Remembering Darwyn Cooke
A Singular Talent, Cooke Effortlessly Captured What Makes Comics Special.
With an art style that’s both classic and timeless, Darwyn Cooke was one of the most influential creators in recent comic book history. His singular vision as an artist and writer made him stand out in the industry. Rather than bringing superheroes down to earth through deconstruction, Cooke sought to remind us why we looked up to them in the first place.
Born on November 16, 1962, Darwyn Cooke first discovered comics as a child. However, he didn’t fall in love with the medium until he bought an issue of Spider-Man as a teenager. He attended George Brown College in Toronto but only for a year before being expelled.
In 1985, he ventured to the New York City DC Comics office to pursue his dream of working in comics. This resulted in his first published work, a five-page crime story with no dialogue called “The Private Eye.” However, like many people inevitably do, Cooke learned that dreams don’t always pay well. At the time, he earned a rate of $35 a page, and because he produced about a page a week, Cooke decided that it was simply not enough money. Additionally, his father, a construction worker, also disapproved of his plan to pursue a career in comics. Because of this, Cooke stayed in Canada and worked as a magazine art director and graphic and product designer for the next…
