As reported by Mark Evanier on rec.arts.comics.misc, Dan DeCarlo tragically passed away today at the age of 82. While he had suffered a fall recently, the cause of death is thought to be from a heart attack.
Dan DeCarlo was born in the city of New Rochelle, NY on December 12, 1919, to Vincent, a landscape gardener, and Beatrice, a housewife. He is perhaps best known for his work on the Archie comic books, most notably his creation of Josie and the Pussycats, and Sabrina The Teenage Witch. During his decades-long tenure with Archie, DeCarlo unique art style became the official company "house style," which the company continues to use it to this day. In the past two years, DeCarlo had been embroiled in a legal battle against his former employer over the rights to his creations. Only yesterday the United States Supreme Court rejected a motion to hear the case.
Before his work in comics, DeCarlo was drafted into the Army during World War II. Stationed mostly in England, he, like Will Eisner, spent much of the war doing art work for the United States Military. While in the Army and on a blind date, DeCarlo met a young Belgian woman named Josie. They would marry while he was still in the service, and traveled home to America together after DeCarlo proved to his new bride that he had a financially stable situation.
After the war, DeCarlo worked for such companies as Ziff-Davis (where he worked on a GI Joe comic), Timely (Marvel), Big Boy Restaurants, and the Kool-Aid company. But it was his long career at Archie that garned him much of his fans, and which he will be most remembered for.
Up until his death DeCarlo had been continuing to work, providing the art to a recent Batman: Gotham Knights black and white back-up story and for an X-Men Unlimited story. He was also working on a comic book version of the television show "I Dream Of Jeanie."
On a personal note, I had the pleasure of knowing Dan DeCarlo for about a year. An unfortunate fact is that, as far as I know, the only recent interviews conducted with Dan were done by myself, the longer of which is here on Silver Bullet Comics. Only a few months ago Dan and me were attempting to figure out when we would both be in the same area so we could finally meet in person. We'll never get that chance now, but I'll also remember him as a wonderful man who provided me with hours of delightful conversations. My heart goes out to Josie, and the rest of Dan's family.
