RIP Carmine Infantino

[alxjhnsn]

From the Vanguard Publishing FB page:

 

J. David Spurlock says, "REST IN PEACE CARMINE INFANTINO"

In 2007, Joe Orlando introduced me to his mentor and best friend, legendary comic book creator, Carmine Infantino. Joe, Carmine and I became very close, very quickly. Carmine and I became even closer with the passing, a year and a half later, of our dear friend, Joe. A number of times, over the years, Carmine looked at me and said, "So you're what Joe left me." Well, today Carmine will be reunited with his old friend in time for Joe Orlando's birthday. I hope to eat clams casino, drink wine, and listen to Volare with them again.

 

 

I have been blessed with three Infantino pieces:

• The Flash - J. David Spurlock was getting Carmine to sketch in his biography and he agreed to get mine done outside the book!
  
• Adam Strange - This one is in his biography. I loved the Alanna drawing (Carmine could draw a pretty girl) and the image of Adam in flight.
  
• JLA 200 pg 37 - I'd wanted a CI Elongated Man for a long time. This showed up on Burkey's site and I was in touch a few minutes later. Yeah, it's an 80s CI piece, but it is pretty classic!

 

Lots of good work for a very long time.

 

 

For the link averse:

 

[MR SigS]

:o

 

[alxjhnsn]

^ Exactly!

[the420kid]

 

hanging in my bedroom. Man was a major talent RIP

 

[otherworldsj33]

Sad news, Even though I did not know him well, I did spend a couple of hours with him, essentially just Carmine and I, at a SDCC around 10 years ago. I genuinly enjoyed our conversation, and developed an appreciation for him as a human being. And of course, I adored his SA art, especially on the Flash. Also, his design sense was evident on so many DC covers from the late sixties to early seventies. In that regard, I don't know if anyone from his era was better. Just sad to hear.

[oceans11]

Damn. I didn't know him personally, but Infantino's art meant a lot to me growing up. Especially his work on The Flash. Sad news to hear of his passing and my condolences to his friends and family.

 

 

[Koa]

Carmine was way before my time. It doesn't matter because I enjoy his work as if it was done along side jim lee, Andy kubert and Greg Capullo today. The best thing about being a comic book reader today is that time no longer matters. These days We have all the artists of the past and present available to us in collected editions to be enjoyed..

 

I learned a lot about the type of man he was in the magazine comic book artist. he brought Jack kirby over to DC and treated him with respect at a time when the king wasn't getting much. That shows a lot about a man's character, he could have kicked Kirby when he was down, got a deal worked out in DC's favor more, but he treated jack like the superstar he was. At least that's the way kirby told it in interviews. I learned that a lot of my favorite covers were designed by Carmine. I love the toughness of his work.

 

Nothing lasts forever and we all have to step away at some point. 87 years is a great run and i hope he had his health for as much of it as possible. I'll mourn Carmine with a smile, because his work on the page and behind the scene's has given me much joy.

[alxjhnsn]

NPR's All Things Considered is going to run a story on Carmine today.

 

The audio will be posted about 7pm Eastern. Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/2013/04/05/176368261/comic-book-artist-carmine-infantino-reinvented-the-flash

 

[thethedew]

THIS is what Carmine Infantino meant to me:

 

 

He WAS Star Wars to me while growing up. There were no Videotapes, DVD's, Home Video Games, nor much by the way of original Star Wars novels. The comic WAS my Star Wars experience, away from the films.

 

Water World. The Wheel. The Tagge family. The original Jabba the Hutt. VALANCE THE HUNTER.

 

Cheers, Carmine. You helped make me the comics fan I am today.

[cirnick-migration]

To me these old golden/silver age artists are like national treasures. I selfishly hate loosing any of them

[Doc Joe]

 

I did not really follow the star wars comics growing up but grabbed this when I saw it.

 

I guess the Star Wars was sort of a continuation of the Mystery in Space work!

[rrichards]

I didn't realize that his Star Wars work meant so much to so many people . I guess I would have to add that to his major accomplishments.

 

Started the Silver Age with his Flash work!

 

Co-created Adam Strange

 

Created "new look" Batman

 

Brought Kirby to DC

 

Great work on Star Wars

 

In between he did a lot of other stuff as well as serving as editor and creating some of the BEST DC covers ever.

 

I met him several times at the Vangaurd booth and he was always gracious!

 

Probably the most important DC person of the Silver Age!

 

We have lost a giant!!

 

 

[vagocollectibles]

THIS is what Carmine Infantino meant to me:

 

 

He WAS Star Wars to me while growing up. There were no Videotapes, DVD's, Home Video Games, nor much by the way of original Star Wars novels. The comic WAS my Star Wars experience, away from the films.

 

Water World. The Wheel. The Tagge family. The original Jabba the Hutt. VALANCE THE HUNTER.

 

Cheers, Carmine. You helped make me the comics fan I am today.

 

Same here

[Hepcat]

I didn't realize that his Star Wars work meant so much to so many people . I guess I would have to add that to his major accomplishments.

 

Started the Silver Age with his Flash work!

 

Co-created Adam Strange

 

Created "new look" Batman

 

Brought Kirby to DC

 

Great work on Star Wars

 

In between he did a lot of other stuff as well as serving as editor and creating some of the BEST DC covers ever.

 

Probably the most important DC person of the Silver Age.

 

I thought his best work at Marvel was the absolutely luscious way he rendered Spider-Woman:

 

 

 

Perhaps one of you Marvel zombies might grace this thread with some scans of Infantino's Spider-Woman.