Denny O'Neil: Crafting Grounded Heroes

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Denny O'Neil was a very good writer and a great editor. A man who was good at stripping away the more exotic elements of a character and finding a way to focus on their core personality. From acclaimed runs on Green Lantern/Green Arrow to Batman to Iron Man, he was a top writer in the 60s and 70s at DC and Marvel. He also edited Frank Miller's acclaimed run on Daredevil, invented the name Optimus Prime and oversaw the Knightfall epic where Bane broke Batman's back.
This episode takes a look at Denny's career including his rare missteps and tries to contextualize how his real life experience informed his writing style. He was a college graduate, a sailor in the US Navy, and a self-proclaimed hippy. And there's still a lot we can learn from him.

[@loganwendigo937]

The Batman franchise would not be nearly as popular as it is today without O’Neil’s work. R.I.P to a comic book legend

[@koufax3739]

Adventure time nice

[@TJDK]

Thankfully I was able to meet Denny and tell him thank you for his crafting of the Batman universe. Denny made my childhood outstanding and full of wonderful batman stories. As an adult I become exposed to even more of his work especially his early stuff and was equally impressed with Denny's development as a writer and his choices as a writer made things very interesting and kept me entertained. We lost a legend whose GL/GA run is beyond seminal and to this day is one of my all time favorite runs in all of comics.

[@caligulapontifex5759]

Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams saved Batman. Period! Without them there would be no Frank Miller Dark Knight and by extension no Christopher Nolan Dark Knight movies. RIP Sir!

[@jamesoblivion]

Especially given how important Ra's al Ghul and the League were to that trilogy. Plus all the elements of O'Neil's expanded origin that they included. There's honestly so much of Denny in those movies. It's a huge part of what makes them successful. Nolan wanted to do for Batman movies what O'Neil had done for Batman comics in the Bronze Age, and as such, there was no better place to look for inspiration.

[@HankHodges]

Excellently stated, "Caligula". Your connecting of the dots is apropos & can't be over stated. Peace.

[@slapittywapitty8173]

Heck! Denny O'Neil saved Frank Miller. Ever read Miller w/o O'Neil's editing? Like a schizoid cr4ck-h34d'5 fever-dream. Even as a KID, I read "Ronin" & was like, "Is Frank off-his-meds?"

[@Clay3613]

DC would not have cancelled their 2nd most famous creation.

[@jamesoblivion]

@@Clay3613 They came close, more than once. Would it have been permanent, had they done it? Probably not. Would Batman still have made appearances in other DC books, even if his own eponymous book was cancelled? Quite possibly. But if a book isn't selling, and you've tried various things to boost sales, but the numbers aren't going up, at a certain point, cancellation will inevitably be on the table. Luckily for Batman's title, each time there was a serious slump in public interest, they always managed to find a way to re-engage the readership eventually, and avoid pulling the trigger on cancellation. But it wasn't a short or easy process, and during that process, more than one editor did consider pulling the plug.

[@SalazarKnight]

I've said before and I'll say it again: Denny's work changed comics. His presence changed lives. Thank you, Chris for an excellent video that summarizes the great career of Denny O'Neil.

[@dcmarvelcomicfans9458]

Hey man good to see you I can't wait to see your other video. And I agree Dennis O'Neil will be missed

[@josesarango3408]

Always eager for more SalazarKnight content

[@bradenhogan2]

I always forget Denny passed and then when I see his name I remember and it’s like I’m hearing the news for the first time again 😢

[@stproducciones9140]

Yeah he changed comics for the worse. Now they're commie mouthpieces about blacks and other animals.

[@MoeMoon]

Dennys Grand Slamwich is a great contribution to breakfast

[@rojaws1183]

A man walk down the street in a hat like that you know he is not afraid of anything.

[@ProuvaireJean]

My days of not taking you seriously are certainly coming to a middle.

[@Gloomdrake]

Jean Prouvaire I’m glad you can quantify your life

[@thepepitochannel6987]

Vigilante wearing such hat knows no limit in every aspect of his life.

[@RevanMartinez]

That’s a Final Boss outfit if I’ve ever seen one

[@bimapringgo]

Is that a Firefly reference?

[@Thierrothierro]

"There is no hope in Crime Alley" was one of the first Batman stories I read and defined the character for me: Tragic, driven, yet very compassionate. Thank you for the wonderful stories, Denny O'Neil - and thank you, Chris, for this great look at his work!

[@nachogallagher3393]

One of my all time favorite issues of Detective!

[@omniframe8612]

It's also important to note that Denny O'Neils Batman run heavily influenced Batman the animated series. Several episodes are directly adapted from his run such as The Demons Quest and I think "A Bullet for Bullock. RIP Denny O'Neil

[@dajokahbaby1506]

I think The Demon’s Quest was also written by O’Neil himself

[@omniframe8612]

@@dajokahbaby1506 yep.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@dajokahbaby1506 He also wrote the origin of Ra's Al Ghul, Birth of The Demon, with Norm Breyfogle, one of my top three Denny O'Neill Batman stories.

[@paulpolpiboon9535]

Bull shit. That crap show definitely lifted his stories yes, but they were NOT influence by the Oniel comics

[@theredshadow1014]

@@paulpolpiboon9535 yes they were, here's a list of some of the episodes adapted from o'neil's stories 1) "The Demon's Quest Part I" from Batman #232 "The Daughter of the Demon" 2) "The Demon's Quest Part II" from Batman #233 "The Demon Lives Again" 3) "The Laughing Fish" from Batman #251 "Joker's Five Way Revenge" 4) "Off Balance" from Detective Comics #411 "Into the Den of the Death-Dealers

[@OwenLikesComics]

Fantastic video, Chris. Your love and respect for Denny O'Neil really shines through and I found your perspective as someone that grew up reading a lot of his best works to be fascinating.

[@dcmarvelcomicfans9458]

Agreed

[@cort0_maltes876]

O'Neil is said to have told the behind-the-counter guy who accused him of a myth-killer: "Only birth can conquer death-the birth, not of the old thing again, but of something new. Within the soul, within the body social, there must be-if we are to experience long survival-a continuous "recurrence of birth" (palingenesia) to nullify the unremitting recurrences of death. For it is by means of our own victories, if we are not regenerated, that the work of Nemesis is wrought: doom breaks from the shell of our very virtue. Peace then is a snare; war is a snare; change is a snare; permanence a snare. When our day is come for the victory of death, death closes in; there is nothing we can do, except be crucified-and resurrected; dismembered totally, and then reborn." Then he vanished, leaving the guy in mid-sentence like in the Nolan movies.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

I can just hear him say all that in that professorial tone that made him such a compelling storyteller to listen to.

[@MattDraper]

Fantastic video! Loved the way you mixed the retrospective with your own experiences.

[@j-money2295]

Oh shit it’s actually you

[@pixelperfect9867]

Denny's version of Batman is batman to me. To some people it's frank miller. There both so different but still valid in different ways.

[@MariaVosa]

Me too. I did like Miller's early work, but the O'Neill/Adams Batman always felt like the "true" Batman.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

O'Neill more than Miller. Frank had one good decade and two four-issue stories. Denny was light years ahead of him on Bats.

[@mandodelorian4668]

@@MariaVosa This, I can't agree more. The O'Neill/Adams combo to me was The Iconic Batman for a long time, and IMO is still The Best.

[@mokin9656]

I do believe that the Miller version of Batman would not have happened without O'Neil opening the way. This guy had the same effect on me as it did on our friend Chris. No way I'd be the "Comics Fountain of Knowledge" they think I am without mr O'Neil's influence. *sigh*

[@dawolf856]

Goes without saying, O'Neil/Adams Batman... then, O'Neil/Aparo. No knock on Miller. It's just ... well, it just is.

[@Olympics2048]

So ingrained in the Batman mythos. You can really see his influence on BTAS

[@uncannydcmarvelous5732]

He even wrote the episode based on his comic where Ra's Al Ghul debuted.

[@finnj.harrison6139]

This might be my second favorite “Oh Hi!” (First still being the martial arts battle from the TMNT episode)

[@mcurran6505]

RIP Denny O'Neil, the man who brought Batman back into the darkness.

[@MutantsInDisguise]

I will always be grateful to Denny O'Neil for making Batman one of the greatest fictional heroes ever. His Batman wasn't a moralless and violent looney like Miller's, but a gothic detective with morals and compassion. Along with his contributions to the Darknight Detective, he was also one of the best Green Lantern writers ever, and his work on Spider-Man, Iron Man, and The Question are incredible. Instead of mourning his death, I have been, and will be, reading his work. Comics would certainly be nothing without him. Thank you, maestro.

[@moyza_]

I felt his passage as a real loss for me. The Question was one of the first DC comics I ever read, at age 8, starting in #2 without any clue about him and was amazed. 30 years later a friend gave me the "Kung Fu Master" pocket book by "Jim Dennis" and then I saw "Richard Dragon" in the cover and I was like "wait a minute". I was hoping to get his autograph in that someday, but now it will remain blank forever. Requiescat in pace, mr. O'Neil. I miss you.

[@wolfshade5020]

He died as he lived: A Legend. Rest in Power Denny O’Neil

[@sergioruiz733]

His run of the Question was phenomenal and his Green Arrow/Green Lantern was great. I honestly really miss him already.

[@DarthEd77]

Denny O’Neil is one of my favorite writers *and* editors. I always felt his run on The Question was his magnum opus. Thanks for the “folklore,” Denny. RIP.

[@ghstgvts]

Absolutely!

[@jamessimms3449]

Guys like Denny are never really gone. Not as long as we remember what they gave us, and what we are because of them.

[@theswan1852]

One of the things you mentioned was O'Neil's expressions of compassion. He wrote the No Man's Land novelisation that I read maybe 20 years ago. I'll be misquoting this as mostly how I remember it, how I have carried it through my life. There is a line that someone tells someone about how we measure our humanity by our compassion. That the whole point of life was to try to retain your compassion through all life's challenges to it. I conduct my life according to this philosophy. Good video. Great tribute.

[@AB-pg1mi]

Greg Rucka wrote the no mans land novelization . O’Neil did write the knight fall novel though

[@MarkLipka]

Fantastic quote! I'd love to find "chapter and verse" if someone can track it down.

[@plasticweapon]

he sure liked to talk about compassion. i saw no evidence of it in his philosophy.

[@theswan1852]

@@AB-pg1mi oh, my goodness.

[@treyurbach2550]

O’Neil’s Iron Man run is in my opinion some of his best work, and is definitely in my top 5 best Iron Man runs.

[@uncannydcmarvelous5732]

Armor Wars was part of his run?

[@OomaGooma]

uncanny dcmarvelous - Armor wars was by David Michelinie and Bob Layton. They came back on Iron Man after Denny O’Neil. And I also want to say that Denny’s Iron Man was really good. I read those issues again after learning of his passing.

[@Yours2Keep138]

I had no idea that Denny O'Neil passed away until you mentioned it in this video! I always enjoyed his work with Batman. Great job honoring his legacy! Though I wouldn't expect any less from one of your videos! 😁

[@kj6446]

Denny's name should be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

[@johnathonhaney8291]

That he never got that kind of justly deserved credit, which I've been arguing for the last three years on his behalf, is a tragedy to me.

[@alecazadi-hocking8381]

I remember hearing that story about Denny O’Neil going into the deli after “Death in the Family” in an interview with him featured in a History Channel Documentary called “Comic Book Heroes Unmasked” back in 2003. I was about 8 at the time but even then I thought he was one of the coolest people ever. Soon after that I remember getting a Batman compendium of different stories with “Joker’s Five-Way Revenge” featured in it. It’s still one of my favorite stories. I’ve been drawing and writing religiously ever since. RIP Denny O’Neil, you’re an inspiration and a legend.

[@residentgrigo4701]

He wrote for DC in 2011 for retro canon specials, was on many panels and DVD extras and has a story in Joker´s and Green Lantern´s 80th-anniversary issues that just came out. The last 2 stories were written when he was 80!

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Gives me hope as a writer myself. That kind of output makes me think of Will Eisner, who kept working well into his own old age.

[@scinnyc]

Denny O'Neil created one of my all time favorite heroes as a kid: Azrael aka Jean Paul Valley. I found him to be a far more intriguing Batman than Bruce Wayne during Knightfall. Truly timeless storytelling. Denny was an innovator for the Batman mythos.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

And then there's Bane, probably the biggest embodiment of the addict's struggles with both self and the things they crave. Denny, by his own admission, knew that all too well and a lot of that knowledge went into Bane.

[@josesarango3408]

But wasn't Bane created by Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan??

[@josesarango3408]

I love Sword of Azrael, very underrated

[@scinnyc]

@@josesarango3408 Azrael was a very under rated character...period. Wish they'd make a film about him so people could see just how great he was. I mean, you'd think that a man who could beat Batman in a fight would have way more clout among the comic book community

[@CinemaSeven]

I met Denny at Indianacon a few years ago. I was a big fan of his Question run and asked him about it. He lit up and we spoke for so long about it, the references, and the books and inspirations at the end of every issue. I miss him.

[@ajayfiction5262]

I’m not even 20 and Denny has impacted my life with his work on Green Lantern and Batman to an incredible extent. I remember reading those during my parents divorce and just being incredibly sucked into them when I was in 5th grade. His work is incredible.

[@bigneon_glitter]

Denny O'Neil's early 70s work can arguably be identified as the point when comics grew up & became a mature, literate medium. I remember reading O'Neil's complex, grounded crime thriller Batman comics around age 5-7 & they were well-worn Bibles, informing my understanding of the adult world more deeply than school did. Denny never played down to young readers - he brought them to his level. Denny O'Neil is one of those underheralded creators who's influence permeates & defines our culture in ubiquitous, unseen terms. The fact that he named "Optimus Prime" alone is eulogy enough for any man.

[@traviswrigg5158]

"Stan Lee couldn't write them all" I feel like Stan Lee had to be told this several times before accepting it

[@Idunnoyouguessit]

Big difference between "could" and "should"

[@Bale4Bond]

Stan Lee's characters were also mostly one dimensional, missunderstood / failed businessman / scientist, stereotypes. His catalogue really isn't vast.

[@stevenlennon12]

@@Bale4Bond yet they were world changing and very different then the compitition

[@MariaVosa]

Growing up in the 70s and 80s, reading and loving so many of these stories you now mentioned, I never really took note of the writer. Because I was a dumb kid. I mostly focused on the artist. Thank you for putting them into context and highlighting O'Neil's invaluable contributions.

[@redjohniii8665]

It's always nice looking back and realizing that someone was there along with you, never meeting them, but always there to help you, maybe even shape you. Makes me think of all the comic book creators who influenced me. Really enjoyed this video

[@WhyTheHorseface]

I didn’t realize just how many of my favorite comics he was responsible for. From the 70’s Batman to the Demon in a Bottle-era Iron Man, to Daredevil, and one of my absolute favorites from my peak collector teenage years, The Question. And now to learn he was responsible for helping to craft GI Joe and Transformers too? Wow. RIP Denny. Thanks for making this episode.

[@stevengabbard930]

Denny O'Neil's Batman was the Batman I grew up with. That Batman was more empathetic and socially conscious than his later counterparts. Saying that those comic books made me a more aware and conscientious person is perhaps giving too much credit. But I have to say that they did kind of nudge me in the right direction. That issue you showed, "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" has to be my all time favorite Batman story. It was an intense story with great art by Neal Adams. It's been over 45 years and I still have a copy of it. My other favorite story is the one in The Question where Vic Sage reads The Watchmen and has a dream of Rorschach. O'Neil uses it to make some very pointed criticism of macho loner heroes who use their fists for justice. Apparently, Denny O'Neil was not a fan of those kind of heroes. Great stuff.

[@hughiegibson1716]

The newspaper he worked for is a local paper near my hometown, About 45 minutes away. This is cool bit of history I didn’t know. Thanks

[@anthonypacino716]

I wouldn't be the man I am today if not for the lessons and stories I learned from Denny's writings and influences.

[@nelsonc6173]

Great tribute to Denny! My uncle collected the Batman and Green Lantern series in the early seventies as a teenager! He gave them to me as a kid when I was old enough to read and gobbled them up! My love of comics came from reading O'neil and Neal Adams! Great creators that wrote true relatable stories with fascinating villains and characters! RIP O'Neil you will be missed but your work will always be treasured!

[@asunachan9999]

What an ICON. A man who also crafted MY childhood ... & one who i didn't know that did. He will be missed. Thankyou for this informative video, Senpai. 🙏💕🇵🇭

[@comicsonthemynd83]

R.I.P. Denny O'neil 😢. Great episode! Didn't realize he inspire so many series including my favorite run of Iron Man. Love your work dude. You inspire me and so many people in the comic book community. Keep it up! 🔥👊🔥

[@leofelco9343]

Chris, thank you for this episode. You have had some very enjoyable tales to tell when it comes to the history of the comics medium. ( I particularly enjoyed your videos on Vince Colletta and Steve Ditko. They were highpoints.) But because you put so much effort into the background of the creators, stories, artists etc. it has become, for a very interesting and introspective walk down memory lane. I had no idea that Denny O'Neil had his hand in so many of my favorite runs with these iconic figures. His moments with Neal Adams and Dick Giordano and the groundbreaking recreation of Daredevil with the immortal Frank Miller are of particular importance to me as they were periods that resonated with me during some of the most developmental periods of my life. It is enlightening to find out that Denny's work had such an influence on me. RIP Dennis O'Neil! He will clearly be missed!

[@imdoneplus]

When I think of “comic Batman” I think of Denny O’Neil. His GL/GA run is extremely important to me. I’ve always held him in high regard but your profile has made me realize just how important he is and how he affected my life. Thank you!

[@oracleuser-bh1sp]

I love Denny O'Neil's Style , Cool , Unique , Character .

[@leavonfletcher4197]

I loved his work on both Batman and The Question.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

The Question series is, to me, peak O'Neill. I once got a near straight run of that from #2 to (I think) 37. Read nearly all of it in one go. There were a few endings with some genuine horror and pathos in there. The ending of #24 chilled me to the bone.

[@MarvelMan4]

When you mentioned Denny O'Neil's recent story in the Green Lantern 80th Anniversary comic, I actually reread it. It is similar to his GL/GA stuff he wrote, only it talks about violence and how they are "punching harder." So, using the idea from Henry Thoreau's book "Walden," GL left Earth for 2 months and 2 days for some solitude from everything to clear his mind (even quoting the book to give it more weight). GA is inspired to do the same, only in Superman's Fortress of Solitude. My only complaint of the story is that it was too short, which is understandable due to the number of stories they got in that comic. Everything else was really good for how simple it was (even Mike Grell's sketchy Giordano-esque style artwork was decent). In my opinion, it was the best story in that GL Anniverary comic because it is so simple and relatable. RIP Denny. You will be missed, but not forgotten.

[@BigBennKlingon]

O'Neil made one of the first mainstream deconstructionist stories with that Green Lantern 76

[@caligulapontifex5759]

Also his run on the Question is super underrated.

[@kristinaneuner7058]

Awww, that's too bad, I didn't realize Denny had passed. I've watched many of his interviews about writing comics and was just watching him speak on the lasting power of Batman on the animated film Batman: Year One special features last night! Rest in peace Mr. O'Neil, and thank you for your contributions to comics.

[@scottbarrie1279]

Denny O'Neil is my favourite Batman writer. Can't wait to watch this.

[@everetth-top4760]

Dang! I didn't know how important his work really was. He deserves a seat at the round table of comic book gods.

[@EpicBeard815]

His story "The Man Who Falls" is, for my money, the greatest Batman story ever told. And his run on The Question is underrated brilliance

[@ghstgvts]

His run on The Question solidified him as my favorite writer.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Not enough folks talk about the Question series. It held a mirror up to issues that still stings in its insights.

[@cha5]

I really wish DC would put out a The Question Omnibus, I don’t know how well it would sell or what the demand would be for it, I just know that I would buy it.

[@christianbjorck816]

I prefer the original Question by Steve Ditko. O’Neil didn’t really like the character so changed him too much me thinks. Didn’t he even kill off Vic Sage?

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@christianbjorck816 No, no, just changed Sage's perspective via a head injury. Not a fan of Ditko's outlook on life and the Question was basically The Fountainhead with superheroes (you'll notice how Ditko's drawing of Vic Sage is based on the physical description of Howard Roarke). O'Neill admitted that he and Ditko were light years apart politically despite the former's respect for the latter, thus the change...for the better, IMO.

[@jrobson100]

Denny O'Neil's run on Batman was my first introduction to the character and made me a fan. RIP.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

10:42 YES, THANK YOU! I have been arguing for O'Neill to get more credit on the grounded, gritty Batman for at least the last three years. In retrospect, I really think Miller gobbled up too much of that credit.

[@repussified]

One scene in the GL/GA run that sticks out to me was GA using a sleeping gas arrow on GL because he didn't want GA and some environmentalist guy to destroy Carol Ferris's gas-guzzling aircraft. The environmentalist guy basically calls GA a hypocrite for using gas on his fellow man. I wonder if that was the first instance in comics of a character being called out like that.

[@1locust1]

I was fortunate enough to experience that glorious era when Denny and Neal teamed up and blew my mind. Even as a scrawny teenager I recognized that I was experiencing something special. I also preferred having Batman working solo and haunting the moonlit rooftops and shadowy alleys of Gotham instead of chasing cosmic villains. Leave that to Supes and GL. A writer can continue living through his or her words.

[@peybak]

Batman #232 was the first Batman comic I read (in Persian, nevertheless) and I always love that panel at 11:31 where Batman is wearing a snow coat over his Bat-suit! That one issue had so much going on...

[@thomaswelbourn55]

Thanks for the video, O'Neil is one of my favourite writers in comics. I like the fact you mentioned how he made characters grounded and relatable, when I think relatable I don't see myself in them, I see a character I can empathize with, understand, and sometimes look up to, making a character feel real is true artistic talent and O'Neil could accomplish that.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

You'll notice that's especially true when Denny's characters screw up, which is a frequent occurrence in his stories.

[@CosmoShidan]

That's interesting how Dorthy Day had influenced comics in the same way she influenced the hipster generation of the 1950s and 1960s. I only recently started reading her work. Kudos to Denny O'Neill to immortalizing her!

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Well, do recall how this generation revered Humphrey Bogart as the old-time movie star they could trust and rediscovered now-beloved classics like Wizard of Oz and It's A Wonderful Life. That fits the same pattern.

[@adamfrasher892]

I love episodes like this because I learned so much that I never knew. I was not aware of how much of an impact Denny O’Neil had on comics. Great work, Chris!

[@johnathonhaney8291]

When you think on it, 75% of the recently wrapped Arrow series came from Denny, including the Batman-related stuff.

[@elliottmaldonado8301]

A wonderful tribute to a real legend, Denny O'Neil!!!

[@christophersandidge8257]

R.I.P. Denny O'Neil. I will always remember his work on Batman. I love his novelization of the Knightfall arc.

[@SeekerLancer]

Iron Man was my favorite character growing up and O'Neil's run on Iron Man is one of my favorites, period. It's often been overshadowed and it's largely overlooked by modern readers and I don't understand why. Even with Stane being used as the movie's villain I still run into people who never knew the 80's already had a black Iron Man. As much as I love the second Michelinie & Layton run that came after, it always pissed me off how quickly they went out of their way to retcon away a lot of the changes O'Neil brought to the book in order to preserve their unflappably macho version of Stark. He did a much better, more impactful take on alcoholism than Demon in a Bottle and he wrote the most complex and broken Tony Stark we had ever seen up to that point and arguably even by today's standards. O'Neil is a legend and he deserves to be spoken in the same breath as the rest of the art form's greats.

[@davekijek2302]

RIP Denny. Your work is a foundation of classic characters.

[@melvinramone2605]

Great episode! O'Neil and Cowan's run on The Question is one of my all time favorites ever. I had not heard of his passing. Thank you for fantastic rundown on the work of a true legend.

[@FragItAll]

Like you, Denny was editor on my first "collected" issue. Dd 187 was the comic that got me actually collecting. Good work Denny, your Question was pure delight to read.

[@walkwithcrowdsjh9364]

His run on the Question is one of my all time favourite comics runs. Not only the comic, itself, was thought provoking and entertaining, his interaction with the fans on the letters page was a vital (for me) part of the comic. His 'Recommended Reading' selection, each issue, introduced me to some of my favourite books. He is respected and he will be missed.

[@billlucas4675]

The Green Lantern/Green Arrow story drawn by Mike Grell appears in the Green Lantern 80th Anniversary special on stands and available digitally now

[@superheroedits1315]

O’Neil’s run on The Question is the best series DC has ever put out.

[@Taqi616]

Yes, yes..... YES! One of my favs, this guy is on the MT Rushmore of comic creators. Thanks Chris!

[@galactic85]

Denny's run on "the Question" is one of my all time favorite comics. I holds up surprisingly well considering it started in the late 80's. It's hopeful, tragic, and filled to the brim with complex characters and philosophical issues. Hopefully DC will reprint it sometime soon.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

And gods, some of those endings could rip you up. The lady at the bus stop, the unveiled face of the kid, the twist ending in #24 I didn't see coming but I really, really should have...those still haunt me.

[@MarkLipka]

Your description makes me wanna read it.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@MarkLipka DO IT. You can thank us later.

[@galactic85]

@@MarkLipka an omnibus is being listed for release sometime next year. It's well worth your money.

[@galactic85]

@@johnathonhaney8291 dude what about the issue where the question is buried alive up to his neck by the psycho ex army soldiers? I already own the whole series in trade but I found it as a single issue and bought it.

[@morganhanam9522]

That Leslie Thompkins story affected me deeply as a child. thanks for this memorial episode.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

20:22 Kind of underselling O'Neill's contributions to Bane here. He introduced the place of Bane's birth Corto Maltese (AKA "the dope capital of the Western hemisphere") in the leadoff Legends of The Dark Knight storyline Shaman, the drug Venom in a LOTDK story of the same name and Bane himself in a standalone comic. To me, Bane was always the most pure expression of the addict's struggle and O'Neill had a lot to do with that.

[@josesarango3408]

O'Neill created the Venom background but Bane was created by Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan

[@johnathonhaney8291]

@@josesarango3408 I was referring to Bane II: The Redemption for the one Denny wrote.

[@iankopeski2831]

Bane was born in Santa Prisca, not Corto Maltese

[@Asshatpodcast]

O'Neil's The Question comic is one of the best comics to come out in the 80s. O'Neil took a hero that was forgotten/unknown and managed to produce a comic that feels real. I mean by that the series felt like something that could happen in our world. I love that run so much I not only have each issue,thankfully they were easy to find in the cheap bins,but I also have all the TPBs. And if DC ever puts the series out in hardcovers or Omnibus I will buy those. Thank you so much for creating some really well made,researched and entertaining videos sir.

[@koufax3739]

Wow I remember there's no hope in crime ally story adapted in Batman the animated series. Leslie Thompkins works so well in Batman's canon.

[@dawolf856]

Ras Al Ghul... Bronze Tiger... Leslie Thompkins... updating Joker and Two Face. His runs with Adams and Cowan... etc. etc. etc....this man's contribution to comics cannot be overstated.

[@Steveglenside1723]

A wonderful and fitting tribute, Chris. I was unaware of Denny O'Neil's passing. I was fortunate to start reading comics during his collaboration with Neal Adams. It's true. He is responsible for the Batman we see today. His work on Green Lantern and Green Arrow was truly groundbreaking. Oliver Queen and Dinah Lance were a believable couple. I also remember the speech Green Arrow gave to Green Lantern before their road trip across America. He spoke of the murders of Dr. King and Robert Kennedy, and the other problems facing this country in the late Sixties and early Seventies. As you said this was "grounding." His legacy definitely lives on.

[@atomichound1868]

Chris, thanks so much for this video. I never got to meet Denny, but like you, I feel like I have lost one of the biggest influences on my life - not my comic life - my whole existence. I was an 8-year old kid and remember reading Batman 232 - yes, the first appearance of Ra's, and a comic I still proudly own - during recovery from surgery. It led me to become fascinated with heroes, in the real world as well as fictional ones. It also started a life long hobby that I enjoy to this day. His contributions to the medium as a creator, editor, and teacher cannot be overstated. Definitely on the Mount Rushmore of comic book creators.

[@dezzdinn]

I agree with you that it feels like 81 isn’t that old. I’m around your age those so yeah. He wrote in a caring way about social issues.

[@MrHantz101]

Denny was the one who gave Optimus Prime his name! I never knew that

[@johnathonhaney8291]

But it's such a Denny O'Neill touch that it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

[@33apeiro]

This is one of the best episodes you have done yet, Chris. I never realized how much of O'neil's work had inspired me as a youth to an adult. What an inspirational and key figure of the comics industry!

[@alexcampbell8135]

Sad also to hear of the passing of the great Joe Sinnott last month. Joe was 93 and as well as being one of the most brilliant artists, is renowned as the nicest guy in comics.

[@keithpl5438]

Just watched this. Wonderful vid, and it gave me even MORE appreciation for Denny's work. What you describe as his editing style is actually what ALL comics editors (and all editors in publishing [book, magazine, etc.]) USED TO do. It seems to be a rarity in the comics field today, but that's still NOT the norm in publishing. Working with writers, giving feedback, being a sounding board, that's all just THE MOST basic job description of an editor. Thanks for another fun vid.

[@MrFaceNumeroUno]

Total coincidence I'm reading Batman as illustrated by Neil Adams vol 2 right now and it's a lot of Denny's work. R.I.P. Denny.

[@chico20m]

In these times of overpowered and perfect characters, we really need writers like him.

[@kevinthomas4239]

Dang, had no idea he had passed. Loved Denny's writing. I own GL 76 and it is one of my prize issues.

[@mandodelorian4668]

"Why is a Cheeseburger wearing a Taco?" Sorry Chris, we don't taco-bout it!

[@onimarudude]

The Knightfall novelisation was the first time I noticed O'Neil's name on something and from that point on seeing his name on almost every other comic I would read was just amazing.

[@MarioUcomics]

People often say that Frank Miller made Batman the grounded street level hero he is today but Denny Was doing that before Frank, making him less campy and making the Joker the psychopath again which was not for years

[@SuperAsdke]

Haven't watched the video, yet, but my favorite Denny O'Neil series in The Question. RIP Good man

[@KAM1138a]

Denny O'Neil was a true legend.

[@oliverortiz8507]

Wow, Denny O'Neil has bern a strong presence in my comic book reading from the begining. Gob bless him.

[@benderbendingrodriguez420]

The things Chris does for a 5 second intro😂 this is why I love the channel

[@creativerealms]

When ever I see people complain about how "political" or "liberal" todays comics are Denny O'neil's work is always my go to examples about how it's not recent. I love bringing up his Green Lantern/green arrow run.

[@TheBigGSN5]

Liberalism is a center right position. Sorry, but you shouldn't use liberal as a synonym for progressive, it isn't.

[@creativerealms]

@@TheBigGSN5 Depends on you you ask. In America the words are synonymous.

[@nathanbruce1992]

@bigevilworldwide1 modern liberalism is the evolution of classical liberalism (basically libertarianism). The change is trying to better guarantee the equality of opportunity principal passed by the classic variant which in the free market leads to vast inequalities. It struggles because at its core it stemmed from that notion of deregulation and a hands off government I'm not sure how to define progressives though because it's kind of an ambiguous term and can mean a lot of groups depending on how ones defines it

[@MarkLipka]

Hmmm. Interesting.

[@Darek_B52]

@bigevilworldwide1 Notice how everyone was having a respectful back and forth over dialogue and then you came in. You come off like any other moron on the left. Also if we must talk fake news you should take a look at any left-leaning news sites namely CNN. Feel free to keep ranting but know it just makes you look dumb.

[@williamjackson6705]

Great overview on Denny`s contributions to the artform. Joe Sinnott passed away recently hopefully you can do something similar for him.

[@OomaGooma]

William Jackson - I didn’t know Joe Sinnott passed away. He was always my favorite inker of Kirby’s work.

[@MaximumWarp2099]

I became aware of Denny over the years of my comic book fandom. How could one not growing up in the 80s and 90s. But I honestly had no idea Denny O’Neil had anything to do with GI Joe until you mentioned it. Ironically, it was GI Joe #22 that started me collecting comics. A buddy of mine had been collecting the series and got me started. Been a comic fan ever since.

[@AriefLeuvenardi]

Wow. I didn’t know Denny O’Neil came-up with the name “Optimus Prime”. Great Episode.

[@ondreibazant-fabre2164]

Great work as always man, LOL'ed with your intro pun :-D I was fortunate to briefly meet O'Neil in person back in 1997 in a comic book convention in Mexico City. He was signing his then freshly released 'Azrael/Ash' crossover, I hope it's still in that box I stored at my brothers' basement... I didn't quite grasp his contribution to the Batman mythos back then, but he will remain as one of the most influential Batman writers of the modern era.

[@peterburman5193]

RIP to a legend!

[@ArticulatedDoom]

LMAO!! "We're talking about Denny O'Neil? Damn it!!"

[@ArticulatedDoom]

It's good to see you, Chris. Be safe out in the crazy world. Hope you and your family are all well and taking care of your mental and physical health.

[@Rometiklan]

I grew up reading a lot of Denny's works. Thanks for all the great reads, Denny. RIP.

[@iandxx]

thank you, sir chris, for this wonderful tribute to mr denny - like yourself, i grew up reading the man's work - the stories made a big impression on me at the time and still resonate all these years later.