Marvel Comics Artist Joe Sinnott Dies at Age 93

Marvel Comics icon, artist Joe Sinnott, has died at the age of 93. Sinnott was a longtime inker of Marvel Comics books, starting back in the 1960s when Marvel was just taking shape. Sinnott's inking work helped establish and define many of Marvel's biggest characters, including the Fantastic Four series, which he worked on from 1965 to 1981. Sinnott's name sits in company with Marvel's biggest founders like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, so this is yet another big loss for the Marvel fandom, for sure. Sinnott's family issued a statement about his death on Facebook, only noting that "He went peacefully..."

You can read the full statement on Joe Sinnott's death, via his family, below:

"[It's] with great sorrow that we must announce the passing of Joltin' Joe Sinnott on June 25th at 8:40am at the age of 93. He went peacefully with the knowledge that his family, friends, and fans adored him. He enjoyed life and was drawing up until the end. He always loved hearing from all of you and having your comments read to him. Each and every one of you were special to him.

The Sinnott family requests their privacy and understanding during this difficult time. Please send condolences to:

The Sinnott Family
27 Spaulding Lane
Saugerties, NY 12477

Thank you again for being such loyal and dedicated fans and friends to Joe. He considered all fans friends, and seeing you at cons and reading your messages was what kept him young at heart.

RIP Joe Sinnott
October 16th, 1926 - June 25th, 2020"

Joe Sinnott was born in Saugerties, New York, in 1926, one of seven children. Sinnott grew up in a boarding home that catered to schoolteachers, where he was inspired to love art and drawing. After losing a brother in WWII, Sinnott followed his family's wishes and enlisted in the Navy, driving a munitions truck. After the war, he worked in his father's cement plant before attending what would later become the School of Visual Arts in NYC, via the GI Bill. His first art job led his boss to offer side work doing freelance comics work, which led Sinnott to meet Stan Lee at Atlas Comics in 1951. He would bounce around between Atlas, Charlton Comics and various other companies, before settling in with Marvel and its Fantastic Four book in 1965, where he forged a long partnership with Jack Kirby. Sinnott influenced various Marvel characters (Thor, Silver Surfer, The Avengers, etc.) until the 1980s, working sporadically thereafter until 1992. He would continue to ink the Amazing Spider-Man comic strip until 2019, at age 92.

Sinnott marks one of the last of the names from Marvel's Silver age of creation to pass away. The biggest loss in recent years was no doubt the death of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee, who died in November of 2018. Still, the Marvel brand and its characters are now one of the biggest franchises in the world, so Sinnott's legacy will live on long after him.

R.I.P. Joe Sinnott - October 16, 1926 - June 25, 2020.