Dave Simon

Dave Simons (December 20, 1954 – June 9, 2009) was an American comic‑book artist whose versatile talents spanned pencilling, inking, coloring, editing, and storyboarding, leaving an indelible mark on both Marvel and DC universes. From an early age he declared a desire to draw every day, a habit that helped him survive a stint in the Coast Guard before formal training under Marvel legend John Buscema and friendships with Ken Landgraf and Armando Gil opened professional doors. His first published work was a series of commercial illustrations, but the breakthrough came in the late 1970s when he impressed Marvel editor Rick Marschall at a convention and inked the inaugural issue of Howard the Duck magazine, soon followed by a fill‑in Falcon story that marked his debut in mainstream comics.

At Marvel, Simons quickly became a sought‑after inker, mastering the complex pencils of Gene Colan, Keith Pollard, Frank Miller, John Buscema, and many others, while also contributing pencilling and cover art to titles such as The Spectacular Spider‑Man, Red Sonja, King Conan, and Ghost Rider. His work on Ghost Rider is especially celebrated; he inked veteran Don Perlin before teaming with writer Bob Budiansky to create a run praised for its ability to render leather textures with uncanny realism, a skill that earned him a reputation as the “unsung hero” of the series.

In the 1990s Simons transitioned to DC Comics, where he illustrated Deathstroke, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, and Forgotten Realms, and later expanded into animation, supplying storyboards for Captain Planet, Exo‑Squad, Masters of the Universe, and the quirky Courage the Cowardly Dog, a project that uniquely bridged his comic and TV work. His contributions to TSR’s Dungeons & Dragons line, including Greyhawk Ruins and The Monstrous Manual, further demonstrated his adaptability across media.

Beyond drawing, Simons co‑created the Beastball Saga with Sebastian Mondrone and was developing the character Donna Thyme with Daniel Best when his life was cut short by cancer in 2009. He served on the Inkwell Awards committee from 2008 until his death, and was posthumously honored with the 2023 SASRA award and a scholarship in his name, cementing his legacy as a multifaceted artist whose work continues to inspire.