Norm Breyfogle 1960-2018

Not again.

Yes again. Sadly.

Artist Norm Breyfogle died this past Monday at the far-too-young age of 58. He was best known for his epic run on the Batman books from the late 80s to the mid-90s, and probably second-best known for co-creating Prime for the Ultraverse line. (And if you’re REALLY old, like me, you just might recall him breaking in on First’s Whisper.)

Back at the old bloghome, over half a decade ago (yikes), one of my earliest posts was about that Batman run. As I said then:

His style is unique. It’s not realistic; nor is it overly cartoony. I wouldn’t say it’s like Steve Ditko, exactly, but it’s idiosyncratic in the same way as Ditko’s style. One thing at which he excels is creative and dramatic camera angles. (Breyfogle would continue to experiment with such effects more boldly as time went on. A two-page spread of panels, all at a near-45-degree slant, from Shadow of the Bat #4, leaps to mind—I’ve never seen anything like it before or since.) And action! When he’s got Batman throwing kicks and punches, the force is such that it seems like his limbs are fighting to free themselves from his torso.

Here’s that two-page spread from Shadow:

A fuller write up here, courtesy of The Beat.

R.I.P., Norm Breyfogle.

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