Dennis O'Neil
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Dennis "Denny" Joseph O'Neil (May 3, 1939 – June 11, 2020) was an American
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
writer and editor, principally for
Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
and
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
from the 1960s through the 1990s, and Group Editor for the
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
family of titles until his retirement. His best-known works include '' Green Lantern/Green Arrow'' and ''
Batman Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' 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 ...
. For ''Batman'', the team is credited with returning the character to his dark pulp fiction roots, in contrast to the campy ''Batman'' television series of the 1960s. However, comics historian Les Daniels considers O'Neil's "vengeful obsessive-compulsive" Batman to be an original interpretation that has influenced all subsequent portrayals of the character. It was during this run that O'Neil co-created the Batman villains
Ra's al Ghul Ra's al Ghul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
and
Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul (; , ) 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 (comics), Bob Brown, and first app ...
. During their ''Green Lantern/Green Arrow'' run, O'Neil and Adams introduced a mature, realistic tone through stories such as " Snowbirds Don't Fly", in which
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'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
's ward Roy Harper is revealed to have become addicted to drugs. They also created and introduced the
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, ...
character John Stewart in 1971. As an editor, he is principally known for editing the various Batman titles beginning in 1986 after returning to DC. In 1989, O'Neil launched the '' Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight'' series, and was the writer for the "Shaman" and "Venom" stories. O'Neil led the Batman creative teams for the '' Batman: Knightfall'' (1993–1994) story arc. O'Neil co-created the antihero Azrael ( Jean-Paul Valley) in 1992, who temporarily became the new Batman during ''Knightfall''. After the storyline's conclusion, O'Neil was the writer for an Azrael monthly series that lasted 100 issues. His other notable work includes creating
Richard Dragon Richard Dragon (or simply Dragon) is the alias of two characters appearing in media published by DC Comics. Although both incarnations differ in alignment, they are both portrayed as accomplished martial artists with connections to the League of ...
with Jim Berry, and runs on ''
The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by American 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 Gibs ...
'' 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 Den ...
and '' The Question'' with
Denys Cowan Denys 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 T ...
. While working for Marvel during the 1980s, O'Neil scripted issues for ''
The Amazing Spider-Man ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American superhero American comic book, comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of t ...
'', ''
Iron Man Iron Man is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...
'', and '' Daredevil''. In the late 1990s, O'Neil taught a comics writing 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 Silas ...
. He also sat on the board of directors of the charity The Hero Initiative and served on its Disbursement Committee.


Early life

O'Neil was born into an Irish
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
household in
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
,
Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
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 in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by Louis William Valentine DuBourg, it is the oldest university west of the Missi ...
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 just in time to participate in the blockade of
Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
during the
Cuban Missile Crisis The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis () in Cuba, or the Caribbean Crisis (), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of Nuclear weapons d ...
.


Career


Writing

After leaving the Navy, O'Neil moved on to a job with a newspaper in
Cape Girardeau, Missouri Cape Girardeau ( , ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, Cape Girardeau and Scott County, Missouri, Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the ...
. 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. He was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and possibly bes ...
, who would eventually himself become one of the great names in the history of the medium.


Marvel Comics

When Roy Thomas left
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
to work for
Stan Lee Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...
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, often abbreviated as FF, is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in '' The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover-dated November 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism i ...
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." He had intended to only work in the comics industry for six months to make some extra money, but soon found enjoyment from creating comic book scripts, and abandoned his plans to move back to the
Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
to be a journalist. O'Neil took the reins for a short-term run of Marvel's
Doctor Strange Dr. Stephen Vincent 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 ...
stories in ''
Strange Tales ''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics comics anthology, 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. (feature), Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their d ...
,'' writing dialogue and captions for six issues that were plotted by artist Steve Ditko. He also wrote for such titles as '' Rawhide Kid'' and ''
Millie the Model ''Millie the Model'' is 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 ...
,'' and scripted the final 13 pages of '' Daredevil'' #18 over a plot by Lee when Lee went on vacation. Briefly returning to Marvel a few years later, 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 (Prof. Charles Francis Xavier) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist/co-writer Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 ( ...
character in ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...
'' #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 (comics), line was a divi ...
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. Ear ...
. "Sergius O'Shaugnessy" is the name of the protagonist of Norman Mailer's 1955 novel ''
The Deer Park ''The Deer Park'' is a Hollywood novel written by Norman Mailer and published in 1955 by G.P. Putnam's Sons after it was rejected by Mailer's publisher, Rinehart & Company, for obscenity. Despite having already typeset the book, Rinehart claime ...
.'' O'Neil has quoted Mailer's writing in at least one of his comic book scripts. He would continue using the pseudonym occasionally throughout his career.


DC Comics

In 1968, Dick Giordano was offered an editorial position at
DC Comics DC Comics (originally DC Comics, Inc., and also known simply as DC) is an American comic book publisher owned by DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC is an initialism for "Detective Comics", an American comic book seri ...
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 ac ...
. From there, DC moved O'Neil to ''
Wonder Woman Wonder Woman is a superheroine who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in ''All Star Comics'' Introducing Wonder Woman, #8, published October 21, 1941, with her first feature in ''Sensation Comic ...
'' and ''
Justice League of America The Justice League, or Justice League of America (JLA), is a group of superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The team first appeared in '' The Brave and the Bold'' #28 (March 1960). Writer Gardner Fox conceived t ...
''. 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'' durin ...
, 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, scripting socially and politically themed stories that presaged his later work on '' Green Lantern/Green Arrow''. He and artist
Dick Dillin Richard Allen Dillin (December 17, 1928 – March 1, 1980)Richard Dillin
at the United States Social Securi ...
made several changes to the membership of the JLA by removing founding members the
Martian Manhunter The Martian Manhunter (J'onn J'onzz) is a superhero in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in the story "The Manhunter from Mars" in ''Detective Comics ...
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 Lance Bruner, Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and ...
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'' 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 ("Snowbirds Don't Fly"), when it was revealed that Green Arrow's ward
Speedy Speedy refers to something or someone moving at high speed. Speedy may refer to: People * Speedy (nickname), a list of people * Speedy Long (1928–2006), American lawyer and politician * Speedy Mashilo (born 1965), South African politician * ...
was addicted to
heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
. 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'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' 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 and Adams also created Green Lantern John Stewart, who debuted in ''Green Lantern'' vol. 2 #87 (December 1971/January 1972). 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 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 is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Batman. Created by editor Julius Schwartz, writer Dennis O'Neil, and artist Neal Adams, the character first appeared ...
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 an Australian former politician, medical doctor and environmentalist. He was a Australian Senate, senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens. Brown was elected to the Australian ...
also created
Talia al Ghul Talia al Ghul (; , ) 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 (comics), Bob Brown, and first app ...
. During this period, O'Neil frequently teamed up with Adams (with Giordano often assisting on inks) on a number of memorable issues of both ''Batman'' and ''
Detective Comics ''Detective Comics'' (later retitled as ''Batman 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 ...
''. The creative team would revive
Two-Face Two-Face is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Bob Kane, and first appeared in ''Detective Comics'' #66 (August 1942). He has become one of the superhero Batman's most enduring e ...
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 Don Newton (November 12, 1934 – August 19, 1984) was an American comics artist. During his career, he worked for a number of comic book publishers including Charlton Comics, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics. He is best known for his work on The Pha ...
killed the original version of
Batwoman Batwoman is a name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, depicted as female counterparts and allies of Batman similarly to Batgirl. The original version of the character, Kathy Kane (eventually given t ...
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 an American comic book editor, and a science fiction agent. He was born in The Bronx, New York. He is best known as a longtime editor at DC Comics, where at various times he ...
became the editor of ''
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
'' 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 in '' The Sandman Saga'', 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 (comics), Krypton that emits a u ...
. 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 unusu ...
and featured art by the character's original artist C. C. Beck. 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 Den ...
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 until around 1955. The term "pulp" derives from the Pulp (paper), wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed, due to their ...
in ''
The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by American 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 Gibs ...
'' 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. In World’s Finest #263 (1980), he wrote "Final Secret of the Super-Sons", which wrapped up the
Super-Sons The Super-Sons are a pair of fictional characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The characters were created by Bob Haney and Dick Dillin and first appeared in '' World's Finest Comics'' #215 (January 1973). The charac ...
stories by exposing them to be just characters inside a computer in Superman's Fortress of Solitude, with Superman then ordering them to commit suicide by jumping into the Fortress' disintegration pit after they escape their computer simulated world.


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 superhero American comic book, comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of t ...
'', which he did for a year. O'Neil wrote two issues of ''The Amazing Spider-Man Annual'', both drawn by Frank Miller. The 1980 ''Annual'' featured a team-up with
Doctor Strange Dr. Stephen Vincent 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 ...
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 ma ...
. He and artist John Romita Jr. introduced
Madame Web Madame Web (Cassandra Webb) is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She first appeared in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' No. 210, published November 1980, and was created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist John ...
in ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' #210 and Hydro-Man 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. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...
'' from 1982 to 1986 and '' Daredevil'' from 1983 to 1985. During his run on ''Iron Man'', O'Neil introduced Obadiah Stane, 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'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 ''Born Again (comics), Daredevil: Born Again'' and ''Batman: Year One'', as well as for gra ...
as artist. He introduced Yuriko Oyama during his stint, who would later become the villain
Lady Deathstrike Lady Deathstrike (Yuriko Oyama), occasionally spelled Deathstryke, is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is a foe of the X-Men, especially Wolverine (character), Wolverine. Her father Lord Dark Wind ...
. While working for Marvel, he helped write the original character concept for '' The Transformers'', and is credited as the person who named Optimus Prime.


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 grammar, grammatical forms, typically used to express them. Rhetorical questions, for instance, are i ...
'' ongoing series which was primarily drawn by
Denys Cowan Denys 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 T ...
. Between the years of 1988 and 1990, O'Neil would return to ''Green Arrow'' by writing the ''Annual''s, while Mike Grell wrote the monthly 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 Edward Hannigan (born August 6, 1951) is an Americans, 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' Brand licensing, licensed ' ...
. The series was the first new Batman title in almost fifty years, and the first issue sold almost a million copies. '' 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 Comics, DC comic book storyline "The Death of Superman" and for creating characters such as Doomsday (DC Comics), Doomsday, Hank H ...
. 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, 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''. O'Neil led the Batman creative teams for the '' Batman: Knightfall'' (1993–1994) story arc, during which Azrael temporarily became the new Batman. In 1994, O'Neil wrote a novelization of ''Knightfall''. In the opening of the novelization, O'Neil stated that part of the reason "Knightfall" was written was due to the recent popularity of more "ruthless" heroes such as the Terminator and
James Bond The ''James Bond'' franchise focuses on James Bond (literary character), the titular character, a fictional Secret Intelligence Service, British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels ...
in films, as editors were starting to wonder if readers would prefer a Batman who was willing to kill his opponents. After the conclusion of ''Knightfall'', O'Neil wrote the 100-issue '' Azrael'' comic series, chronicling Valley's battles against the Order of St. Dumas, between 1995 and 2003. O'Neil modeled the series on
Arthurian According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a leader of the post-Ro ...
legends, comparing Azrael's quest to discover the truth about himself to the
Holy Grail The Holy Grail (, , , ) is a treasure that serves as an important motif in Arthurian literature. Various traditions describe the Holy Grail as a cup, dish, or stone with miraculous healing powers, sometimes providing eternal youth or sustenanc ...
. The series was originally intended to conclude with Azrael's death. However, after O'Neil suffered a heart attack in September 2002, editor Mike Carlin decided it wouldn't be appropriate to have a character O'Neil created be killed off. O'Neil instead left Azrael's fate vague, preferring to let readers decide what happened to him.


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, who co-wrote the screenplay with David S. Goyer. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne (Dark Knight trilogy), Bruce Wayne / B ...
'' and ''
The Dark Knight ''The Dark Knight'' is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay co-written with his brother Jonathan. Based on the DC Comics superhero Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman Begins'' (2005), and the second inst ...
''. 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, commonly referred to with umbrella terms Kung fu (term), kung fu (; ), kuoshu () or wushu (sport), wushu (), are Styles of Chinese martial arts, multiple fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in Greater Ch ...
character named
Richard Dragon Richard Dragon (or simply Dragon) is the alias of two characters appearing in media published by DC Comics. Although both incarnations differ in alignment, they are both portrayed as accomplished martial artists with connections to the League of ...
, 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 also 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 in the comics industry. Beginning his career writing for DC Comics at the age of 14, he had a successful but controversial run as editor-in-chief at Marvel Comic ...
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 superhero 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 rabbi, Marc 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 character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. First appearing in ''Batman (comic book), Batman'' #357 in March 1983, he was created to succeed Dick Grayson as Robin (character), Robin, Batman's partner ...
, 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

After graduating college, O'Neil taught English in the
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
public school system for one year. 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 Silas ...
, sometimes sharing duties with fellow comic book writer John Ostrander.


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''. O'Neil 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. The following year, Larry O'Neil wrote a six-page tribute to his father, "Tap Tap Tap," which was illustrated by Jorge Fornés and published in ''Green Arrow 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular'' #1 (August 2021); the story summarizes O'Neil's life from childhood to death without any written dialogue, instead using logos and other pictograms.


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 professio ...
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 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 Comic-Con Internati ...
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''.


Appearances in media

In ''
The Batman Adventures ''The Batman Adventures'' is a DC Comics comic book series featuring Batman, set in the universe of Batman: The Animated Series and its successors. Overview ''The Batman Adventures'' was created to tie-in with the '' Batman: The Animated Series' ...
''—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 Michael Carlin (born October 6, 1958) is an American comic book writer, editing, editor, and executive. He has worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics since the 1970s. Early life Carlin attended the High School of Art and Design in M ...
) 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; his name is likely derived from Cosmo "Perfessor" Fishhawk of ''Shoe'', which O'Neil was a known reader of. In 2013, O'Neil was among the
comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
writers interviewed in the
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
documentary Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle.


Bibliography


Comic books


Charlton Comics

*''
Abbott and Costello Abbott and Costello were an American comedy duo composed of comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, whose work in radio, film, and television made them the most popular comedy team of the 1940s and 1950s, and the highest-paid entertainers in t ...
'' #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'' #13 (1976) *'' 9-11: The World's Finest Comic Book Writers & Artists Tell Stories to Remember Volume Two'' (2002) *''
Action Comics ''Action Comics'' is an American comic book/Comic anthology, magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as Detective Comics Inc., which later merged into National ...
'' #485 (1978) *''
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 (
Black Canary Black Canary is the name of two superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As one of the earliest female superheroes in the DC Comics universe, the character has made numerous appearances in prominent team-up titles, ...
) , 449–451, 491–492 (1972–1982) *'' All New Collectors' Edition'' #C-56 ('' Superman vs. Muhammad Ali'') (1978) *''
All-Star Western ''All-Star Western'' is the name of three American comic book series published by DC Comics, each a Western fiction omnibus featuring both continuing characters and anthological stories. The first ran from 1951 to 1961, the second from 1970 t ...
'' #6 (1971) *'' Armageddon 2001'' #2 (1991) *''
Atom Atoms are the basic particles of the chemical elements. An atom consists of a atomic nucleus, nucleus of protons and generally neutrons, surrounded by an electromagnetically bound swarm of electrons. The chemical elements are distinguished fr ...
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'' #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 who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
'' #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 from 1995 to 2001, which lasted 23 quarterly issues. Publication history With a larger page count than typical comics of the time, most issues contained three separate storie ...
'' #6, 16 (1996–1999) *'' Batman Family'' #18–19 (1978) *''
Batman Forever ''Batman Forever'' is a 1995 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. It is the third installment of the ''Batman'' film series, acting as a standalone sequel to ''Batman Returns''. Directe ...
: 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 (screenwriter), Daniel Waters. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to ''Batman (1989 film), Batman'' (1989) and th ...
: 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, 27, 50, 59–61, 63, 100, 127–131, Annual #1-3 (1989–2000) *''Azrael (DC Comics), Batman: Sword of Azrael'' #1–4 (1992–1993) *''Batman (1989 film), Batman: The Official Comic Adaptation'' #1 (1989) *''Creeper (DC Comics), Beware the Creeper'' #1–6 (1968–1969) *''The Brave and the Bold'' #93, 159 (1970–1980) *''Challengers of the Unknown'' #68–74 (1969–1970) *''DC Comics Presents'' #16, 19, 20, 23 (1979–1980) *'' DC Comics Presents: The Flash'' #1 (2004) *''DC Retroactive: 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'' #17 (1977) *''DC Universe Holiday Bash'' #1 (1997) *''
Detective Comics ''Detective Comics'' (later retitled as ''Batman 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 ...
'' #395, 397, 399–401, 404–406, 410–411, 414, 418–419, 422, 425, 431, 451, 457, 460–461 (Tim Trench), 462 (Elongated Man), 480–481, 483–491, 851, 866, 1000; ''Annual'' #1 (1989) (1969–2020) *''Doc Savage'' #1–4 (limited series) (1987–1988) *''Doc Savage'' #1–6 (ongoing series) (1988–1989) *''The Flash (comic book), The Flash'' #217–221, 223–224, 226–228, 230–231, 233–234, 237–238, 240–243, 245-246 (1972–1977) *''From Beyond the Unknown'' #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'' No. 73 on September 19, 1941 (cover dated November 1941), th ...
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, 89–100, 102-106, 108-129 (1968–1972, 1976–1980) *''Green Lantern 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular'' #1 *''Isis (DC Comics), Isis'' #1 (1976) *''JLA (comic book), JLA'' #91–93 (2004) *''The Joker (comic book), The Joker'' #1–3, 6 (1975–1976) *''The Joker 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1'' (2020) *''Avenger (pulp-magazine character)#Comics, Justice, Inc.'' #1–4 (1975) *''Justice League (comic book), Justice League of America'' #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) *''Dick Grayson, Nightwing'' #1–4 (limited series) (1995) *''Phantom Stranger'' #8 (1970) *''The Question (character), Question'' #1–36, ''Annual'' #1–2, ''Quarterly'' #1–3, 5 (1987–1992) *''
Richard Dragon Richard Dragon (or simply Dragon) is the alias of two characters appearing in media published by DC Comics. Although both incarnations differ in alignment, they are both portrayed as accomplished martial artists with connections to the League of ...
, Kung Fu Fighter'' #1–10, 13–18 (1975–1977) *''The The Shadow#Comic books, Shadow'' #1–8, 10, 12 (1973–1975) *''Captain Marvel (DC Comics), Shazam!'' #1–7, 9, 14–15, 17, 25 (1973–1976) *"Secret Origins" #50 (1990) *''Showcase (comics), Showcase'' #82–84 (1969) *''Showcase 95'' #3 (1995) *''Spectre (DC Comics character), Spectre'' #9 (1969) *''Strange Sports Stories'' #2, 4 (1973–1974) *''Super Friends'' #20, 22, 24 (1979) *''
Superman Superman is a superhero created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, which first appeared in the comic book ''Action Comics'' Action Comics 1, #1, published in the United States on April 18, 1938.The copyright date of ''Action Comics ...
'' #233–238, 240–242, 244, 247, 253, 254, 343, 351 (1971–1980) *''Super-Team Family'' #2 (1976) *''Sword of Sorcery'' #1–5 (1973) *''Tarzan in comics#DC Comics, Tarzan'' #217–218, 255–256 (1973–1976) *''Time Warp (comics), Time Warp'' #1, 3 (1979–1980) *''Weird Worlds (comics), Weird Worlds'' #4–10 (1973–1974) *''Wonder Woman (comic book), Wonder Woman'' #178–181, 199–201 (1968–1972) *''World's Finest Comics'' #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 superhero American comic book, comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its title character and main protagonist. Being in the Earth 616, mainstream continuity of t ...
'', #207–219, 221, 223, ''Annual'' #14–15 (1980–1981) * ''Chamber of Darkness'' #3–5 (1970) * '' Daredevil'' #18, 194–202, 204–207, 210–223, 225–226 (1966, 1983–1986) * ''Deadly Hands of Kung Fu'' #6 (1974) * ''Epic Illustrated'' #15–20 (1983) * ''Ghost Rider (comic book), Ghost Rider'' #7 (1967) * ''Heroes for Hope: Starring the X-Men'' #1 (1985) * ''The Rampaging Hulk, 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. Co-created by writer and editor Stan Lee, developed by scripter Larry Lieber, and designed by artists Don Heck and Jack Kirby, the character first appearan ...
'' #158, 160–208 (1982–1986) * ''Kid Colt Outlaw'' #134–136, 138–139 (1967–1969) * ''
Millie the Model ''Millie the Model'' is 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) * ''Marvel Comics Super Special, Marvel Super Special'' #20 (''Dragonslayer (1981 film), Dragonslayer'' adaptation) (1981) * ''
Moon Knight Moon Knight is a superhero 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 rabbi, Marc S ...
'' #26 (1982) * '' Power Man and Iron Fist'' #85–89 (1982–1983) * '' Rawhide Kid'' #56, 58–59, 60, 62, 66 (1966–1968) * ''Savage Tales'' #1 (1971) * ''Savage Tales'' (vol. 2) #5 (1986) * ''
Strange Tales ''Strange Tales'' is a Marvel Comics comics anthology, 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. (feature), Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their d ...
'' #145–149, 167–168 (1966–1968) * ''Thunderiders, Team America'' #2 (1982) * ''Two-Gun Kid'' #90, 92 (1967–1968) * ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer/editor Stan Lee and artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby, the team first appeared in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 (September 1963). Although initial ...
'' #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 Den ...
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 (comics), Azrael'' – 1993 *''Batman: Bloodstorm'' – 1995 *''Batman: Death of Innocents, 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 (author), Ted White, Ultimate Publishing, 1971 *"Report on a Broken Bridge" – ''Ellery Queen, Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine'', December 1971 *''After They've Seen Paree'' – ''Generation'', ed. David Gerrold, Dell, 1972 *"The Elseones" – ''The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction'', February 1972 *"Mister Cherubim" – ''Fantastic (magazine), Fantastic'', June 1972 *"Noonday Devil" – ''Saving Worlds'', eds. Roger Elwood and Virginia Kidd, Doubleday (publisher), Doubleday, 1973 *"Devil Night" – ''Haunt of Horror'', August 1973 *"Annie Mae: A Love Story" – ''The Far Side of Time'', ed. Roger Elwood, 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 (author), John Varley, 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 characters appearing in media published by DC Comics. Although both incarnations differ in alignment, they are both portrayed as accomplished martial artists with connections to the League of ...
, Kung Fu Master with Jim Berry, 1974 *''Secret Origins of the Super DC Heroes'' – Crown Publishing Group, April 1976 *''The Super Comics'' – Scholastic Press, 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, Will Eisner's "A Contract With God" – ''Comics Journal'' #46, May 1979 *Interview w/ Samuel R. Delany – ''Comics Journal'' #48, Summer 1979 *''The Super Comics'' – 1980 *Article on Garry Trudeau/Doonesbury – ''Comics Journal'' #63, Summer 1981 *Forum & Interview w/ Gil Kane – ''Comics Journal'' #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 (MonkeyBrain Books) (July 25, 2006)


Television

*''Logan's Run (TV series), Logan’s Run'' (1978) **”Stargate” * ''G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985 TV series), G.I Joe: A Real American Hero'' (1985) **”The Invaders” *''Superboy (TV series), Superboy'' (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 American people of Irish descent American comic book editors American columnists 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