Norm Breyfogle passes away last monday at age 58
One of the definitive Batman artists in the late 80's and 90's, Norm Breyfogle was known for his powerful drawings, impeccable story-telling, and iconic comicbook covers. He teamed up with writer Alan Grant and together they repopularized Batman and revived comicbook sales for Detective Comics, Batman, and even established a new title, 'Batman: Shadow of the Bat'.
Breyfogle drew Batman for six years (1987 - 1993). During his stint with the Dark Knight, he created new villains such as the Zsasz, Ratcatcher, and Anarky (all of which already appeared in movies and tv series). He was also one of the first artists to draw Tim Drake as Robin in his new costume.
Born on February 27, 1960, it has always been his dream to draw Batman. In 2013, Breyfogle told 13th Dimension:
“I don’t read comics regularly like I used to years ago, but I do pick up a few issues every now and then to keep my eye on general trends… I think comics (including the Batman titles) are at root more or less the same as they’ve been for a long time except for technological advancements and surface changes… But at base, Batman is still the Batman of my own fan days, with some ups and downs. On the abstract end, drawing Batman for publication was one of my childhood dreams come true, and on the more concrete end, it’s the highlight of my career in many ways to this day, providing me with a good fan base for my art.”
In December 2014, Breyfogle suffered a stroke which hindered him from drawing professionally. It was likewise reported that Breyfogle's passing was kept secret at the request of his family. His death was first reported by the Wrap on September 26 when they noticed The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home put up a memorial page to honor the renowned comicbook artist, Norm Keith Breyfogle.
Paolo Ollero, 29, working law student, a comicbook enthusiast and a Batman historian, is one of the co-founder of The Dark Knight Philippines -- the premier Batman group in the country. He also contributes reviews and write-ups in Geekend Gladiator and Flipgeeks.
