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Dennis Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
writer and editor, principally for
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in ...
and
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
family of titles until his retirement. His best-known works include ''
Green Lantern/Green Arrow ''Green Lantern'' is an ongoing American comic-book series featuring the DC Comics heroes of the Green Lantern, same name. The character's first incarnation, Alan Scott, appeared in ''All-American Comics'' #16 (July 1940), and was later spun off ...
'' and ''Batman'' with
Neal Adams Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a Creator ownership, creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and re ...
. It was during this run that O'Neil co-created the Batman villains
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul, commonly pronounced correctly as ''Re'sh'', hence or ; "The Head of the Demon" or, in a rougher translation, "The Chief Demon". is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary o ...
and
Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul ( ar, تاليا الغول; ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The character was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Bob Brown, and firs ...
. His other notable work includes runs on ''
The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
'' with
Michael Kaluta Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comics artist and writer best known for his acclaimed 1970s adaptation of the pulp magazine hero ''The Shadow'' with writer De ...
and '' The Question'' with
Denys Cowan Denys B. Cowan (born January 30, 1961) is an American comics artist, television producer, media executive and one of the co-founders of Milestone Media. Early life Denys Cowan was first inspired by superheroes as a child from reruns of the 1950s ...
. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles. He also sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.


Biography


Early life

O'Neil was born into a
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
household in St. Louis,
Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...
on May 3, 1939. On Sunday afternoons he would accompany his father or his grandfather to the store for some light groceries and an occasional comic book. O'Neil graduated from
Saint Louis University Saint Louis University (SLU) is a private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university with campuses in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, and Madrid, Spain. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, ...
around the turn of the 1960s with a degree centered on English literature, creative writing, and philosophy. From there he joined the
U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
just in time to participate in the blockade of
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribb ...
during the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (of 1962) ( es, Crisis de Octubre) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis () in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (16 October – 20 November 1962) confrontation between the United S ...
. After leaving the Navy, O'Neil moved on to a job with a newspaper in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri Cape Girardeau ( , french: Cap-Girardeau ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 census, the population was 39,540. The city is one of two principal citi ...
. O'Neil wrote bi-weekly columns for the youth page, and during the slow summer months he filled the space with a series on the revival of the comics industry. This attracted the attention of
Roy Thomas Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor, who was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics. He is possibly ...
, who would eventually himself become one of the great names in the history of the medium.


Writing


Marvel Comics

When Roy Thomas left
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
to work for
Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Publications which ...
at Marvel Comics, he suggested that O'Neil take the Marvel writer's test, which involved adding dialogue to a wordless four-page excerpt of a
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first s ...
comic. O'Neil's entry resulted in Lee offering O'Neil a job. O'Neil had never considered writing for comics, and later said he'd done the test "kind of as a joke. I had a couple of hours on a Tuesday afternoon, so instead of doing crossword puzzles, I did the writer's test." When Marvel's expansion made it impossible for Lee to continue writing the company's entire line of books, Lee passed as much on to Roy Thomas as he could, but still needed writers, so O'Neil took the reins for a short-term run of
Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
stories in ''
Strange Tales ''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their debuts in ''Strange Tales''. It was a showcase for the science ...
,'' penning six issues. He also wrote dialog for such titles as '' Rawhide Kid'' and ''
Millie the Model ''Millie the Model'' was Marvel Comics' longest-running humor title, first published by the company's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and continuing through its 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics, to 1970s Marvel. The comic book series deals with ...
,'' as well as scripting the final 13 pages of ''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
'' #18 over a plot by Lee, when Lee went on vacation. O'Neil and artist
Neal Adams Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a Creator ownership, creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and re ...
revived the
Professor X Professor X (Charles Francis Xavier) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character is depicted as the founder and sometimes leader of the X-Men. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writ ...
character in ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' #65 in one of the creative team's earliest collaborations.


Charlton Comics

The available jobs writing for Marvel petered out fairly quickly, and O'Neil took a job with
Charlton Comics Charlton Comics was an American comic book publishing company that existed from 1945 to 1986, having begun under a different name: T.W.O. Charles Company, in 1940. It was based in Derby, Connecticut. The comic-book line was a division of Charlton ...
under the pseudonym of Sergius O'Shaugnessy. There he received regular work for a year and a half from Charlton's editor
Dick Giordano Richard Joseph Giordano (; July 20, 1932 – March 27, 2010) was an American comics artist and editor whose career included introducing Charlton Comics' "Action Heroes" stable of superheroes and serving as executive editor of DC Comics. Early ...
.


DC Comics

In 1968, Dick Giordano was offered an editorial position at
DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. ( doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with the ...
and took a number of Charlton freelancers with him, including O'Neil. O'Neil's first assignments involved two strategies for bolstering DC's sales. One approach centered on the creation of new characters, and O'Neil scripted several issues of '' Beware the Creeper'', a series starring a new hero, the Creeper, created by artist
Steve Ditko Stephen John Ditko Page contains two reproductions from school yearbooks. A 1943 Garfield Junior High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen Ditko". A 1945 Johnstown High School yearbook excerpt lists "Stephen J. Ditko" under extracurricular act ...
. From there, DC moved O'Neil to ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'' and ''
Justice League of America The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
''. With artist
Mike Sekowsky Michael Sekowsky (; November 19, 1923 – March 30, 1989) was an American comics artist known as the penciler for DC Comics' ''Justice League of America'' during most of the 1960s, and as the regular writer and artist on ''Wonder Woman'' during th ...
, he took away Wonder Woman's powers, exiled her from the Amazon community, and set her off, uncostumed, into international intrigues with her blind mentor, I Ching. These changes did not sit well with Wonder Woman's older fans, particularly feminists, and O'Neil later acknowledged that de-powering DC's most well-known superheroine had unintentionally alienated readers. In ''Justice League'', he had more success, introducing into that title the first socially and politically themed stories, setting the stage for later work on ''
Green Lantern/Green Arrow ''Green Lantern'' is an ongoing American comic-book series featuring the DC Comics heroes of the Green Lantern, same name. The character's first incarnation, Alan Scott, appeared in ''All-American Comics'' #16 (July 1940), and was later spun off ...
''. He and artist
Dick Dillin Richard Allen Dillin (December 17, 1928 – March 1, 1980)Richard Dillin
at the United States
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" ...
and Wonder Woman. Following the lead set by
Bob Haney Robert Gilbert Haney, Jr. (March 15, 1926 – November 25, 2004) was an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. He co-created the Teen Titans as well as characters such as Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and the Super-Sons. ...
and
Neal Adams Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a Creator ownership, creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and re ...
in a ''
Brave and the Bold ''The Brave and the Bold'' is a comic book series published by DC Comics as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by two mini-series in 1991 and 1999, and was revived as an ongoing title in 2007. The focus of the series has varie ...
'' story that visually redefined Green Arrow into the version that appeared in comics between 1969 and 1986, O'Neil stripped him of his wealth and playboy status, making him an urban hero. This redefinition would culminate in the character that appeared in ''Green Lantern/Green Arrow'' (with many stories also drawn by Adams), a socially conscious, left-wing creation that effectively took over Green Lantern's book to use him as a foil and straw man in sounding out the political concepts that would define that work. It was during this period that the most famous Green Arrow story appeared, in ''Green Lantern'' #85–86, when it was revealed that Green Arrow's ward Speedy was addicted to
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a potent opioid mainly used as a recreational drug for its euphoric effects. Medical grade diamorphine is used as a pure hydrochloride salt. Various white and bro ...
. As a result of his work on ''Green Lantern and Green Arrow'', O'Neil recounted, "I went from total obscurity to seeing my name featured in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' and being invited to do talk shows. It's by no means an unmixed blessing. That messed up my head pretty thoroughly for a couple of years. ... Deteriorating marriage, bad habits, deteriorating relationships with human beings – with anything that wasn't a typewriter, in fact. It was a bad few years there." O'Neil's 1970s run on the Batman titles, under the direction of editor Julius Schwartz, is perhaps his best-known endeavor, getting back to the character's darker roots after a period dominated by the campiness of the 1960s TV series. Comics historian
Les Daniels Leslie Noel Daniels III, better known as Les Daniels (October 27, 1943 – November 5, 2011), was an American writer. Background Daniels attended Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he wrote his master's thesis on ''Frankenstei ...
observed that "O'Neil's interpretation of Batman as a vengeful obsessive-compulsive, which he modestly describes as a return to the roots, was actually an act of creative imagination that has influenced every subsequent version of the Dark Knight." O'Neil and Adams' creation
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul, commonly pronounced correctly as ''Re'sh'', hence or ; "The Head of the Demon" or, in a rougher translation, "The Chief Demon". is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary o ...
was introduced in the story "Daughter of the Demon" in ''Batman'' #232 (June 1971). O'Neil and artist
Bob Brown Robert James Brown (born 27 December 1944) is a former Australian politician, medical doctor and environmentalist. He was a senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens. Brown was elected to the Australian Senate on the Tasma ...
also created
Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul ( ar, تاليا الغول; ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Batman. The character was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Bob Brown, and firs ...
. During this period, O'Neil frequently teamed up with his regular collaborator Adams (with Giordano often assisting on inks) on a number of memorable issues of both ''Batman'' and ''Detective Comics''. The creative team would revive
Two-Face Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. The character was created by Bob Kane and first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #66 (August 1942). As one of Batman's ...
in "Half an Evil" in ''Batman'' #234 (Aug. 1971) and revitalize the Joker in "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge!" in ''Batman'' #251 (Sept. 1973), a landmark story bringing the character back to his roots as a homicidal maniac who murders people on a whim and delights in his mayhem. O'Neil and Giordano created the Batman supporting character
Leslie Thompkins Leslie Maurin Thompkins (sometimes spelled Tompkins) is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, usually as a supporting character in stories featuring Batman, of whom she is an ally. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil a ...
in the story "There Is No Hope in Crime Alley" in ''Detective Comics'' #457 (March 1976). O'Neil and artist Don Newton killed the original version of
Batwoman Batwoman is a name used by several characters of DC Comics, both in mainstream continuity and Elseworlds. The best known Batwomen are Kathy Kane and Kate Kane. History * The first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, debuted during the Silver Age of Comics ...
in ''Detective Comics'' #485 (Aug.–Sept. 1979). He wrote a short Christmas story, "Wanted: Santa Claus – Dead or Alive", for '' DC Special Series'' #21 (Spring 1980) which featured Frank Miller's first art on a Batman story. When
Julius Schwartz Julius "Julie" Schwartz (; June 19, 1915 – February 8, 2004) was a comic book editor, and a science fiction agent and prominent fan. He was born in The Bronx, New York. He is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various tim ...
became the editor of ''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' with issue #233 (Jan. 1971), he had O'Neil and artist
Curt Swan Douglas Curtis Swan (February 17, 1920 – June 17, 1996) was an American comics artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans call the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 195 ...
streamline the Superman mythos, starting with the elimination of
kryptonite Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a unique, poisonous r ...
. In 1973, O'Neil wrote revivals of two characters for which DC had recently acquired the publishing rights. A new series featuring the original Captain Marvel was launched with a February
cover date The cover date of a periodical publication is the date displayed on the cover, which is not necessarily the true date of publication (the on-sale date or release date); later cover dates are common in magazine and comic book publishing. More unu ...
and featured art by the character's original artist
C. C. Beck Charles Clarence Beck (June 8, 1910 – November 22, 1989) was an American cartoonist and comic book artist, best known for his work on Captain Marvel (today known as Shazam!) at Fawcett Comics and DC Comics. Early life C. C. Beck was born on J ...
. Later that same year, O'Neil and artist
Michael Kaluta Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comics artist and writer best known for his acclaimed 1970s adaptation of the pulp magazine hero ''The Shadow'' with writer De ...
produced an "atmospheric interpretation" of the 1930s
pulp hero Pulp magazines (also referred to as "the pulps") were inexpensive fiction magazines that were published from 1896 to the late 1950s. The term "pulp" derives from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. In contrast, magazine ...
in ''
The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...
'' series. In 1975, O'Neil wrote a comic book adaptation of the 1930s hero the Avenger. A revival of the ''Green Lantern'' title in 1976 was launched by O'Neil and artist
Mike Grell Mike Grell (born September 13, 1947) is an American comic book writer and artist, known for his work on books such as '' Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', '' The Warlord'', and '' Jon Sable Freelance''. Early life Grell studied at the University of ...
. Reuniting with Adams, O'Neil co-wrote the oversize '' Superman vs. Muhammad Ali'' (1978) which Adams has called a personal favorite of their collaborations.


Return to Marvel Comics

Upon O'Neil's return to Marvel Comics in 1980, he took on the scripting chores for ''
The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...
'', which he did for a year. O'Neil wrote two issues of ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'' which were both drawn by
Frank Miller Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American comic book writer, penciller and inker, novelist, screenwriter, film director, and producer known for his comic book stories and graphic novels such as his run on ''Daredevil'' and subsequen ...
. The 1980 ''Annual'' featured a team-up with
Doctor Strange Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Steve Ditko, the character first appeared in ''Strange Tales'' #110 (cover-dated July 1963). Doctor Strange serves as Sorce ...
while the 1981 ''Annual'' showcased a meeting with the
Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
. He and artist John Romita Jr. introduced Madame Web in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #210 and
Hydro-Man Hydro-Man (Morris "Morrie" Bench) is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics as an enemy of the superhero Spider-Man. Once an ordinary crewman, Morris Bench was accidentally knocked overboard while stationed on ...
in #212. O'Neil was the regular scripter for ''
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...
'' from 1982 to 1986 and ''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
'' from 1983 to 1985. During his run on ''Iron Man'', O'Neil introduced
Obadiah Stane Iron Monger is an alias used by multiple fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first character to use the alias is Obadiah Stane, who first appeared in ''Iron Man'' #163 (Oct. 1982). The Iron Mong ...
, later the Iron Monger, plunged Tony Stark back into alcoholism, turned Jim Rhodes into Iron Man, and created the Silver Centurion armor. O'Neil's run on ''Daredevil'' bridged the gap between
Frank Miller Frank Miller (born January 27, 1957) is an American comic book writer, penciller and inker, novelist, screenwriter, film director, and producer known for his comic book stories and graphic novels such as his run on ''Daredevil'' and subsequen ...
's two runs on the title, usually with
David Mazzucchelli David John Mazzucchelli (; born September 21, 1960) is an American comics artist and writer, known for his work on seminal superhero comic book storylines '' Daredevil: Born Again'' and '' Batman: Year One'', as well as for graphic novels in other ...
as artist. He introduced Yuriko Oyama during his stint, who would later become the popular X-Men villain Lady Deathstrike. While working for Marvel, he helped write the original character concept for The Transformers, and is credited as the person who named
Optimus Prime Optimus Prime, , is a fictional character in the ''Transformers'' franchise. The Transformers characters were developed for an American market after Hasbro representatives visited the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show. The characters were modified and the ...
.


Return to DC Comics

After returning to DC Comics in 1986, he became the editor of the various Batman titles and served in that capacity until 2000. In February 1987, O'Neil began writing ''The
Question A question is an utterance which serves as a request for information. Questions are sometimes distinguished from interrogatives, which are the grammatical forms typically used to express them. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are interroga ...
'' ongoing series which was primarily drawn by
Denys Cowan Denys B. Cowan (born January 30, 1961) is an American comics artist, television producer, media executive and one of the co-founders of Milestone Media. Early life Denys Cowan was first inspired by superheroes as a child from reruns of the 1950s ...
. Between the years of 1988 and 1990, O'Neil would return to ''Green Arrow'' writing the ''Annual''s alongside the main title. Because he was also in charge of ''The Question'', he would appear in all three ''Annual''s that he wrote. The '' Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight'' series began in 1989 with the five-part "Shaman" storyline by O'Neil and artist
Ed Hannigan Ed Hannigan (born August 6, 1951) is an American comics artist, writer, and editor for both Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Career Ed Hannigan's first credited comics story was published in Marvel Comics' licensed '' Planet of the Apes'' #5 (F ...
. '' Armageddon 2001'' was a 1991 crossover event storyline. It ran through a self-titled two-issue limited series and most of the ''Annual''s DC published that year from May through October. Each participating annual explored potential possible futures for its main characters. The series was written by O'Neil and Archie Goodwin and drawn by
Dan Jurgens Dan Jurgens (; born June 27, 1959) is an American comic book writer and artist. He is known for his work on the DC comic book storyline " The Death of Superman" and for creating characters such as Doomsday, Hank Henshaw and Booster Gold. Jurg ...
. He and artist
Joe Quesada Joseph Quesada (; born January 12, 1962'' Comics Buyer's Guide'' #1650; February 2009; page 107) is an American comic book artist, writer, editor, and television producer. He became known in the 1990s for his work on various Valiant Comics books ...
created the character
Azrael Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the angel of death in some Abrahamic religions, namely Islam, Christian popular culture and some traditions of Judaism. He is also referenced in Sikhism. Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael ...
, who was introduced in the four-issue miniseries ''Batman: Sword of Azrael'' in 1992. That same year, O'Neil wrote the ''Batman: Birth of the Demon'' hardcover graphic novel. Another DC one-shot issue that O'Neil wrote in 1992 was ''Batman/Green Arrow: The Poison Tomorrow''.


Other writing

O'Neil wrote several novels, comics, short stories, reviews and teleplays, including the novelizations of the films ''
Batman Begins ''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, with Michael Caine, ...
'' and ''
The Dark Knight ''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan from a screenplay he co-wrote with his brother Jonathan Nolan, Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero, Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005) and t ...
''. Under the pseudonym Jim Dennis with writer Jim Berry,Beatty, Scott. "Dragon, Richard", in Dougall, Alastair, ''The DC Comics Encyclopedia'' (New York: Dorling Kindersley, 2008), O'Neil scripted a series of novels about a
kung fu Chinese martial arts, often called by the umbrella terms kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (), are multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater China. These fighting styles are often classified according to commo ...
character named
Richard Dragon Richard Dragon (or simply Dragon) is the alias of two fictional, comic book characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Although both incarnation differ in alignment, they're portrayed as extremely accomplished martial arti ...
, and later adapted those novels to comic book form for DC. O'Neil wrote a four-part column series for Marvel's 1978 ''The Hulk!'' magazine, under the pseudonym Jeff Mundo. "Jeff Mundo's Dark Corners" ran from issue #21 through issue #24 and covered various pop culture topics. O'Neil wrote a column for ComicMix.


Editing

Joining Marvel's editorial staff in 1980, O'Neil edited ''Daredevil'' during Frank Miller's run as writer/artist. He fired writer Roger McKenzie so that Miller could both write and pencil ''Daredevil'', a decision which then-Marvel editor-in-chief
Jim Shooter James Shooter (born September 27, 1951) is an American writer, editor and publisher for various comic books. He started professionally in the medium at the age of 14, and he is most notable for his successful and controversial run as Marvel Comi ...
says saved the series from cancellation. O'Neil encouraged Miller to develop a believable fighting style for Daredevil, and according to Miller, this directly led to his incorporating martial arts into ''Daredevil'' and later '' Ronin''. In the early to mid-1980s, O'Neil edited such Marvel titles as'' Alpha Flight'', '' Power Man and Iron Fist'', '' G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero'', and ''
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in '' Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a r ...
''. According to Bob Budiansky, O'Neil came up with the name for the
Transformer A transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit, or multiple circuits. A varying current in any coil of the transformer produces a varying magnetic flux in the transformer' ...
Optimus Prime Optimus Prime, , is a fictional character in the ''Transformers'' franchise. The Transformers characters were developed for an American market after Hasbro representatives visited the 1983 Tokyo Toy Show. The characters were modified and the ...
, leader of the
Autobot The Autobots are the main protagonists in the fictional continuities of the Transformers multimedia franchise, and are depicted in a collection of various toys, cartoons, films, graphic novels, and paperback books first introduced in 1984. The ...
s. In 1986, O'Neil moved over to DC as an editor, becoming group editor for the company's Batman titles. Speaking about his role in the death of character
Jason Todd Jason Peter Todd is a fictional Character (arts), character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''Batman (comic book), Batman'' #357 in March 1983, Todd was created to succeed Dick Grayson as Robin (chara ...
, O'Neil remarked:
It changed my mind about what I do for a living. Superman and Batman have been in continuous publication for over half a century, and it's never been true of any fictional construct before. These characters have a lot more weight than the hero of a popular sitcom that lasts maybe four years. They have become postindustrial folklore, and part of this job is to be the custodian of folk figures. Everybody on Earth knows Batman and Robin.
O'Neil said that he saw editing as a support role which should be invisible to the reader, and that if it were his choice his name would not appear in the credits when working as an editor, only when working as a writer.


Teaching

O'Neil spent several years in the late 1990s teaching a Writing for the Comics course at Manhattan's
School of Visual Arts The School of Visual Arts New York City (SVA NYC) is a private for-profit art school in New York City. It was founded in 1947 and is a member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design. History This school was started by ...
, sometimes sharing duties with fellow comic book writer
John Ostrander John Ostrander (born April 20, 1949) is an American writer of comic books, including '' Suicide Squad'', ''Grimjack'' and '' Star Wars: Legacy''. Career Ostrander studied theology with the intent of becoming a Catholic priest, but now describes ...
.


Personal life

O'Neil was married to Marifran O'Neil, until her death. He was the father of writer/director/producer Lawrence "Larry" O'Neil, best known for the 1997 film ''
Breast Men ''Breast Men'' is a 1997 American, semibiographical, dark drama film; it was written by John Stockwell and directed by Lawrence O'Neil for HBO. Plot Dr. Kevin Saunders (played by David Schwimmer) and Dr. William Larson (played by Chris Coop ...
'' starring
David Schwimmer David Lawrence Schwimmer (born November 2, 1966) is an American actor, director and producer. He gained worldwide recognition for portraying Ross Geller in the sitcom ''Friends'', for which he received a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Primeti ...
. He died of cardiopulmonary arrest on June 11, 2020, at the age of 81. The animated feature '' Batman: Soul of the Dragon'' was dedicated in his memory. Larry O'Neil wrote a wordless tribute to his father, called "Tap Tap Tap," which was illustrated by Jorge Fornés and published in the ''Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular'' #1 (August 2021).


Awards

O'Neil's work won him a great deal of recognition in the comics industry, including the
Shazam Awards The Academy of Comic Book Arts (ACBA) was an American professional organization of the 1970s that was designed to be the comic book industry analog of such groups as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Composed of comic-book profession ...
for Best Continuing Feature ''Green Lantern/Green Arrow'', Best Individual Story for "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight" in ''
Green Lantern Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
'' #76 (with Neal Adams), for Best Writer (Dramatic Division) in 1970 for Green Lantern, Batman, Superman, and other titles, and Best Individual Story for " Snowbirds Don't Fly" in ''Green Lantern'' #85 (with Neal Adams) in 1971. O'Neil was given a Goethe Award in 1971 for "Favorite Pro Writer" and was a nominee for the same award in 1973. He shared a 1971 Goethe Award with artist
Neal Adams Neal Adams (June 15, 1941 – April 28, 2022) was an American comic book artist. He was the co-founder of the graphic design studio Continuity Associates, and was a Creator ownership, creators-rights advocate who helped secure a pension and re ...
for "Favorite Comic-Book Story" for "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight." O'Neil received an
Inkpot Award The Inkpot Award is an honor bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International. It is given to professionals in the fields of comic books, comic strips, animation, science fiction, and related areas of popular culture, at CCI's annual conv ...
in 1981 and in 1985, DC Comics named O'Neil as one of the honorees in the company's 50th anniversary publication ''
Fifty Who Made DC Great ''Fifty Who Made DC Great'' is a one shot published by DC Comics to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary in 1985. It was published in comic book format but contained text articles with photographs and background caricatures. Publication h ...
''.


Appearances in media

In ''
The Batman Adventures ''The Batman Adventures'' is a DC Comics comic book series featuring Batman. It is different from other ''Batman'' titles because it is set in the continuity (and style) of '' Batman: The Animated Series'', as opposed to the regular DC Universe. ...
''—the first DC Comics spinoff of '' Batman: The Animated Series''—a caricature of O'Neil appears as The Perfesser, one of a screwball trio of incompetent supervillains that also includes the Mastermind (a caricature of Mike Carlin) and Mr. Nice (a caricature of Archie Goodwin). The Perfesser is depicted as a tall, pipe-smoking genius who often gets lost in his own thoughts.


Bibliography


Comic books


Charlton Comics

*''
Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People * Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...
'' #1 (1968) *''
Thunderbolt A thunderbolt or lightning bolt is a symbolic representation of lightning when accompanied by a loud thunderclap. In Indo-European mythology, the thunderbolt was identified with the 'Sky Father'; this association is also found in later Hel ...
'' #58–60 (1967) *''Space Adventures'' #2 (1968)


DC Comics

*''
1st Issue Special ''1st Issue Special'' was a comics anthology series from DC Comics, done in a similar style to their ''Showcase'' series. It was published from April 1975 to April 1976. The goal was to showcase a new possible first issue of an ongoing series ea ...
'' #13 (1976) *'' 9-11: The World's Finest Comic Book Writers & Artists Tell Stories to Remember Volume Two'' (2002) *''
Adventure Comics ''Adventure Comics'' is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues (472 of those after the title changed from ''New Adventure Comics''), ...
'' #418–419, 449–451, 491–492 (1972–1982) *'' All New Collectors' Edition'' #C-56 ('' Superman vs. Muhammad Ali'') (1978) *'' All-Star Western'' #6 (1971) *'' Armageddon 2001'' #2 (1991) *''
Atom Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons. Every solid, liquid, gas, a ...
and
Hawkman Hawkman is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1, published by All-American ...
'' #42–45 (1969) *''
Azrael Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the angel of death in some Abrahamic religions, namely Islam, Christian popular culture and some traditions of Judaism. He is also referenced in Sikhism. Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael ...
'' #1–100, 1,000,000, ''Annual'' #1–3, ''Azrael Plus Question'' #1 (1995–2003) *''Azrael/Ash'' #1 (1997) *'' Bat Lash'' #2–7 (1968–1969) *''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
'' #224–225, 227, 232, 234–235, 237, 239–245, 247–248, 251, 253, 256–264, 266, 268, 286, 303, 320, 684 (1970–2009) *'' Batman & Robin: The Official Comic Adaptation'' #1 (1997) *'' Batman Black and White'' #3–4 (1996) *''
The Batman Chronicles ''The Batman Chronicles'' is a series of comics published by DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is ...
'' #6, 16 (1996–1999) *''
Batman Family A collective of fictional characters appear in American comic books published by DC Comics featuring the superhero Batman as the main protagonist. Since Batman's introduction in 1939, the character has accumulated a number of recognizable suppo ...
'' #18–19 (1978) *''
Batman Forever ''Batman Forever'' (on-screen title is simply ''Forever'') is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton, based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The third installment o ...
: The Official Comic Adaptation'' #1 (1995) *''
Batman Returns ''Batman Returns'' is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton and written by Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman'' (1989) and the second installment in the 1989–1997 ''Batman ...
: The Official Comic Adaptation'' #1 (1992) *''Batman/Green Arrow: The Poison Tomorrow'' #1 (1992) *''Batman/Punisher: Lake of Fire'' #1 (1994) *''Batman: Birth of the Demon'' HC (1993) *''Batman: Death of Innocents'' #1 (1996) *''Batman: Gordon of Gotham'' #1–4 (1998) *'' Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight'' #1–5, 16–20, 50, 59–61, 63, 100, 127–131 (1989–2000) *'' Batman: Sword of Azrael'' #1–4 (1992–1993) *''
Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...
: The Official Comic Adaptation'' #1 (1989) *'' Beware the Creeper'' #1–6 (1968–1969) *''
The Brave and the Bold ''The Brave and the Bold'' is a comic book series published by DC Comics as an ongoing series from 1955 to 1983. It was followed by two mini-series in 1991 and 1999, and was revived as an ongoing title in 2007. The focus of the series has varie ...
'' #93, 159 (1970–1980) *''
Challengers of the Unknown The Challengers of the Unknown is a fictional group of adventurers appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The quartet of adventurers explored paranormal occurrences while facing several fantastic menaces. The characters' provenance is ...
'' #68–74 (1969–1970) *'' DC Comics Presents'' #16, 19, 20, 23 (1979–1980) *'' DC Comics Presents: The Flash'' #1 (2004) *''
DC Retroactive ''DC Retroactive'' is a line of one-shot comic book issues published by DC Comics. It revisited periods (grouped by decades) of the company's main characters: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Justice League, and the Flash. Th ...
: Green Lantern – The '70s'' #1 (2011) *''DC Retroactive: Wonder Woman – The '70s'' #1 (2011) *'' DC Special Series'' #1, 15–16, 21 (1977–1980) *''
DC Super Stars ''DC Super Stars'' was a comics anthology series published by DC Comics from March 1976 to February 1978. Starting off as a reprint title, it finished its run with original stories. Publication history The tagline "The Line of DC Super-Stars" wa ...
'' #17 (1977) *''DC Universe Holiday Bash'' #1 (1997) *''
Detective Comics ''Detective Comics'' is an American comic book series published by Detective Comics, later shortened to DC Comics. The first volume, published from 1937 to 2011 (and later continued in 2016), is best known for introducing the superhero Batman i ...
'' #395, 397, 399–401, 404–406, 410–411, 414, 418–419, 422, 425, 431, 451, 457, 460–462, 480–481, 483–491, 851, 866, 1000; ''Annual'' #1 (1989) (1969–2020) *''
Doc Savage Doc Savage is a fictional character of the competent man hero type, who first appeared in American pulp magazines during the 1930s and 1940s. Real name Clark Savage Jr., he is a doctor, scientist, adventurer, detective, and polymath who "rights w ...
'' #1–4 (limited series) (1987–1988) *''Doc Savage'' #1–6 (ongoing series) (1988–1989) *''
The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...
'' #217–221, 223–224, 226–228, 230–231, 233–234, 237–238, 240–243, 245 (1972–1977) *''
From Beyond the Unknown ''From Beyond the Unknown'' was the title of an American science fiction comic book series published by DC Comics from 1969 to 1973. Publication history ''From Beyond the Unknown'' was published as a bi-monthly comics anthology series for 25 iss ...
'' #7–8 (1970) *''
Green Arrow Green Arrow is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Mort Weisinger and designed by George Papp, he first appeared in '' More Fun Comics'' #73 in November 1941. His real name is Oliver Jonas Quee ...
Annual'' #1–3 (1988–1990) *''
Green Lantern Green Lantern is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. They fight evil with the aid of rings that grant them a variety of extraordinary powers, all of which come from imagination, fearlessness, ...
'' #63–64, 68, 72, 76–87, 89, 90–100, 102–129 (1968–1972, 1976–1980) *'' DC Comics Presents'' #16, 19, 20, 23 (1979–1980) *''Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular'' #1 *''
Isis Isis (; ''Ēse''; ; Meroitic: ''Wos'' 'a''or ''Wusa''; Phoenician: 𐤀𐤎, romanized: ʾs) was a major goddess in ancient Egyptian religion whose worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Isis was first mentioned in the Old Kin ...
'' #1 (1976) *'' JLA'' #91–93 (2004) *''
The Joker The Joker is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson, and first appeared in the debut issue of the comic book '' Batman'' on April 25, 1 ...
'' #1–3, 6 (1975–1976) *''The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1'' (2020) *'' Justice, Inc.'' #1–4 (1975) *''
Justice League of America The Justice League (also known as The Justice League of America) are a team of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in ''The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). The team was conceived b ...
'' #66, 68–75, 77–83, 86, 115 (1968–1975) *'' Kamandi the Last Boy on Earth!'' #45–48 (1976–1977) *''Legends of the DC Universe'' #7–9 (1998) *''
Nightwing Nightwing is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character has appeared in various incarnations; the identity was adopted by Dick Grayson when he left his role as Batman's vigilante partner Robin. Although ...
'' #1–4 (limited series) (1995) *'' Phantom Stranger'' #8 (1970) *''The
Question A question is an utterance which serves as a request for information. Questions are sometimes distinguished from interrogatives, which are the grammatical forms typically used to express them. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are interroga ...
'' #1–36, ''Annual'' #1–2, ''Quarterly'' #1–3, 5 (1987–1992) *''
Richard Dragon Richard Dragon (or simply Dragon) is the alias of two fictional, comic book characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Although both incarnation differ in alignment, they're portrayed as extremely accomplished martial arti ...
, Kung Fu Fighter'' #1–10, 13–18 (1975–1977) *''The
Shadow A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two- dimensional silhouett ...
'' #1–8, 10, 12 (1973–1975) *'' Shazam!'' #1–7, 9, 14–15, 17, 25 (1973–1976) *''
Showcase Showcase or vitrine may refer to: *Cabinet (furniture) *Display case Music * ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961 * ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...
'' #82–84 (1969) *''Showcase 95'' #3 (1995) *''
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and wri ...
'' #9 (1969) *''Strange Sports Stories'' #2, 4 (1973–1974) *''
Super Friends ''Super Friends'' is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes, which ran from 1973 to 1985 on ABC as part of its Saturday-morning cartoon lineup. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera and was based on the Justice League of ...
'' #20, 22, 24 (1979) *''
Superman Superman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, and debuted in the comic book '' Action Comics'' #1 ( cover-dated June 1938 and pu ...
'' #233–238, 240–242, 244, 247, 253, 254, 343, 351 (1971–1980) *''
Super-Team Family ''Super-Team Family'' is a comic book anthology series published by DC Comics from 1975 to 1978 that lasted for 15 issues. It included a mix of original and reprinted stories. Publication history ''Super-Team Family'' began publication with an ...
'' #2 (1976) *''
Sword of Sorcery ''Sword of Sorcery'' was an American sword-and-sorcery comics anthology featuring Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, heroes and rogues created by Fritz Leiber. Published bi-monthly by DC Comics, it ran for five issues in 1973, with a cover price of 20 ...
'' #1–5 (1973) *''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' #217–218, 255–256 (1973–1976) *''
Time Warp Time travel is a common theme in fiction, mainly since the late 19th century, and has been depicted in a variety of media, such as literature, television, film, and advertisements. The concept of time travel by mechanical means was popularized ...
'' #1, 3 (1979–1980) *'' Weird Worlds'' #4–10 (1973–1974) *''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superhero created by the American psychologist and writer William Moulton Marston (pen name: Charles Moulton), and artist Harry G. Peter. Marston's wife, Elizabeth, and their life partner, Olive Byrne, are credited as bein ...
'' #178–181, 199–201 (1968–1972) *''
World's Finest Comics ''World's Finest Comics'' was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled ''World's Best Comics'' for its first issue; issue #2 (Summer 1941) switched to the more familiar name. Michael ...
'' #198–199, 201–202, 204, 211–212, 214, 244, 256–264 (1970–1980)


Marvel Comics

*''
The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...
'', #207–219, 221, 223, ''Annual'' #14–15 (1980–1981) *''
Chamber of Darkness ''Chamber of Darkness'' is a horror/fantasy anthology comic book published by the American company Marvel Comics. Under this and a subsequent name, it ran from 1969 to 1974. It featured work by creators such as writer-editor Stan Lee, writers Gerr ...
'' #3–5 (1970) *''
Daredevil Daredevil may refer to: * A stunt performer Arts and media Comics * Daredevil (Lev Gleason Publications), a fictional 1940s superhero popularized by writer-artist Charles Biro * Daredevil (Marvel Comics character), a Marvel comic book superhero ...
'' #18, 194–202, 204–207, 210–223, 225–226 (1966, 1983–1986) *'' Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' #6 (1974) *''
Epic Illustrated ''Epic Illustrated'' was a comics anthology in magazine format published in the United States by Marvel Comics. Similar to the US-licensed comic book magazine '' Heavy Metal'', it allowed explicit content to be featured, unlike the traditional A ...
'' #15–20 (1983) *''
Ghost Rider Ghost Rider is the name of multiple antiheroes and superheroes appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Marvel had previously used the name for a Western character whose name was later changed to Phantom Rider. The first s ...
'' #7 (1967) *'' Heroes for Hope: Starring the X-Men'' #1 (1985) *'' The Hulk!'' #21–24 ( Dominic Fortune back-up stories) (1980–1981) *''
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby. The cha ...
'' #158, 160–208 (1982–1986) *''
Kid Colt Outlaw ''Kid Colt, Outlaw'' is a comic book title featuring the character Kid Colt originally published by Atlas Comics beginning in 1948 and later Marvel Comics. Publication history Kid Colt and his horse Steel first appeared in ''Kid Colt'' #1 (August ...
'' #134–136, 138–139 (1967–1969) *''
Millie the Model ''Millie the Model'' was Marvel Comics' longest-running humor title, first published by the company's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and continuing through its 1950s forerunner, Atlas Comics, to 1970s Marvel. The comic book series deals with ...
'' #138–151, 153 (1966–1967) *''
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, the character first appeared in '' Werewolf by Night'' #32 (August 1975). The son of a r ...
'' #26 (1982) *'' Power Man and Iron Fist'' #85–89 (1982–1983) *'' Rawhide Kid'' #56, 58–59, 60, 62, 66 (1966–1968) *''
Savage Tales ''Savage Tales'' is the title of three American comics series. Two were black-and-white comics-magazine anthologies published by Marvel Comics, and the other a color comic book anthology published by Dynamite Entertainment. Publication history Ma ...
'' #1 (1971) *''Savage Tales'' (vol. 2) #5 (1986) *''
Strange Tales ''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics anthology series. The title was revived in different forms on multiple occasions. Doctor Strange and Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their debuts in ''Strange Tales''. It was a showcase for the science ...
'' #145–149, 167–168 (1966–1968) *'' Team America'' #2 (1982) *''
Two-Gun Kid The Two-Gun Kid is the name of two Western fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The first, Clay Harder, was introduced in a 1948 comic from Marvel predecessor Timely Comics. The second, Matt Hawk a ...
'' #90, 92 (1967–1968) *''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'' #65 (1970)


Graphic novels

*''The Shadow "1941": Hitler's Astrologer'' – with
Michael Kaluta Michael William Kaluta, sometimes credited as Mike Kaluta or Michael Wm. Kaluta (born August 25, 1947), is an American comics artist and writer best known for his acclaimed 1970s adaptation of the pulp magazine hero ''The Shadow'' with writer De ...
and Russ Heath 1988 *''Batman: Birth of the Demon'' – 1992 *''Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1: Hard-Traveling Heroes'' – 1992 *''Batman: Shaman'' – 1993 *''Batman: Venom'' – 1993, 2012 *''Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 2: More Hard-Traveling Heroes'' – 1993 *''Batman: Sword of
Azrael Azrael (; , 'God has helped'; ) is the angel of death in some Abrahamic religions, namely Islam, Christian popular culture and some traditions of Judaism. He is also referenced in Sikhism. Relative to similar concepts of such beings, Azrael ...
'' – 1993 *''Batman: Bloodstorm'' – 1995 *'' Batman: Death of Innocents: the Horror of Landmines'' – 1996 *''Batman in the Seventies'' – 2000 *''The Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection'' – 2000 *''The Deadman Collection'' – 2001 *''Batman: The Ring, the Arrow, and the Bat'' – 2003 *''Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Volume 1'' – 2004 *''Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Volume 2'' – 2005 *''Green Lantern: Hero's Quest'' – 2005 *''Green Lantern/Green Arrow'' – 2012


Novellas

*''The Iconoclasts'' – ''Fantastic Stories'', ed. Ted White, Ultimate Publishing, 1971 *"Report on a Broken Bridge" – '' Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', December 1971 *''After They've Seen Paree'' – ''Generation'', ed.
David Gerrold David Gerrold (born Jerrold David Friedman; January 24, 1944)Reginald, R. (September 12, 2010)''Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature, Volume 2'' Borgo Press p. 911. Archived at Google Books. Retrieved June 23, 2013. is an American science fic ...
,
Dell Dell is an American based technology company. It develops, sells, repairs, and supports computers and related products and services. Dell is owned by its parent company, Dell Technologies. Dell sells personal computers (PCs), servers, data ...
, 1972 *"The Elseones" – ''
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'' (usually referred to as ''F&SF'') is a U.S. fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House, a subsidiary of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Press. Editors Anthony Boucher ...
'', February 1972 *"Mister Cherubim" – ''
Fantastic Stories ''Fantastic Stories'' (russian: Фантастические повести, translit=Fantasticheskiye povesti) is a collection of six short stories written by Soviet author Andrei Sinyavsky under the pseudonym Abram Tertz between 1955 and 1961, ...
'', June 1972 *"Noonday Devil" – ''Saving Worlds'', eds.
Roger Elwood Roger Elwood (January 13, 1943 – February 2, 2007) was an American science fiction writer and editor, who edited a large number of anthologies and collections for a variety of publishers in the early to mid-1970s. Biography Born and rais ...
and
Virginia Kidd Virginia Kidd (June 2, 1921 – January 11, 2003) was an American literary agent, writer and editor, who worked in particular in science fiction and related fields. She represented science fiction American authors such as Ursula K. Le Guin, R.A ...
, Doubleday, 1973 *"Devil Night" – ''
Haunt of Horror Haunt is a synonym for ghost A ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or bar ...
'', August 1973 *"Annie Mae: A Love Story" – ''The Far Side of Time'', ed.
Roger Elwood Roger Elwood (January 13, 1943 – February 2, 2007) was an American science fiction writer and editor, who edited a large number of anthologies and collections for a variety of publishers in the early to mid-1970s. Biography Born and rais ...
, Dodd Mead, 1974 *"There Are No Yesterdays!" – '' Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction'' March 1975 *"Sister Mary Talks to the Girls Sodality" – ''Harpoon Magazine'', January 1975 *"The Killing of Mother Corn" – ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'', February 1975 *"Father Flotsky" – ''Apple Pie Magazine'', May 1975 *"Alias the Last Resort" – ''Best Detective Stories of the Year'', ed. Hubin, 1975 *"Adam and No Eve" (with Alfred Bester) – ''Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction'', March 1975 *"Wave By" – ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'', September 1980 *"Bicycle Superhero"- ''Superheroes'', ed.
John Varley John Varley may refer to: * John Varley (canal engineer) (1740–1809), English canal engineer * John Varley (painter) (1778–1842), English painter and astrologer * John Varley (author) (born 1947), American science fiction author * John Silvest ...
, Ace Fantasy, 1995


Novels

*''The Bite of Monsters'' – Belmont, 1971 *''Dragon's Fists'' –
Richard Dragon Richard Dragon (or simply Dragon) is the alias of two fictional, comic book characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Although both incarnation differ in alignment, they're portrayed as extremely accomplished martial arti ...
, Kung Fu Master with Jim Berry, 1974 *''Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes'' – Crown Publishing Group, April 1976 *''The Super Comics'' – Scholastic Book Services 1981 *''Batman: Knightfall'' – 1994 *''Green Lantern: Hero's Quest'' – 2005 *''Batman Begins'' – 2005 *''DC Universe: Helltown'' – 2006 *''The Dark Knight'' – 2008


Non-fiction

*''The DC Comics Guide To Writing Comics'', Watson-Guptill, May 2001 *''Batman Unauthorized: Vigilantes, Jokers, and Heroes in Gotham City'', SmartPop series, Benbella Books, March 2008 (editor)


Essays, reviews and interviews

*The Lurker in the Family Room – ''The Haunt of Horror'', June 1973 *Review of Will Eisner's "A Contract With God" – ''
Comics Journal ''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing re ...
'' #46, May 1979 *Interview w/ Samuel R. Delany – ''
Comics Journal ''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing re ...
'' #48, Summer 1979 *''The Super Comics'' – 1980 *Article on
Garry Trudeau Garretson Beekman Trudeau (born July 21, 1948) is an American cartoonist, best known for creating the ''Doonesbury'' comic strip. Trudeau is also the creator and executive producer of the Amazon Studios political comedy series '' Alpha House' ...
/Doonesbury – ''
Comics Journal ''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing re ...
'' #63, Summer 1981 *Forum & Interview w/ Gil Kane – ''
Comics Journal ''The Comics Journal'', often abbreviated ''TCJ'', is an American magazine of news and criticism pertaining to comic books, comic strips and graphic novels. Known for its lengthy interviews with comic creators, pointed editorials and scathing re ...
'' #64 July 1981 *The Man of Steel and Me – ''Superman at 50'', 1987 *Martial Arts – ''Superman & Batman Magazine'' #1, with Marifran O'Neil, Summer 1993 *Comics 101/Classes 1 & 2 – ''Write Now!'' #3, March 2003 *Comics 101/Classes 3 & 4 – ''Write Now!'' #4, May 2003 *Comics 101/Classes 5 & 6 – ''Write Now!'' #5, August 2003 *"Introduction" to ''Superhero: The Secret Origin of a Genre'' by
Peter Coogan Peter M. Coogan () is the director of the Institute for Comics Studies and co-founder and co-chair of the Comics Arts Conference, which runs during the San Diego Comic-Con International and San Francisco WonderCon.MonkeyBrain Books MonkeyBrain Books (MonkeyBrain, Inc.) is an independent American publishing house based in Austin, Texas, specialising in books comprising both new content and reprinting online, international, or out-of-print content, which show "an academic i ...
) (July 25, 2006)


Television

*'' Logan’s Run'' (1978) **”Stargate” * '' G.I Joe: A Real American Hero'' (1985) **”The Invaders” *''
Superboy Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comicbooks published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to ''Adventure Comics'' and other series featuring ...
'' (1989) **”Meet Mr. Mxyzptlk” **”Mr. and Mrs. Superboy” *'' Batman: The Animated Series'' (1993) **”The Demon’s Quest Part 1” **”The Demon’s Quest Part 2”


Animated film

*'' Batman: Gotham Knight'' – audio commentary, 2008


References


External links

*
Scifan.com Dennis O'Neil
*
Dennis O'Neil's column on ComicMix

Dennis O'Neil's Official Message Board

Comic Geek Speak Podcast Interview (October 2005)

"DC Profiles #15: Denny O'Neil"
at the Grand Comics Database
Dennis O'Neil
at Mike's Amazing World of Comics

at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
Dennis O'Neil year by year
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oneil, Dennis 1939 births 2020 deaths American comics writers Comic book editors Comics scholars Inkpot Award winners Marvel Comics writers Military personnel from St. Louis Silver Age comics creators United States Navy sailors Writers from St. Louis Saint Louis University alumni DC Comics people 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers