Legendary British comic book artist Ian Gibson has passed away. He was 77 years old.
Rebellion Developments — the current publisher of 2000 AD — eulogized Gibson in a post to its official website. “…Gibson never lost his ability to make the fantastical into something which felt relatable, exciting and real; his gift for humour marks him as one of 2000 AD’s most expressive and human artists, who left an indelible mark on comics history,” Rebellion wrote. “His passing represents another profound loss from the golden generation of artists and writers who established 2000 AD as an artistic and cultural powerhouse, his work enthralling and thrilling generations of children.”
Ian Gibson’s comic book legacy
Gibson was born on February 20, 1946. He is perhaps best known for his time at 2000 AD — which involved a lengthy run drawing its flagship title, Judge Dredd. He also co-created Robo-Hunter with John Wagner and The Ballad of Halo Jones with Alan Moore.
Rebellion describes Halo Jones, in particular, as a “powerfully feminist and forward-thinking serial about a young woman desperate to escape the claustrophobic and dangerous life on a floating housing estate.” The publisher further explains that “Gibson and Moore worked together closely to construct a futuristic and yet relatable world … one which continues to influence and inspire new creators to this day.”
While his work at 2000 AD made him a household name in the British comics scene, Gibson also built a career for himself in the United States. For DC, he worked on such titles as Mister Miracle and Green Lantern Corps. He also contributed to X-Men Unlimited #32 for Marvel. On top of that, Gibson drew a number of Star Wars books for Dark Horse Comics and contributed to Image Comics’ The Foot Soldiers #3.
SuperHeroHype sends condolences to Gibson’s friends and family at this time.
