John Romita Senior

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Romita joined Marvel in 1965, initially drawing Daredevil comics. In 1966, when Spider-Man artist and co-creator Steve Ditko left Marvel, Romita was chosen by writer Lee as the new artist for Amazing Spider-Man. Within a year of Romita becoming the Spider-Man artist, The Amazing Spider-Man rose from Marvel's second-best-selling title to the company's top-seller. Romita brought a new romance style to Spider-Man comics that soon became the new design for the character. In June 1973, Romita was promoted to Marvel's art director and heavily influenced the look of Marvel comics throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Romita was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002. His first comics work was in 1949 as a ghost artist for Timely Comics, the precursor to Marvel, through which Romita met editor-in-chief Stan Lee. He worked exclusively for DC Comics from 1958 to 1965 and was the artist for many of their romance comics, further developing his ability to draw beautiful women.

In Their Own Story

On Romita's 17th birthday, he received his first artist work from the Manhattan General Hospital. An anesthesiologist paid Romita $60 a week to create a medical exhibit on pneumatology medicine, which Romita completed in six months. Romita entered the comics industry in 1949 on the series Famous Funnies. 'Steven Douglas up there was a benefactor to all young artists', Romita recalled. 'The first story he gave me was a love story. It was terrible. All the women looked like emaciated men and he bought it, never criticized, and told me to keep working. He paid me two hundred dollars for it and never published it—and rightfully so'.

Reader's Guide

Romita's first identified published comic-book work is as penciler and inker of the six-page story 'The Bradshaw Boys' in Atlas' Western Outlaws #1 (February 1951). He went on to draw horror, war, and romance comics for Atlas, including the short-lived 1950s revival of Captain America in Young Men #24–28 (December 1953 – July 1954) and Captain America #76–78 (May–September 1954). Romita worked exclusively for DC Comics from 1958 to 1965, primarily on romance titles such as Secret Hearts, Heart Throbs, Falling in Love, Girls' Love Stories, Girls' Romances, and Young Love. He returned to Marvel in 1965, drawing Daredevil before taking over Amazing Spider-Man in 1966. In June 1973, Romita was promoted to Marvel's art director and heavily influenced the look of Marvel comics throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Romita was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002.

Did You Know?

• Romita co-created Mary Jane Watson, the Punisher, Kingpin, Wolverine, and Luke Cage.
• Within a year of Romita becoming the Spider-Man artist, The Amazing Spider-Man rose from Marvel's second-best-selling title to the company's top-seller.
• Romita worked exclusively for DC Comics from 1958 to 1965, drawing romance comics.
• He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2002.
• Romita's first comics work was in 1949 as a ghost artist for Timely Comics, where he met Stan Lee.