Everybody talks about the battles that superheroes face in fictional stories. But those pale in comparison to the battles that people fight in real life. Ernie Colón, comics icon who filled many roles throughout his career, was one such warrior. After a year of fighting cancer, Colón passed away on August 8, 2019, with his loved ones by his side.
Ernie Colón: A Life of Wonder
Ernie Colón, born July 13, 1931, began his career as a comic book letterer for Harvey Comics. After uncredited work for Casper the Friendly Ghost and other titles, Ernie landed his first credited work as a penciler and inker for Wham-O Giant Comics #1, titled Kaleidoscope of Fear in 1967. Colón got his big break when he co-created Arak, Son of Thunder with Roy Thomas while working for DC Comics in 1981. He would co-create Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld along with Dan Miskin and Gary Cohn two years later. After becoming an editor at DC in 1982, Colón oversaw comics such as Green Lantern and The Flash until 1985.
Colón also worked on various Marvel projects in the ’80s, such as Damage Control (with Dwayne McDuffie) and Doom 2099. He even worked on comics in Marvel’s children’s imprint, Star Comics. The 1990s saw Ernie Colón return to Harvey Comics alongside longtime collaborator Sid Jacobson. When Harvey Comics closed its doors in 1994, Colón and Jacobson would go on to create The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation in 2006. The graphic novel garnered praise for its adherence to the final report into the investigations of the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001.
