DAN ADKINS, R.I.P.

Comic book artist Dan Adkins passed away this week and while he never achieved top ranking status in the annals of comic book artists, I always found his work to be a pleasure to look at. His clean style was well suited to science fiction and horror stories and he always delivered top-notch work.

I first encountered Adkins' work in the pages of various Marvel comics published in the late 1960s. He drew a couple of issues of X-MEN, the Sub-Mariner series in TALES TO ASTONISH and the Dr. Strange feature in STRANGE TALES and again in DOCTOR STRANGE. After penciling a few titles here and there, Adkins switched to inking and he did a superlative job, bringing the pencils of every artist he worked with to vivid life. 

My favorite Dan Adkins work can be found in the magazine pictured above. It's CREEPY #28 published in August, 1969. Adkins did some of his best work for the black-and-white horror comic magazines that James Warren put out. The cover art is by Vic Prezio but it illustrates the story THE DOORWAY by Archie Goodwin and Adkins. It's a terrific little science fiction/horror story that features what I consider to be some of Adkins' finest work. There's something about those images that has stayed with me for all of these years. 

Rest in peace Mr. Adkins and thanks for the good work and the great memories.