Joe Sinnott, Marvel’s ace inker, dies at 93

Splash page to a 1967 Nick Fury story, drawn by Jim Steranko and inked by Joe Sinnott

Joe Sinnott, an inker who contributed to the look of Marvel titles such as the Fantastic Four, died today at 93, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Monthly comic books, because of their deadline pressures, typically had one artist draw in pencil with another going over the drawings in ink.

Sinnott drew particular praise for inking Jack Kirby’s work on the Fantastic Four in the 1960s.

Sinnott’s “smooth, stylized ink work” brought “a new sheen and consistency” to Kirby’s pencils, THR said.

The artist came aboard the FF as the title, primarily plotted by Kirby, exploded with new characters such as the Silver Surfer, Galactus, the Inhumans and the Black Panther.

Sinnott also worked with other Marvel artists, including Gene Colan, John Buscema and some issues of the Jim Steranko written and drawn run of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sinnott retired in the early 1990s but continued to appear on the comic book show circuit and do paid commissions.

Writer and artist Walter Simonson issued a tribute to Sinnott on Twitter.

Joe Sinnott has caught the last train out. A wonderful guy, a marvelous talent (pun semi-intended 🙂 – he was just the best. A genuine pleasure to have known him, and to have had him ink a couple of my Thors on my first run in the 1970s. Thanks for everything, Joe. Godspeed. pic.twitter.com/FHD5ljt48Z

— Walter Simonson (@WalterSimonson) June 25, 2020

UPDATE (10:35 p.m. New York time): Jim Steranko also issued his own tribute to Joe Sinnott on Twitter.

This morn, we lost my friend and collaborator, JOE SINNOTT—of whom I've often said "made my amateurish scribblings look professional!" He was one of comics' prime inkers for decades and a superb artist, as his recent con illustrations proved! An ICON in the ART WORLD! RIP, amigo!

— Jim Steranko (@iamsteranko) June 25, 2020

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