'Millions came to know Marvel through his art, and millions more came to know Peter Parker through the unmistakable bold brushwork Romita brought to his pages,' the statement said. 'is talent defined decades of Marvel’s most well-known storytelling, spanning hundreds of unforgettable comics that brought now iconic characters like Wolverine, Black Widow, the Punisher, Kingpin, Luke Cage, Spider-Man, and Mary Jane to life,' Marvel said in a Tuesday statement. 'He is a legend in the art world and it would be my honor to follow in his footsteps,' Romita Jr. The contemporary 'Amazing Spider-Man' artist said that the key to his father's success was that he was a natural storyteller and brilliant cinephile who frequently described each comic book panel as 'basically a stop-action film.' Naturally, Romita Jr., a Marvel cartoonist who co-created the 'Kick-Ass' franchise with Mark Millar, was deeply influenced by his father's oeuvre. He also created the younger-skewing 'Spidey Super Stories' for the publisher under the tutelage of child psychologists and, in his early years with the company, helped Marvel turn 'The Amazing Spider-Man' into its top-selling title. Romita Sr., known as “Jazzy” John Romita in the Marvel Bullpen, was the art director of Marvel Comics in the early 1970s and collaborated with late Marvel powerhouse Stan Lee.

His wife of 70 years, Virginia, 91, was home with him at the time. The artist and art director died 'peacefully in his sleep' at his longtime Floral Park, N.Y., home Monday morning, said his son comic artist John Romita Jr. Legendary comic book artist John Romita Sr., who worked on timeless early issues of 'Spider-Man' and breathed life into Marvel's Wolverine and Mary Jane Watson with his work, has died at 93. Comic book legend John Romita Sr., who was the artistic director for Marvel in the 1970s, died Monday at 93.

Download Marvel’s Wolverine