Comic Book Ramblings: The Death of Gene Colan

                                             GENE COLAN    Sep. 1, 1926 - Jun. 23, 2011_


Gene Colan

On June 23, 2011 the legendary comic book artist Gene Colan passed away at the age of 84 following complications from liver disease & a broken hip received in a fall.

Colan's Marvel

Colan had a career lasting over 70 years, working for "the Big 2" (DC & Marvel) in that time.


Tomb of Dracula

It's his work on Marvel's 1970s horror comic book, The Tomb of Dracula that I remember him the most for, lasting an incredible 70-issues. It was a book that Colan lobbied for at Marvel.


Colan's Dracula


Gene Colan - "When I heard Marvel was putting out a Dracula book, I confronted editor Stan Lee about it & asked him to let me do it. He didn't give me too much trouble but, as it turned out, he took that promise away, saying he had promised it to Bill Everett. Well, right then & there I auditioned for it. Stan didn't know what I was up to, but I spent a day at home and worked up a sample, using Jack Palance as my inspiration & sent it to Stan. I got a call that very day: 'It's yours.'"

Jack Palance as Dracula

It's funny that Colan used actor Jack Palance as his model for Dracula cause Palance would later on play the role for TV producer Dan Cutis (Creator of the TV series Dark Shadows).


Tomb of Dracula #30

In the Tomb of Dracula Colan would go on to co-created with writer Marv Wolfman the character of Blade, the Vampire Hunter, who appeared in a successful film franchise that would start Marvel Studios rise as a Hollywood Powerhouse.


Wesley Snipes as Blade

My wishes go out to Gene's Family & Friends.

- Raja Devilman74