Neal Adams, the comic book artist who reinvented Batman, dies at 80

Neal Adams

, the legendary comic book artist who reinvented

with his realistic style, a great fighter for the rights of creators, has died in New York at the age of 80 due to complications derived from sepsis, his widow

has confirmed , to

.

Adams revolutionized the world of comics in the late 1960s and early '70s with his toned and energized take on heroes, first at

with

, then at

with the

and

, and finally from back at

with his masterpiece,

.

Along with writer

, he revolutionized the character of

and his comics with deep realism and cinematic storytelling.

He also created new villains for the saga:

and

, as well as the latter's daughter,

, who became

's mistress .

Portrayed by

and

film trilogy

directed by

.

Adams also brought some Batman villains back to the fore, most notably a less comical, more maniacally homicidal Joker, a tone that has carried over to the present day.

Also with O'Neil, Neal Adams addressed

social problems such as drug addiction and racism in his groundbreaking

factory .

Neal Adams has served as an inspiration for several generations of artists.

He mentored

, author of

and

, and

, who would go on to reinvent

himself with

.

Adams was also a major advocate for better working conditions and creators' rights.

Along with

, he founded the

, with the goal of founding a union that would fight for comic artists.

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