Posted in: Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, DC Comics | Tagged: Ramona Fradon, wonder woman

DC Pays Tribute To Ramona Fradon In Today's Comics

Comic book creator Ramona Fradon died at the age of 97. This month, DC Comics is publishing a tribute to Ramona across their comics,

Published Tue, 09 Apr 2024 08:57:08 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Article Summary

Comic legend Ramona Fradon passes at 97, DC honors her legacy in April issues.
Fradon co-created Metamorpho, defined Aquaman's Silver Age, and influenced film.
Her prolific career began in 1950, leaving a mark on DC, Marvel, and syndicated strips.
From Aquaman to Brenda Starr, Fradon's art continues to inspire across generations.

Comic book creator Ramona Fradon died at the age of 97, in February this year. This month, DC Comics is publishing a tribute to Ramona across their monthly comic books, starting today.

"Pioneering comics artist Ramona Fradon (1926-2024) leaves behind an unrivaled 70-plus years in the industry, much of it spent at DC, where she co-created Metamorpho and served as the defining artist of Aquaman's Silver Age. Recently, Fradon returned to DC for variant covers proving she was still very much at the top of her game until the very end, including spectacular multicharacter Women's History Month variant covers for Catwoman #63, Wonder Woman #7, and Power Girl #7, on sale now. Check out Fradon's Women's History Month covers here—inked by Sandra Hope and colored by Trish Mulvihill—and join DC in celebrating this comics legend!"

It was only in January that Ramona Fradon finally retired. Ramona Fradon, born in 1926 is best known for drawing and reinventing Aquaman – her name was on the credits of the recent movie – as well as co-creating the superhero Metamorpho. Her comic book career began after graduating from the Parsons School of Design in 1950. Her first published work was on Shining Knight from DC Comics and she got a regular gig on the Adventure Comics strip, Aquaman, including the Silver Age relaumch of the character in Adventure Comics #260, and the creation of the sidekick character Aqualad in Adventure Comics #269. She then co-creators the character Metamorpho for The Brave And The Bold series as well as his subsequent spinoff. She also drew The Brave and the Bold #59, a Batman/Green Lantern team-up, the first time that series teamed Batman with another DC superhero, and setting the format up for the series going forward.

Ramona Fradon left comics from 1965 to 1972 to raise her family. but returned in 1972 to draw Plastic Man, Freedom Fighters, and Super Friends, which she pencilled for almost its entire run, during which she also drew a couple of issues for Marvel, In 1980, she took over Dale Messick, drawing the newspaper strip Brenda Starr, Reporter, until 1995. When she retired for the first time. But she kept doing private commissions, drew Mermaidman stories for SpongeBob Comics, graphic novels The Adventures of Unemployed Man in 2010, The Dinosaur That Got Tired of Being Extinct in 2012, the collection The Art of Ramona Fradon, and covers for DC Comics. Her name was also the inspiration for the Scott Pilgrim character Ramona Flowers.

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