Comic book and comic strip artist Jose Delbo has passed away.
Jose Delbo (José María Del Bo)
December 9, 1933 – February 5, 2024)
His family shared the sad news:
Today we lost a legend of a father, grandfather, husband, and artist. [Jose Delbo] was as kind and as noble a man as there could be. He left a legacy that we can only hope we are blessed with leaving behind ourselves.
I know that being able to continue to produce art until the very end brought him such an immense amount of joy through all the difficult times. Even in his recent sickness, he worked on completing and minting a new collection that he wanted to share with the world.
Jose came to the United States in the mid-1960s and having experience drawing comics in South America found employment immediately for his talents drawing normal (non-superhero) comic books. Westerns, action, TV adaptations, and more (Yellow Submarine!) were all within his capabilities for Charlton, Dell, Western, etc.
By the middle of the 1970s he had moved on to DC Comics and superheroes.
A few years later we pick up his trail when he is ghosting pencils for Sy Barry’s The Phantom in 1979.
His heroic work on DC’s super characters earns him the job of pencil artist on the Superman comic strip.
From 1982 to 1985 he drew the daily strip. He also drew The Superman Sunday Special page.
As his Lambiek entry notes Jose continued drawing comics to the end of the 20th Century.
Where you can also read of his early comic strip work for South American publishers.
It was only two months ago we welcomed Jose to our Senior Strippers club.
We send condolences to his family and friends, many of whom are paying tribute to the man on Facebook.
So very sad to hear this news just now. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to know Jose well. I inked him once on Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer way back when.
I used to see him frequently at conventions and he was always gracious.
My condolences to his family and fans.
My condolences to his family and friends. I wish I had the opportunity to me him at a con but it never happened. When I started reading comics his Wonder Woman was my favorite.
Fantastic cartoonist, and one of my first instructors at the Joe Kubert school (back in the 1980s). Just an all-around great guy. Sending my sincere condolences to his family during this difficult time.