Sunday, February 13, 2022

Today in Comics History, February 13: Happy birthday, Danny Crespi!

Born on this day in 1926: Danny Crespi: letterer, artist, and Marvel's Art/Production Supervisor in the '70s and '80s. A much beloved figure of the Marvel Bullpen, Danny was homaged several times in the comics!


from Mighty Marvel Calendar 1977, 1978, and 1979; and
Marvel Age #26 (Marvel, May 1985), text by Jim Salicrup, pencils and inks by Ron Zalme



from What If...? (1977 series) #34 (Marvel, August 1982), text by Rick Parker




Here's some glowing praise for Danny and his work, in the form of a public employee review from Jim Shooter:



from Marvel Age #7 (Marvel, October 1983), text by Jim Shooter, art by Ron Zalme

And he actually appeared as a character in an Assistant Editor's Month issue! That's him on the left.


from Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man (Marvel, January 1984), script by Bill Mantlo, pencils and inks by Al Milgrom, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Joe Rosen

Here a couple of photos (on the left again in both, with Mike Esposito and Glynis Oliver) from Marvel's fan magazine FOOM:


from (top) FOOM #2 (Marvel, May 1973)
(bottom) FOOM #7 (Marvel, September 1974)

Updated on February 13, 2023: New material printed below in green.

Also, not many people know this (in my Michael Caine voice), but Danny owned a big-ass Hollywood studio that tried to tempt The Thing into the Marvel Cinematic Made-for-Televisionic Universe!


from Marvel Two-in-One (1974 series) #97 (Marvel, March 1983), script by David Michelinie, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Jon D'Agostino, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by Rick Parker

Danny died of leukemia in 1985. Here's a eulogy and obituary from Shooter:


from "Bullpen Bulletins" in Marvel Comics cover-dated December 1985, by Jim Shooter

And from the Comics Journal:


from The Comics Journal #101 (Fantagraphics, August 1985), by Tom Heintjes

We salute and remember you today, Danny Crespi! And happy birthday!


from Mighty Marvel Convention Program book 1975 (Marvel, 1975), photograph by Michele Wolfman

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