‘Spider-Woman’ co-creator spent decades in the shadows before finally gaining recognition for her outstanding achievements.
Marie Severin, a comic book artist who spent more than 30 years working on some of Marvel’s most popular titles, passed away yesterday at 89 from complications of a recent stroke, according to a Facebook post from her friend Irene Vartanoff.
Severin was working at Atlas Comics in the late 1950s when it turned into Marvel – she continued there in various capacities until she was let go after their late 1990s bankruptcy, continuing to work on occasions until the mid-2000s until suffering a stroke in 2007.
Originally a production artist and colorist, she soon branched out into penciling and illustration, eventually working on the Hulk, Daredevil, Conan the Barbarian, Kull the Conqueror, Iron Man, Doctor Strange and The Sub-Mariner. She was Marvel’s head colorist until 1972, when she turned those duties over to George Roussos so she could take on more penciling assignments. She also worked on Marvel’s humor title, Crazy Magazine, as well as their parody series, Not Brand Echh.
Severin spent the bulk of her career in an industry dominated by men, working in the shadows of a list of notable Marvel artists such as Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby. Her most notable achievement was co-creating Spider-Woman with Lee as well as Living Tribunal, Tigra, and the bizarre Doctor Strange villain Zom. She was inducted into the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame in 2001 and honored with Comic-Con International’s Icon Award in 2017. Additionally, in 2016, Comics Alliance listed her as one of the 12 women cartoonists deserving lifetime achievement recognition, noting, “At a time when we’re still discussing the problems facing women in comics, it’s important to remember Marie Severin, who for a time was probably the woman in mainstream comics.”
Lee shared his thoughts in a tweeted tribute:
In memory of Marie Severin. pic.twitter.com/1GFpID0cwT
— stan lee (@TheRealStanLee) August 30, 2018
Yesterday, Marvel posted on their website, “Marie Severin was a pioneer in the comic book industry, and her creativity, artistry, and humor captured the imagination of fans around the world. The Marvel family mourns her loss, and we send our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.”
Source: The Atlantic
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
