Legendary Comic Creator, and my friend, dies at 81

by Matthew Russell - Posted 3 years ago

   

Welcome, everyone. I am sad to bring you the news that Dennis (Denny) O’Neil has passed away. I knew him and was able to call him a friend. I am sorry if this post seems disjointed at times. When I got the news, my mind started racing and memories came flooding back. 

To call this man a legend in the comic book industry would be to understate his accomplishments. This man was a visionary and teacher. He changed the industry in ways that will be felt long after his passing.

He passed away at his home from natural causes at the age of 81. He was destined to work in this industry; after all, he was born May of 1939, the same month that Batman would make his debut in comics.

Denny O’Neil’s Comic Book Accomplishments

Many people know him for his work on Batman. He spearheaded the campaign to return Batman to his darker roots.

What many people don’t know is that he (in a strange way) helped make Wonder Woman a feminist icon. When he was charged with writing Diana of Themescara, he wanted to strip her down to see what makes her tick. He removed her powers.

This caused a huge rift among fans and caused National News Agencies to weigh in. This controversy forced Denny to return her to her superpowered status among the DC Pantheon.

Green Lantern and Green Arrow’s Hard Traveling times were a direct result of him wanting to explore the ideology of the 2 heroes and showcase their differences. You have a by-the-books cop type in Green Lantern and a Social Justice Warrior (before the term was coined and became a negative thing) with Green Arrow.

Together the pairing became legendary. It even had a hand in bringing down the Comic Code Authority. DC Comics was asked by First Lady Nancy Reagan to produce a story about the negative aspects of drugs. The Comic Code Authority was still in effect and forbid comics from talking about drugs.

Denny O’Neil basically said “Hell with it. Let’s do it and see what happens.” In the story, Snowbirds Don’t Fly he revealed Speedy (Roy Harper, Green Arrow’s sidekick) to be a heroin addict. This proved to be a pivotal comic within the industry. Since it proved that the CCA had no teeth, it opened the doors for comic writers to tell more real and impactful stories.

Denny O’Neil’s Comic Creations

This man was a genius. He created heroes and villains such as John Stewart (Green Lantern), Azrael, Ras Al Ghul, Leslie Thompkins, Hydro-Man, Richard Dragon, Lady Deathstrike, Madame Web, Maxie Zeus, Hank Hal, Kal-L, Reaper, and Javelin (featured in the upcoming Suicide Squad sequel).

He had hundreds more, I just didn’t have the time to list them all.

Side note, he was also responsible for giving us the name of Autobot leader: Optimus Prime!

A Personal Story about this Legendary Comic Creator

When I was a kid, I had been a comic fan for about 5 years when I met him. I found out that he didn’t live too far from me. I was looking for work to supplement my allowance and he let me mow his yard.

I took extra time mowing it because I was such a huge fan. When I was finally done he paid me $7 (a lot back then for a little kid) and we talked about comics for hours. We talked about Batman, Green Arrow, Green Lantern (I was a major DC fanboy, and still am).

A few months later was the Emerald City Con. I was so excited that I had a ticket. When I got there, I walked around for a few minutes and then I saw him. He called me by name and introduced me to several comic legends such as Stan Lee.

Here I was, a little kid, and he is introducing me to my idols and letting me in on their conversations. As they were talking about upcoming stories he would turn to me and ask my opinion. They would complain about various editors, and at one point even talked about the janitorial staff.

These guys became real people to me that day. Although they remained idols, Gods among men, they became real people like everyone else.

Thank You, Denny, for all your wonderful stories, your kind heart, your mentorship, and your friendship. It will mean more than you will ever know.