The comic book community has lost another great. Al Williamson has passed away at the age of 79.
With a career that spanned four decades and who helped break other legends such as Mike Kaluta and Bernie Wrightson break into the industry, and who influenced the likes of Frank Cho and Dave Gibbons, we truly have lost one of the best.
He was the recipient of two Eisners for Best Inker in 1996 and 1997, as well as was a Hall of Fame Eisner in 2000.
From his comic strip Secret Agent X-9, to his Star Wars adaptations, and his legendary work on Flash Gordon, his legacy lives on.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:41 am
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he will be missed.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:13 am
A true legend in the history of American illustration too often overlooked by the art world because he drew comics. His influence will be felt forever.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:36 am
i met al many years back with my dad. we would drive up to honesdale, and al welcomed us into his home, we talked art for hours. al showed us so many wonderful pieces he rendered over the years-secret agent corrigan, star wars,. . . i met with him many times in nyc too and he was always fun, kind, and gracious. al was a wonderful person and a great talent.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:55 am
I had the chance to meet Al many years ago with the huge volumes of what is now called “Star Wars Classics” were released on QVC as three huge volumes. He signed them for me, and also looked at my work (no, I did not shove it in his face, I remember he said “Is that your sketchbook?” and when I said it was, he asked to look at it), and gave me some great pointers. He was such a good man, and I felt that he had the most amazing passion for illustration.
We spoke “Star Wars” and my main question to him was how fantastic he made the ships look. He smled and said “photos help.” – and I felt at the time I got an insiders tip! That no one knew he used reference material! (Hey, I was a geeking out like a teen at that time).
Al will be missed, I’m sure. I’m happy to have met him (wish I had that same chance with Frank Frazetta) and even more proud that I’ve loved his work enough to tell him so… Another Grand Master leaves us… R.I.P. Al – You inspired us all!
June 14th, 2010 at 9:49 am
We are deeply saddened to hear the news that Al Williamson has passed away. Our dear friend of 30 years, Al was not just one of the finest artists to have ever created sequential art, he was an inspiration to us as a man. There was integrity in his every brushstroke. In 1997, when Vanguard segued from the cutting-edge comics anthology Tales from the EDGE, to stand-alone books on individual artists, it was no accedent that we decided to launch the first-ever line of comicbook artist sketchbooks with The Al Williamson Sketchbook. We followed Al’s book with books on Neal Adams, Wally Wood, Jeffrey Jones, John Buscema, Carmine Infantino, John Romita, Michael Kaluta, Jim Steranko, Frank Frazetta and many more. It was my intent from the beginning to launch with Al’s book so that our tribute to him would increase in significance as the line continued to succeed. I have had the pleasure of working with so many of the best talents in comics and illustration history; our fondness and respect could never be higher for any than it has always been for the great Al Williamson. Our love and sympathies to Cori and the family.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:06 am
If Heaven really exists, then I know when I die there will be new Flash Gordon stories by Archie and Al waiting for me. Truly great artist.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:09 am
Hands down, the finest Star Wars comic artist ever. I know he did lots of other work, but my love for Star Wars is how I became aware of the man and his work. The Force will be with him.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:53 am
I’m sorry to hear about this. He was awesome! I am so glad that I had at least one opportunity to meet him in person, back in 1990.
Rest in peace!
June 14th, 2010 at 12:03 pm
The best in so many ways but when I was young and desperate for more Star Wars, he gave me what I wanted in every panel he drew in my newspaper! And I was fortunate enough to pick up the DeLaurentis adaption of Flash Gordon that he drew for Gold Key(or was is Dell? Memory is gone).
He will be so missed. Consummate artist!
June 14th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Al Williamson leaves behind a rich legacy of pure illustrative craftsmanship in an age of poser and photoshop. Tough last two months for the art community. He was my favorite, and a giant source of inspiration I will continue to draw upon. Pun intended, Al. I wish I could’ve met you. Here’s hoping there will be a tribute befitting the careers of two industry giants next month at ComicCon. And if not — there’s something incredibly, incredibly wrong… very sad…
June 14th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
Incredible. No words to express how I feel at this moment.
June 14th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Sad news indeed. Another legend passes away and the world is left with only his beautiful art. Thank God there’s tons of it if you look for it. What those of us who had met him even briefly know, is that he was a real prince and a swell guy. Condolences to the family. He’ll be missed.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Truly sad. I have spent hours staring at Al’s inking marks and trying to figure out how he was able to so exactly delineate light from shadow and form from space. He was one of the great ones. My prayers go out to his friends and family.
June 14th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Another giant gone. In my mind, Al has been among the most influential and important comic artists and he will live on for generations through the incredible body of work he brought us. Thank you Al.
June 14th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Another giant gone. Very sad. One of the first comic books I ever read cover to cover was Al Williamson’s adaptation of the Flash Gordon movie. I have that book on my favorites shelf and still look at it from time to time. He’ll be missed.
June 14th, 2010 at 3:16 pm
A terrific artist and an even better person.
June 14th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
There are certainly many great talents in this industry. But every once in a while an artist comes along who makes even the leading professionals say ‘My God, how can anyone draw like that’? Al’s work always surpassed anyone’s expectations of what good art can be. I remember being a kid and reading his adaptations of empire strikes back and blade runner before the films came out and feeling like I had already seen the movies! Al’s work was so alive and cinematic in that way. We have lost a giant and he will be sorely missed.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
A true inspiration and a real legend.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:49 pm
Al Williamson is simply my favorite comic book artist ever. Nobody put together a page or a strip with more style and grace, more fluidity, and Al will always live on in the many collections of his illustration that I flip through with staggering regularity.
RIP, Al.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:04 pm
I never met Al Williamson, and I will never be able to, at least in this world.
He was and will always be an artist I thought the world of–his work was simply astounding and was always of high quality. It wasn’t just comic book art–he made it high art. He was also an influence on me and my own work. His STAR WARS work–well, it speaks for itself.
He truly deserved the title of “Legend”. He earned it. And now, he’s gone, but thankfully, his work is still here. Thanks for all the years of fantastic work, Al, and you will be missed.
June 14th, 2010 at 7:07 pm
I remember getting a Flash Gordon book ordered through my service in grade school. That book turned out to be a novel-sized, black & white collection of Al’s run on Flash Gordon. I was in 4th grade then. The images blew me away and made me want to create comics. Many years later, that is one of the greatest influences I ever had. I own my own comic company now and strive to make my stuff even half as good as that book was. Yes, his Star Wars was amazing too. As the years passed…I realized what an amazing inker he was over John Romita Jr and others and was so jealous to image those artists getting their works rendered by someone as talented as Al. That beat-up, weathered, amazing book of Flash Gordon is sitting on my bookshelf right now within arms reach. God Bless You, Al. A creator’s creator. I’ll be reading Flash before I go to bed tonight.
June 14th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Wow. Shame that he is gone and that this was such a lousy article. Lan Pitts, do a better job next time.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Man, this makes me so sad. I would study his Star Wars stuff an then hunt for earlier stuff to try an absorb(Flash Gordon), but then he was inking an I was like “WoW!!”
Not a better rounded artist could I know. Thank God for what he leaves behind, a treasure trove of art that we can cherish 4ever.
June 14th, 2010 at 11:48 pm
First, my condolences to his family and all who knew and loved him. This is not a good day for comics.
As a professional inker, I became aware of his work on Daredevil with John Romita Jr. The synergy of penciler/inker was alive on those pages and made me seek out more of his work as an illustrator. Like all good inkers in comics, Al was a tremendous artist, with a capital “A”.
There are few good illustrators who take such care with pen and brush, dealing with the light and dark and textures that created whole universes in those little boxes.
So much digital trickery(digital inking)abounds today that it pales in comparison to the pure and wonderful stuff people like Al and Frank Frazetta brought to our artform.
God bless his family. R.I.P.
June 15th, 2010 at 12:55 am
Excuse my ignorance but I couldn’t remember what work specifically he’d done. I knew the name was familiar.
But yes, he made JRjr’s art on DD and The Man Without Fear mini absolutley awesome.
All the fine detail in that line work, Johns art never looked so good. He made Hells Kitchen look the grittiest its ever been.
My condolences, a great artist and a true loss.
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June 15th, 2010 at 9:46 am
Learn more about legendary comics artist Al Williamson in this Mr. Media interview with his friend and artist Mark Schultz, in which he discusses the book Al Williamson’s Flash Gordon: A Lifelong Vision of the Heroic.
June 15th, 2010 at 11:26 am
Living in Brasil I had no opportunity to know Williamsons´ works better. Just some Daredevil, Star Wars or perhaps, Flash Gordon issues. But what I could see it´s a fantastic work, huge talent, perfect inker and penciler. He is part of time when comics made me happy.
June 15th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
VERY sad news first FRANK FRAZETTA now mr Williamson the giants
June 15th, 2010 at 7:59 pm
This is too sadden to take in, for me he was Flash Gordon. The Fleagle Gang is fading away.
February 14th, 2011 at 12:24 pm
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