Keith Giffen was a comic book artist and writer who co-created the superhero Rocket Raccoon of the Guardians of the Galaxy and the anti-hero Lobo, in addition to popular runs on comics like “Legion of Super-Heroes” and “Justice League International.”
- Died: October 2023
- Details of death: Died in Tampa, Florida, of a stroke at the age of 70.
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Keith Giffen’s legacy
Giffen got his start in comics co-creating a character who unexpectedly became a pop culture sensation four decades after his debut. After having his first work published in January 1976, Giffen and writer Bill Mantlo created Rocket Raccoon, a gun-toting, foul-mouthed raccoon who first appeared in Marvel Preview #7 later that year. Rocket was largely an obscure character until being featured in the 2014 film “Guardians of the Galaxy,” after which he became wildly popular.
Rocket and a subsequent creation, the alien mercenary anti-hero Lobo, dreamed up alongside writer Roger Slifer, typified Giffen’s edgy, quirky humor and fondness for weirdness in comics. These traits formed the foundation of one of his best-loved works, his long tenure on “Legion of Super-Heroes” for DC Comics. Giffen wrote and drew the comic throughout much of the 1980s and ‘90s. Its popularity is perhaps matched only by Giffen’s work on “Justice League International,” which took subversive, good-natured jabs at common tropes in superhero comics.
Giffen also created the humorous hero Ambush Bug, the Jamie Reyes version of the Blue Beetle – co-created with John Rogers and Cully Hamner – who headlined a 2023 film. He worked on a vast array of other characters, including Guardians of the Galaxy Drax the Destroyer and Star Lord in their modern iterations, did art breakdowns for DC’s massive “52” comic, and wrote “Green Arrow,” “Superman,” and many more. Giffen’s art evolved and changed throughout the years, moving from traditional to more abstract and impressionistic, but regardless of style, he remained a consistent artist and writer across his nearly 50 years in comics.
Tributes to Keith Giffen
Full obituary: Variety
