Kevin O'Neill 1953 - 2022

[Robin Low]

A terrible loss, though most of all to his family and friends.

He was not simply an artist with a unique style, he was an artist whose style shouted loud and clear that British comics, and obviously 2000AD in particular, were wilder, more creative, and just plain more interesting than what was going on in American comics. And that's probably still true.


Regards,

Robin

[JohnW]

I've already posted on this thread, but I've been brooding since.
Look at this:
http://www.2000ad.org/functions/cover.php?Comic=2000ad&choice=112
Thank you for this, and for everything, Mr. O'Neill.

[nxylas]

No Kev, no 2000 AD, really.

No Watchmen, no Invisibles, no Shadow of the Bat...the British invasion of the 1980s was almost entirely down to Kev's sneaky invention of the Compu-73E. I seriously think the best tribute 2000AD could pay him is to revert to his original design for the credit card, just for one prog.

[The Corinthian]

RIP

[McNulty]

Truly one of the weirdest artists in 2000AD. We have lost another legend. RIP.

[JayzusB.Christ]

Aw, not Kev O'Neill.  For me, he was the artist who most exemplified 2000ad at its best.  RIP, Kev - there'll never be another like him, and his art has enriched my life.

[Art]

https://2000ad.com/news/kevin-oneill-1953-2022/

Very nicely written tribute. Great art choices.

[blackmocco]

Well, the news has just broken and with it, a little piece of my heart. My favourite artist of all time, the almighty, the irrepressible, incomparable, the one and only Kevin O'Neill has scrawled his last piece of art and left us. To say I'm gutted to hear the news is the understatement of the day. O'Neill's artwork was the greatest experience of my artistic life (such as it is). I still remember being ten years old and reading prog 224 in my neighbour Maurice Foley's house and having my brain FRIED when I reached Nemesis The Warlock for the first ever time. I ran straight to the shop to buy my own copy so I could take it home and stare at it over and over again and I can safely tell you that forty years later, I HAVE NEVER STOPPED.
This is how love affairs begin, friends. How new worlds are opened, how possibilities seem endless and less dramatically: how careers are shaped. I'll say it: there was no other artist like him. I'll put him next to Giger or Beksinski as quick as THAT. A visionary, a trailblazer, a genuine, bona-fide, balls-to-the-wall fucking genius and for me personally, an inspiration like no other. There was no other artist I wanted to draw like, no other comic I wanted to draw for from the moment I saw his art. I had never before even considered there was a career in art before I saw his work and it's with great pride I tell you that the first job I ever secured, at sixteen years of age with a year left in high school, was because the art I showed was all his fault.
The day is ruined but I'll end on a high note: I met Kevin three times in my life. Once to thank him for a commission he drew for me from my then girlfriend (a present every girlfriend since has looked at with spite in the knowledge there is no greater present to be procured), once at a signing here in LA where he told me you haven't lived until you've heard Alan Moore doing a Stewie from Family Guy impression and even better, completely randomly years later at San Diego Comic Con when I walked past him, sitting alone at a booth waiting to sign something for anyone. I almost shit myself when I saw him and spoke with him for ten golden minutes, no doubt boring him to tears and embarrassing myself by spewing forth all my love and respect in his direction.
So long, maestro. Thank you, thank you, thank you for everything...

[Richard]

Michael Carroll's tribute on his blog: https://michaelowencarroll.wordpress.com/2022/11/08/r-i-p-kevin-oneill/

[lincnash]

Kev too? Drokk it!
Memories of giggling at Captain Klep with many re-reads of a Tornado during a rainy holiday.

Maybe the fact he operated on his own brain, gave him that unique style :-)
vale Kevin, you will be missed by many.

[Richard]

The story is that the letterer accidentally wrote "I operated on my own Brian," and so they had to correct it at the last minute; then they realised they should have left it as it was because it was funnier.

[Woolly]

I'll never tire of looking at his work, every single page and panel he ever did is wonderful.

RIP Kevin. I'll miss you.

[broodblik]

We surely are going to miss one of the unique artists on the planet. Thank you for Kevin for all the images

[GoGilesGo]

Devastating news.

Amongst a galaxy of stars that built 2000ad into what it is today he was easily the most recognisable. A glance of a single one of his frames will reveal its artistry.

So many of his panels are seared into my mind : the first appearance of the Blitzspear; Torquemada's ghostly rotting form doing battle with Nemesis; The first (un) appearance of The Invisible Man; the greatest Jimp of all time on the cover of prog 474.

But it's Alan Moore's line "Partly because of Kevin's art, we can span comedy, horror and pathos in a couple of pages" that perfectly sums his talents up, not least at the climax of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen II when Hyde asks for a single kiss from Mina, then strides forward to take on the Martian tripods alone.

Even when Kev is drawing a 'simple' page it can put a lump in your throat



Anyway =VARK= I'm getting emotional, so I have to =VARK= stop typing.

RIP* Kev.

*By which of course I mean Return, if Possible.

[AlexF]

Too sad! He was, I think, the most commited to the idea that not only is it OK to scare/corrupt the young with their words and pictures, an artist should actively try to do it. When peopple talk about 2000AD as punk, I think of Kevin O'Neill spitting in the face of IPC management (with his pen, mind, not literally...)

More blood! More gore!