Best Known For His Work On 2000AD’s Judge Dredd And Strontium Dog
Carlos Ezquerra, the legendary Spanish comics artist who co-created the iconic character Judge Dredd in British comics magazine 2000AD, has died aged 70-years-old.
Ezquerra’s death was the result of lung cancer, which he lived with for 10 years.
Back in 1977 Mike McMahon was the first to draw Judge Dredd in 2000AD, Ezquerra was the first to visualize the look and world Judge Dredd, and the mean streets of Mega-Cty One.
He and writer John Wagner left 2000AD over a dispute over ownership of Judge Dredd, but both would eventually return to the magazine and their creation.
Ezquerra and Wagner went on to create Strontium Dog, another icon of British sci-fi comics, for Starlord magazine in 1978.
Ezquerra also is known for drawing 2000AD’s adaptations of Harry Harrison’s sci-fi antihero The Stainless Steel Rat and for his Just A Pilgrim, his Western genre collaboration with writer Garth Ennis.
Here are some tributes left by those who were close to him:
Very sad to hear that Judge Dredd legend Carlos Ezquerra has passed away, surely the definitive Dredd artist. Had the honour of working with him back in my early 20s on the Purgatory strip. His unique style elevated every strip he touched: pic.twitter.com/pVvawVZsHU
— Mark Millar (@mrmarkmillar) October 1, 2018
Looks like it’s true. Just enormously sad about this. RIP Carlos Ezquerra, 2000AD, Battle. The greatest Dredd panel. pic.twitter.com/Cevqjw0UZX
— Rob Williams (@Robwilliams71) October 1, 2018
We are saddened to hear about the passing of the hugely talented Carlos Ezquerra. He recently & kindly provided us with exclusive sketches for the Rat Pack & El Mestizo features in the magazine and this is very sad news to hear today. Our thoughts are with his friends & family. pic.twitter.com/p1CsmXGIap
— ComicScene UK Magazine (@comicsflixukus) October 1, 2018
R.I.P. Carlos Ezquerra. Master storyteller. Comics artist par excellence. Thank you for everything you showed us. Travel safely. Sleep well.
Four panels from 1982's Judge Dredd: The Apocalypse War by John Wagner, Alan Grant, Carlos Ezquerra & Tom Frame. pic.twitter.com/iDUgg11Xeh
— Colin Smith (@Colin_TBTAMC) October 1, 2018
Gutted to hear Carlos Ezquerra has died. Visionary comic book artist. There are a lot of people, growing up in grim places, who had their minds taken to worlds we never could've imagined, through his work. And who then spent their lives following in his footsteps. RIP, old boy. pic.twitter.com/BhQ7jHjtzT
— Darran Anderson (@Oniropolis) October 1, 2018
