ADAMS, Neal

(1941-)

   Influential and remarkably prolific US COMIC-strip artist specializing in the SUPERHERO genre, with a strong, gutsy yet sophisticated line style. His continued claim to fame probably rests largely on his ground-breaking personal reinterpretation of DC COMICS's Batman. He attended the School of Industrial Art in Manhattan, then worked for Archie Comics 1959-60 before establishing himself in syndicated newspaper strips with a strip version of the tv series Ben Casey, which he drew for dailies and Sundays 1962-6. He assisted on other newspaper strips including Bat Masterson (1961), Peter Scratch (1966), Secret Agent Corrigan (1967) and Rip Kirby (1968). He began working for National Periodical Publications (DC Comics) in 1967 drawing Deadman (Strange Adventures 206-216). Other characters to benefit from his innovative touch included Spectre, SUPERMAN, Batman (in Detective Comics, 9 issues between 369, Nov 1967, and 439, Mar 1974, and 9 issues in Batman between 219, Feb 1970, and 255, Apr 1974, as well as in other associated titles), Flash, Green Lantern and the X-MEN. He drew the team-up title Green Lantern-Green Arrow continuously from 76 (Apr 1970) to 89 (May 1972). 85 (Snowbirds Don't Fly) and 86 (They Say It'll Kill Me, But They Won't Say When) of this title featured a story about the drug scene and won an Academy of Comic-Book Art Award for NA and writer Denny O'Neill. His output for DC, MARVEL COMICS and other leading publishers was prolific throughout the 1970s and early 1980s; in addition he produced book covers, film posters, advertising art and the set and costume design for an unsuccessful sf play, Warp (1973; THEATRE). In 1987 he formed his own publishing company, Continuity Comics. NA has also had a high profile as a campaigner for comics creators' rights, notably in connection with the financial recognition by DC of SUPERMAN's creators, Jerry SIEGEL and Joe Shuster. NA was involved in the setting-up of the Academy of Comic-Book Art (ACBA) in 1970.