book world. His stories took place in fantastical worlds but were still grounded.
I was so excited when he responded to me letter in Azrael when the series first started. I had penned a letter saying how I thought the change in costume to a bat from his original costume had an effect on his mental state and this was why he acted the way he did. Denny then posed the question back to the readers.
We’ll miss you Denny.
I’m so bummed. I never got to meet him & get a special book signed. He came up with the name of Optimus Prime for Transformers. He’s done so much for the comics industry. I hope they make a documentary on him & his life.
I am deeply saddened by this. The body of work, the inspiration he gave, the depth he had, and the stories he left us will resonate long after we’re gone. Good bye, Denny. And thank you.
Really sad news. Never got to meet him either. If there’s one story of his that has always captivated me, it’s probably “Venom” from Legends of the Dark Knight.
Thankful that we live in a time where his stories are so widely available, and that at least a few pearls of wisdom have also been preserved in the interviews he did, like those first couple episodes of that “Batmen” special that’s available on DCU.
I guess it’s fitting that there is a BTAS WAL tonight. The Demon’s Quest parts 1 &.2. Written by Denny O’Neill from the story in Batman 232 also written by Denny O’Neill, which introduces Ra’s Al Ghul.
See the Community events/watch along section for the info on tonight’s WAL.
Cross posting since I don’t which thread will survive.
Denny O’Neil was an amazing creator. His legacy will live on in both the Marvel and DC Universes. As a writer an editor, he was involved in some of the most important comic stories of all time. As a writer, I will still go back to his book,
The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics, as a reference when I need practical advice on “the rules.”
The best Batwriter, the man who gave us Hard Travelin’ Heroes and John Stewart, the creator of the Demon’s Head, and of course the man who wrote The Question. What a legacy. RIP Denny.
Th or those who don’t know, in the Documentary section there is a series called “The Batmen”. Episodes 1-3 are interviews with Denny about reimagining the modern Batman.