John Salvatore Romita (; born August 17, 1956) is an American comics artist best known for his extensive work for Marvel Comics from the 1970s to the 2020s. He is the son of artist John Romita Sr.

Early life

John Romita Jr. was born August 17, 1956, He studied advertising art and design at Farmingdale State College in East Farmingdale, New York, graduating in 1976.

Career

thumb|Romita signing in 2019

Romita Jr.'s first contribution to Marvel Comics was at the age of 13 with the creation of the original Prowler, a sketch of which Romita had produced. Editor Stan Lee liked the name but not the costume; Romita combined the name with a design that he had previously intended for a character called the Stalker that was intended for the never-published The Spectacular Spider-Man #3. Inspired by Romita's drawing, Lee, John Buscema and Jim Mooney created the Hobie Brown version of the character that would debut in The Amazing Spider-Man #78 (Nov. 1969).

Romita Jr. began his career at Marvel UK, doing sketches for covers of reprints. His American debut was a pin-up in Kid Colt, Outlaw #218 (June 1977) and two months later with a six-page story entitled "Chaos at the Coffee Bean!" in The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #11 (1977).

Romita's early popularity began with his run on Iron Man with writer David Michelinie and artist Bob Layton which began in 1978. The creative team introduced several supporting characters, including Tony Stark's bodyguard girlfriend Bethany Cabe and rival industrialist Justin Hammer. In the early 1980s, he had his first regular run on the series The Amazing Spider-Man and also was the artist for the launch of the Dazzler series. He and writer Dennis O'Neil introduced Madame Web in The Amazing Spider-Man #210 (Nov. 1980) and Hydro-Man in issue #212 (Jan. 1981). In 1982, Romita Jr. drew Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions, the first limited series published by Marvel Comics. Working with writer Roger Stern on The Amazing Spider-Man, he co-created the character Hobgoblin. From 1983 to 1986 he had a run on the Uncanny X-Men with writer Chris Claremont and inker Dan Green, during which he co-created the character Forge. Romita has downplayed the significance of his run, saying that few of the characters introduced during this time were co-created by him and that his style has had no discernible influence on succeeding X-Men artists. His relationship with Claremont was rather cool at the time, as Claremont did not like his work as much as the artists he had previously worked with. He would return for a second run on Uncanny X-Men in 1993, (having previously been restricted to doing only breakdowns), but would also collaborate on plots, and be allowed to choose his own inker. A skeptical Romita jokingly said he wanted Al Williamson, and was surprised when Williamson’s assignment to the book was confirmed a day later. After Daredevil #282, Romita left the series to pursue other projects, though his experience on Daredevil would influence his later return to the character with Frank Miller. the Cable miniseries; and the Punisher/Batman crossover. Klaus Janson was a frequent inker. The book was a retelling of the character's origin, which reunited Romita with Williamson on inks. Elements from the storyline were adapted into the 2015 Netflix series Daredevil.

A January 1999 reboot of Peter Parker: Spider-Man was handled by Howard Mackie and Romita Jr.

In 2001, Romita returned to Spider-Man for a collaboration with writer J. Michael Straczynski beginning with The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 #30 (June 2001). The creative team produced a story for issue #36 (Dec. 2001) that served as memorial to the victims of the September 11 attacks. He drew Marvel's Wolverine with author Mark Millar. In 2004, Romita's creator-owned project The Gray Area was published by Image Comics. He subsequently worked on the Marvel series Black Panther, The Sentry and "Ultimate Vision", a backup feature in the Ultimate Marvel line, written by Mark Millar. Romita worked with Greg Pak on the five-issue central miniseries of Marvel's 2007 crossover storyline, "World War Hulk".

In 2008, Romita again returned to The Amazing Spider-Man. He also collaborated once more with Millar, for a creator-owned series, Kick-Ass, published by Marvel's Icon imprint. This was later adapted into the 2010 film Kick-Ass. Romita, one of the producers, directed an animated flashback sequence in the film.

Also in 2010 he relaunched the Avengers title with writer Brian Michael Bendis as part of Marvel's Heroic Age initiative.

On April 9, 2011, Romita was one of 62 comics creators who appeared at the IGN stage at the Kapow! convention in London to set two Guinness World Records, the "Fastest Production of a Comic Book" and "Most Contributors to a Comic Book". With Guinness officials on hand to monitor their progress, writer Millar began work at 9 a.m. scripting a 20-page black-and-white comic book of his character Superior, with Romita and the other artists appearing on stage throughout the day to work on the pencils, inks, and lettering, each drawing a panel. The book was completed in 11 hours, 19 minutes, and 38 seconds, and was published through Icon on November 23, 2011, with all royalties being donated to Yorkhill Children's Foundation.

In 2014, Romita Jr. became the penciller of the DC Comics flagship title Superman, starting with issue #32, in collaboration with writer Geoff Johns. Romita Jr.'s Superman pencils have been inked by Klaus Janson. In 2016, Romita Jr. and writer Scott Snyder collaborated on the All-Star Batman series as part of the DC Rebirth relaunch. Romita Jr. and writer Dan Abnett created The Silencer series as part of DC's "Dark Metal" line. In addition, Romita worked with Frank Miller on the Superman: Year One mini-series.

Romita drew Kelly Sue DeConnick's story "Fore" for Detective Comics #1027 (November 2020).

In 2022 he once again returned to the Amazing Spider-Man title, this time with writer Zeb Wells.

Influences and techniques

Romita's art influences include his father, as well as comics artists Jack Kirby

With writer J. Michael Straczynski and inker Scott Hanna, Romita Jr. won a 2002 Eisner Award for Best Serialized Story: The Amazing Spider-Man #30–35: "Coming Home".

Bibliography

DC Comics

  • Action Comics #1017–1028 (2019–2020)
  • All-Star Batman #1–5 (2016)
  • Batman vol. 3 #80–81 (2019)
  • Batman Black and White vol. 5 #6 (among other artists, 2021)
  • Dark Days: The Casting #1 (one-shot, with Jim Lee and Andy Kubert, 2017)
  • Dark Days: The Forge #1 (one-shot, with Lee and Kubert, 2017)
  • Dark Knight III: The Master Race #3 (backup story, 2016)
  • Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade (one-shot, 2016)
  • Detective Comics #1027 (among other artists, 2020)
  • The Silencer #1–3 (2018)
  • Suicide Squad vol. 4 #11–15 (2017)
  • Superman vol. 3 #32–44 (2014–2015)
  • Superman: Year One #1–3 (2019)

Image Comics

  • The Gray Area #1–3 (2004)
  • Kick-Ass #1–6 (2008)

Marvel Comics

  • The Amazing Spider-Man #208, 210–218, 223–227, 229–236, 238–250, 290–291, 432, 500–508, 546, 568–573, 584–585, 587–588, 600, 692, Annual #11, 16 (1980–1984, 1987, 1995, 1998, 2003–2004, 2008–2009, 2012)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2, #22–27, 30–58 (2000–2003)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 5, #73 (2021)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 6, #1-5, 7–8, 11–13, 21–26, 31, 39–44, 49, 56-60 (2022–2024)
  • The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 7, #1, 6-8, 11, 16, 18, 20-21 (2025-Present)
  • The Avengers vol. 3 #35 (2000)
  • The Avengers vol. 4 #1–12, 14, 16–17 (2010–2011)
  • Black Panther vol. 3, #1–6 (2005)
  • Cable: Blood and Metal #1-2 (miniseries, 1992)
  • Captain America vol. 7, #1–10 (2013)
  • Daredevil #250–257, 259–263, 265–276, 278–282, Annual #5 (1988–1990)
  • Daredevil: The Man Without Fear #1-5 (1993–1994)
  • Dark Reign: The List – Punisher #1 (2009)
  • Dazzler #1–3 (1981)
  • Eternals vol. 3 #1–7 (2006–2007)
  • Fall of the Hulks: Gamma #1 (2010)
  • Fallen Son: The Death of Captain America #4 (2007)
  • Fantastic Four vol. 6 #35 (2021)
  • Free Comic Book Day 2010: Iron Man/Thor #1 (2010)
  • Free Comic Book Day 2022: Spider-Man/Venom #1 (2022)
  • Free Comic Book Day 2025: Amazing Spider-Man/Ultimate Universe #1 (2025)
  • Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness #1 (1991)
  • Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men #1 (1985)
  • The Incredible Hulk vol. 3 #24–25, 27–28, 34–39 (2001–2002)
  • Iron Man #115–117, 119–121, 123–128, 141–150, 152–156, 256, 258–266 (1978–1982, 1990–1991)
  • The Last Fantastic Four Story (2007)
  • Marvel Super Hero Contest of Champions #1-3 (1982)
  • Marvel Super Special #5 (Kiss) (1978)
  • The Mighty Avengers #15 (2008)
  • Peter Parker: Spider-Man #57, 64–76, 78–84, 86–92, 94–95, 97–98 (1995–1998)
  • Peter Parker: Spider-Man vol. 2, #1–3, 6–12, 14–17, 19 (1999–2000)
  • The Punisher War Zone #1–8 (1992)
  • Scarlet Spider #2 (1995)
  • Sentry vol. 2 #1–8 (miniseries, 2005–2006)
  • The Spectacular Spider-Man #50, 121 (1981, 1986)
  • Spider-Man: The Lost Years #0, 1–3 (miniseries, 1995)
  • Star Brand #1–2, 4–7 (1986–1987)
  • Thor vol. 2, #1–8, 10–13, 16–18, 21–25 (1998–2000)
  • Ultimate Vision #0 (2007)
  • Uncanny X-Men #175–185, 187–197, 199–200, 202–203, 206–211, 287, 300–302, 304, 306–311, Annual #4 (1980–1986, 1992–1994)
  • Wolverine vol. 3, #20–31 (2004–2005)
  • World War Hulk #1–5 (2007–2008)
  • X-Men: Legacy #208 (2008)
  • X-Men Unlimited #7 (1994)

Icon Comics

  • Hit-Girl #1–5 (2012–2013)
  • Kick-Ass #1–8 (with writer Mark Millar 2008–2010)
  • Kick-Ass 2 #1–7 (2010–2012)
  • Kick-Ass 3 #1–8 (2013–2014)

Marvel Comics / DC Comics

  • Punisher/Batman: Deadly Knights (intercompany crossover, 1994)
  • Thorion of the New Asgods #1 (1997)

References

Further reading

  • John Romita Jr. on Marvel.com
  • John Romita Jr. at Mike's Amazing World of Comics
  • John Romita Jr. at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators