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Dave Simons
Dave Simons
Dave Simons
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Dave Simons (December 20, 1954[1] – June 9, 2009)[2] was an American comic book artist known for his work on Conan, Ghost Rider, Red Sonja, and Spider-Man for Marvel Comics[3] and Forgotten Realms for DC Comics.[4] He is also known for commercial storyboard and games artwork work on The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs and Greyhawk Ruins.

Key Information

Early life

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Dave Simons stated that he had always wanted to be a comic book artist. "I always wanted to do comics since I was about eight years old ... so I started making a point of drawing something every day. I figured if I just kept doing that, then eventually I'd get better at it."[5]

After a stint in the U.S. Coast Guard, and a chance series of meetings with Frank Robbins, Simons elected to undertake formal training to be an artist. As part of his education Simons attended the art workshops run by Marvel Comics artist John Buscema. It was while attending these classes that he became friends with future comic book artists Ken Landgraf and Armando Gil.

It was through Landgraf that Simons produced his first published work, which consisted of mainly commercial illustrations and the occasional soft-core pornographic comic book.

Career

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Marvel Comics

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Approaching then-Marvel editor Rick Marschall at a convention in the late 1970s, Simons was able to get his samples seen and assessed. At the time Marschall was overseeing the Curtis Magazines line for Marvel, and Simons was duly assigned the duty of inking the first issue of the Howard the Duck magazine.[6] After submitting the story Simons was assigned a fill-in Falcon story, which he inked with the assistance of Armando Gil over Sal Buscema's pencils. This marked his first professional work for Marvel and in mainstream comic books.

Simons was then assigned both pencilling and inking jobs for Marvel.[3] One of the artists whose pencils he inked was Gene Colan. "Gene Colan was always my favorite penciler to work on ... [T]hat was like a match made in heaven because a lot of people didn't understand Gene's shading. I thought, 'this is great, this is a great jumping on point if you're gonna do black and white stuff".[5] Simons' attention to detail came into high demand in the 1980s and his inking credits include artists such as Keith Pollard, Ron Wilson, Frank Miller, John Buscema, Marc Silvestri, Greg LaRocque, John Romita Jr and Ed Hannigan. Titles that featured his inking include Thor, The Thing, Marvel Premiere, Night Thrasher, Iron Man, King Conan, Doctor Strange, Star Wars, Star Trek, ThunderCats and others.

Simons's tenure at Marvel was not limited to inking.[3] He proved himself to be a very capable penciler and his pencils and ink combination were featured in titles such as The Spectacular Spider-Man, Team America, What If, Marvel Comics Presents, Bizarre Adventures, Red Sonja, Web of Spider-Man, and King Conan.[3] He also provided cover art to titles such as Power Man and Iron Fist, Ghost Rider, Darkhold, Machine Man, Kull the Conqueror, Marvel Team-Up, Marvel Two-in-One, Crystar, Moon Knight and many others, along with pin-ups for the black and white magazine Savage Sword of Conan.[7] "Pencilling, if you're doing it right ... is a much tougher gig than inking. Even though I usually liked to know what was going on, with inking you don't necessarily have to be involved with the story. With pencilling you have to be intimately involved with the story because you're the one who's bringing the writers work and intentions across to the readers, as to what he's trying to communicate there. You have to think of the drama, the camera angles, and the composition, make sure you leave room for the word balloons, all those sorts of things".[5]

Ghost Rider

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Simons' best known Marvel work was his run on the second series of Ghost Rider. His run on the title saw him first inking veteran artist Don Perlin before joining with Bob Budiansky to create one of the best remembered runs of the characters history. Budiansky and Simons worked with writers Roger Stern and J.M. DeMatteis. "The only speed bump we hit in this whole thing was when Simons, who of that team is the unsung hero, left", Budiansky recalled. "He used to come to the office dressed in leather. I mean, this was not an act, he'd come dressed in one of these black leather, zipper jackets. I don't know if he also wore leather pants. He might have worn them. But anyway, the point is, he knew how to ink leather, which was really important for Ghost Rider. So when he left the book we never really were able to replace that look that he gave the book. The rest of the team was all somewhat saddened by his departure."[8]

DC Comics

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In the 1990s, Simons left Marvel and crossed companies to DC Comics.[3] At DC, he worked on Deathstroke The Terminator, Spelljammer, Dragonlance, and Forgotten Realms. "I liked the combination of me and Rags Morales ... [H]e has that Frazetta thing going on and I was hip to that and tried to bring that out a lot."[5] Simons worked on a number of cartoon-based books during his time at DC and his work is featured in titles such as Cartoon Network Block Party. During this time he also illustrated Roger Rabbit[9] at Disney Comics.

Dungeons & Dragons

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Simons also worked for TSR on books such as Otherlands (1990), Greyhawk Ruins (1990), Tales of the Lance (1992), DMR2: Creature Catalog (1993), Monstrous Manual (1993), The Knight of Newts (1993), and The Created (1993).

Animation career

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In the late 1990s, Simons left the comic book industry and moved into animation.[10] As an artist he provided storyboards to such shows as Captain Planet, Exo-Squad,He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Zula Patrol, Psi-Kix and Maya and Miguel. "The list of shows I've worked on is certainly longer than the list of comic books that I've worked on at this point", Simons once commented [5] Simons also storyboarded for the show Spy Dogs, which was directed by Will Meugniot and later, Mike Joens. Simons worked again with Gil on this show, hiring him as a storyboard artist. Simons has the distinction of working on both an animated TV program and the comic book spin-off at the same time, this was when he worked on the animated show Courage the Cowardly Dog, which he subsequently drew the DC Comics comic book of the same name.

Post-animation

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Simons also created characters. He developed Beastball Saga, with Sebastian Mondrone.[4] He was also developing a new character, Donna Thyme, with writer Daniel Best. Simons' last comic book work was on the book Army of Darkness,[11] along with contributing art to various trading card sets issued by Rittenhouse.[12] He contributed art for Dynamic Forces and Red Sonja,[13] variant cover series and the 100 Hulks project.[14]

In December 2008 Simons accepted a seat on the committee for the Inkwell Awards,[15] and remained a member until his death. He posthumously holds the title of Inkwell Awards Committee Member Emeritus Ad Infinitum.[16] The Inkwell Awards created an annual scholarship,[17][18] for the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in his name. In 2023, he was posthumously awarded the Inkwell Awards SASRA (Stacey Aragon Special Recognition Award).[19][20][21]

Death

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Dave Simons died on June 9, 2009, at the age of 54, following a long battle with cancer.[2]

References

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Dave Simons

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Dave Simons is an American comic book artist and animator known for his distinctive inking techniques and contributions to Marvel titles such as Ghost Rider, Howard the Duck, Tomb of Dracula, and Conan the Barbarian, as well as his later storyboard work on animated series. Born David Lloyd Simons on December 20, 1954, in New York City, he developed an early passion for comics, trained under John Buscema, and entered the industry in 1979 with his first published work at Marvel. He passed away on June 9, 2009, at the age of 54 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Simons first gained recognition for his inking over Gene Colan's pencils on Marvel series including Howard the Duck and Tomb of Dracula, and he later took on penciling roles on titles like Ghost Rider, Spider-Man, Conan the Barbarian, and Red Sonja. His work extended to DC Comics in the 1990s with contributions to Deathstroke, Forgotten Realms, and other series, and he also illustrated Disney-related comics such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit? stories. In the 1990s and 2000s, Simons transitioned primarily to animation, serving as a storyboard artist and art department contributor on shows including Captain Planet, Exosquad, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He was respected in both comics and animation for his technical skill and collaborative spirit.

Early life

Youth and early artistic interests

Dave Simons was born on December 20, 1954, in New York City. As a native New Yorker, he developed an early passion for comic books during his childhood. He spent summers in Seelyville, Pennsylvania, with his grandparents, where in his mid-teens he formed a close friendship with Mark Ammerman. The two teenagers collaborated on drawing comics, swam in the river, rode horses, and dreamed of becoming professional comic book artists. Simons' early artistic output included the creation of Night Rider, a motorcycle-themed comic strip that appeared in his high school newspaper and marked his first printed comic work. He also contributed to amateur fanzines, providing artwork for Comic Courier and collaborating with Ammerman on the cover for The Wonderful World of the Wild and Wicked West #2 (though the issue never reached print). These teenage projects reflected his enduring ambition to pursue a professional career in comics. Although Simons wanted to attend art school after high school, parental pressure instead led him to enlist in the Coast Guard.

Coast Guard service and professional training

Dave Simons enlisted in the United States Coast Guard after high school. He described the experience as one of the best of his life. During this time, he was stationed on Governor's Island near Manhattan, an assignment that fostered his love for New York City. While serving in the Coast Guard, Simons attended classes and workshops conducted by Marvel artist John Buscema, crediting them with shaping his career and giving him confidence in his abilities. He formed lasting friendships with fellow aspiring artists, including Armando Gil and Ken Landgraf, connections forged through these artistic pursuits. In 1979, toward the end of his service, Simons attended a comic book convention where he presented his portfolio to Marvel editor Rick Marschall, marking his first professional opportunity in the industry.

Comic book career

Entry into Marvel and early credits

Dave Simons entered the Marvel Comics bullpen in 1979 after impressing editor Rick Marschall with his portfolio at a comic book convention, which secured him his first professional assignment. This debut job involved inking a fill-in Falcon story written by Mark Evanier and penciled by Sal Buscema, published in Marvel Premiere #49 (cover date August 1979), in which the Falcon investigates the murder of a Bodavian diplomat by the masked villain known as the Silencer. The experience drew on the inking skills Simons had honed under John Buscema's tutelage during his Coast Guard years, helping him adapt quickly to professional demands. Soon after, Simons contributed inks to Howard the Duck Magazine #1 (cover date August 1979), handling Chapter Three of the lead story over Gene Colan pencils in the black-and-white magazine format. His early Marvel output expanded to include inking assignments on titles such as Tomb of Dracula, where he supported Gene Colan during the late 1970s. These initial scattered credits, primarily as an inker on fill-ins and short features, helped establish Simons as a versatile contributor capable of refining dynamic artwork within Marvel's fast-paced production schedule.

Major inking collaborations and signature works

Dave Simons achieved his greatest recognition as an inker during his 1980s tenure at Marvel Comics, where he earned praise for his exceptional techniques and his ability to interpret complex pencil work with precision and flair. His inking brought clarity and depth to pages, particularly in black-and-white formats, and he was regarded as one of the rare inkers who could master challenging assignments without compromise. Among his most prominent collaborations was with veteran penciller Gene Colan, whose detailed and often intricate pencils Simons inked on titles including Howard the Duck and Tomb of Dracula. Colan held Simons in high esteem for his inking work. Simons' signature achievement was his extensive inking on Ghost Rider vol. 2 during the early 1980s, where he contributed to 38 issues and helped define one of the series' most memorable eras. His work included notable pages over Don Perlin's pencils, capturing the character's fiery intensity and leather-clad costume with particular skill. He also delivered significant inking contributions to several other key titles, including The Savage Sword of Conan (16 issues), Red Sonja, Conan the Barbarian, The Amazing Spider-Man (13 issues), Web of Spider-Man, Thor, and Power Man and Iron Fist. Simons occasionally provided pencils as well, particularly on sword-and-sorcery titles such as Red Sonja and Conan-related series including King Conan. His work extended to additional superhero books such as The Spectacular Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, and The Thing, showcasing his versatility across genres.

DC Comics period and additional comic projects

In the early 1990s, Dave Simons transitioned to DC Comics, where he contributed as a penciler and inker to several titles, including superhero and licensed fantasy series. His credits encompassed Deathstroke The Terminator, where he provided inks on issues such as #23, the sci-fi Spelljammer, the Dragonlance series, and the Forgotten Realms line, often collaborating with penciler Rags Morales on the latter. These projects reflected DC's licensed Dungeons & Dragons adaptations during this era, with Simons delivering substantial work across multiple issues in the fantasy titles. Simons also illustrated for DC's cartoon-based publications, including contributions to Cartoon Cartoons and Cartoon Network Block Party, as well as creating the comic book adaptation of Courage the Cowardly Dog. Concurrent with some DC assignments, Simons produced interior art for TSR's Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game publications, including Greyhawk Ruins (1990), Monstrous Manual (1993), and Creature Catalog (1993). Later in his career, Simons returned occasionally to comic projects, contributing to Dynamite Entertainment's Army of Darkness and variant covers for Red Sonja. He also participated in the 100 Hulks project and provided artwork for Rittenhouse trading cards.

Animation career

Transition to animation

In the early 1990s, Dave Simons began transitioning from his long-standing career in comic book inking and penciling to work in the animation industry, where he took on roles as a storyboard artist and revisionist. This shift saw him contributing to television animation design and storyboarding, gradually making animation his primary professional focus. Although he continued occasional comic book assignments into the following decade, including some 1990s DC Comics credits, Simons noted by 2005 that his animation résumé had grown longer than his comic book credits. A prominent example of overlap between the two fields was his involvement with Courage the Cowardly Dog, where he served as a storyboard artist on the animated television series before securing related comic book work at DC Comics, later receiving one or two Courage stories per year from the publisher.

Storyboard and design contributions to television series

Dave Simons provided storyboard contributions to a variety of animated television series beginning in the early 1990s, following his shift from comic book work. His credits include storyboards for Captain Planet from 1990 to 1992, Exosquad from 1993 to 1994, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 series) as storyboard artist, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe in 2002. He served as a storyboard artist and revisionist on Courage the Cowardly Dog, contributing to the series between 2000 and 2002 across multiple episodes. Simons also worked on The Zula Patrol from 2005 to 2008, Maya and Miguel from 2005 to 2006, and provided design and storyboard work for G.I. Joe Extreme. Beyond television series, Simons created commercial storyboards and game artwork, expanding his animation-related design work during this period. He noted in interviews that his animation project list eventually surpassed his comic book credits in length, reflecting his extensive involvement in the field.

Personal life

Lifestyle, relationships, and interests

Dave Simons resided in several locations in New York City during his early years, including a roach-filled apartment in Greenwich Village and a warehouse in lower Manhattan. He later lived in California and Jersey City. His affection for New York City developed during his Coast Guard service stationed on Governor’s Island. Simons had a period of involvement with Scientology during his time in New York. He also experienced a significant romantic relationship in which he fell in love and hoped it would lead to marriage, though it ultimately did not. Friends and colleagues remembered Simons as an enthusiastic and talented artist who was generous, uncomplaining, and spirited even in difficult times. Jimmy Palmiotti described him as "a prince and sweet guy and talented as hell," while Daniel Best noted that his "generosity to others was known amongst his peers." Gene Colan highlighted that he remained "spirited and helpful to his fellow artists" throughout his challenges. Simons was an avid motorcycle enthusiast.

Death and legacy

Battle with cancer and passing

Dave Simons was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2008 and endured a long battle with the disease. By February 2009, he was intensifying treatments to extend his life while continuing to offer artwork for sale to cover living expenses amid the illness. He suffered a relapse shortly after joining the Inkwell Awards committee in late 2008, at which point his condition was deemed terminal with only months to live, yet he remained determined to defy the prognosis. Throughout his illness, Simons maintained a positive and professional demeanor, hiding much of his pain while staying active with commissions and social engagement with fans. Longtime collaborator Gene Colan remarked that in decades of knowing and working with Simons, he never complained once about anything, even after his diagnosis, and remained spirited and helpful to fellow artists. Simons passed away from cancer on June 9, 2009, in New York City at the age of 54.

Posthumous recognition and influence

Following his passing, Dave Simons received significant posthumous recognition from the Inkwell Awards, an organization dedicated to honoring comic book inkers. In 2023, he was awarded the Stacey Aragon Special Recognition Award (SASRA), an annual lifetime achievement honor recognizing outstanding inking careers, with posthumous eligibility even for those who did not meet the typical 25-year threshold. The SASRA highlights under-recognized contributors who earned strong respect from peers through their impactful work, and Simons shared the 2023 award with Danny Bulanadi and Reed Crandall. His sister, Bette Simons, accepted the honor on his behalf, describing him as an exceptionally passionate perfectionist who spent hours refining his art and was genuinely kind, humble, and eager to help others, noting that the comic art world was improved by his presence. Shortly after Simons' death in 2009, the Inkwell Awards established the Dave Simons Inkwell Memorial Scholarship to commemorate his legacy as a committee member, supporter, and talented inker who had studied with John Buscema and worked with artists including Gene Colan and Mike Mignola. The annual $1,000 scholarship assists a promising student at the Joe Kubert School who submits traditional organic inks (pen or brush, non-digital), with recipients selected by the school and funds raised through art auctions. It has continued uninterrupted, supporting students each year since 2010 and serving as a tangible means of perpetuating his influence on aspiring inkers. Tributes from colleagues and family underscore Simons' enduring impact, emphasizing his rare combination of technical skill, generosity, and enthusiasm. A 2009 remembrance highlighted his willingness to assist emerging artists—such as Mike Mignola, Armando Gil, and Gerry Acerno—often at personal risk, and his adept handling of challenging pencils, particularly those from Gene Colan, whom he inked with exceptional understanding. Even during his illness, he recommended others for opportunities, reflecting a selfless character that colleagues recalled with affection. These accounts affirm the lasting appreciation for his joyful dedication to the craft and his role in fostering goodwill within the comics community.
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