Inkpot Award-winning comedian guide artist Jackson “Butch” Guice did on Might 1, 2025.
“He’s precisely the sort of man I’d have picked to like and defend my sister,” wrote Guice’s brother-in-law, James Hettel, on Fb. “Thank You Lord for the possibility you gave me to know and be round Butch. Hooah brother! Save me a seat on the financial institution by the water.”
Guice was famend as an artist for his dynamic and detailed illustration type. His work is characterised by a realism and dynamic motion mix, which made him a go-to artist for superhero and journey narratives. Over a profession spanning 4 a long time, he contributed considerably to each DC and Marvel Comics, together with his work showing on all the things from Marvel’s Micronauts (his first skilled work) within the Nineteen Eighties to DC’s Motion Comics within the Nineteen Nineties to DC’s Birds of Prey and Humanoids’ Olympus within the 2000s to Heavy Metallic’s Amber Blake: Operation Dragonfly within the 2020s.
Guice’s work on Motion Comics was notably influential, with him contributing to each the “Loss of life of Superman” and “Reign of the Supermen” storylines. He additionally labored on different Huge Two titles, together with Flash, Resurrection Man, New Mutants, X-Issue, Iron Man, Nick Fury, Toy Story, and Swords of Swashbucklers (which he co-created with Invoice Mantlo). His work on Motion Actions was notably,
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, throughout “the Jurassic period,” Guice developed an early curiosity in drawing and storytelling. His childhood was full of actual and imaginary adventures, and he was an avid reader of classics like Jules Verne and Mark Twain. “I had what amounted to a ‘Disney’ childhood,” Guice mentioned in an interview with Canary Noir.
He was set on turning into a comic book artist when he found comedian books and began attending comedian guide conventions. “It was crucial at that exact time to obtain such encouragement as a result of all of the distractions of teenage life have been coming into into the image ( ladies, wanderlust, ladies, a automotive, ladies… ),” he continued within the Canary Noir interview. “Simply listening to a working skilled, somebody whose work you respect and admire, say your individual work shows potential, you’re heading in the right direction, maintain working laborious… could make all of the distinction in whether or not you ever notice your dream or not.”
Guice’s dying has led to an outpouring of help from his followers and the comedian guide business.
“Like everybody, I used to be an enormous fan of his work. His relaunch of The Flash again in ‘87 is seared into my mind, full of the sort of power and energy you possibly can solely discover in comics whereas nonetheless feeling so extremely actual,” wrote Chip Zdarsky, through his publication. “A consummate draftsman who inherited the mantle of a mode originated by greats like Alex Raymond and Al Williamson, Butch was their equal, the artist you went to once you wanted to really feel like these characters truly existed, truly had actual, real feelings.”
Kelley Jones posted on X, “Butch is gone. I’ll solely add that Butch Guice noticed one thing in me that I didn’t means again in 1982. I couldn’t belief myself that I had what it took to make comics so Butch mentioned belief him and I did. He insisted I observe him because the penciller on the Micronauts when he left the title. For the subsequent couple months he would take time from his new gig, and assist me work out how to attract a month-to-month guide. Butch’s recommendation and instruction on that matter I take advantage of to today. God the expertise he possessed! Nevertheless it was his sort coronary heart I’ll most be striving to observe. I’ll miss you brother.”
“Reeling from the information of Butch Guice,” wrote Laura Martin on Fb. “Somewhat a part of me remains to be hoping it’s not true. We haven’t talked in a very long time, however we have been thick as thieves at CrossGen, not solely as a result of I had the last word pleasure of engaged on Ruse with him and Mike Perkins, but in addition as a result of we have been actually mates who appeared out for one another.”
Responding to Hettel’s Fb announcement, Joseph Illidge wrote, “My condolences to you and your loved ones, James. Butch was a good friend, we labored collectively, and he was an old-fashioned man in the most effective methods. I’m gutted.”
Comics Beat sends its condolences to Guice’s household, mates, colleagues, and followers.
