5 best works of Neal Adams as famed comic icon died aged 80

Neal Adams, the comic legend, sadly passed away at the age of 80. Confirmed by his wife, Adams reportedly passed away due to complications from sepsis.

Neal Adams was a beloved comic book artist who has had some of the most influential work done on the big two of the industry, Marvel and DC.

Neal Adams was not only a great artist but a human as well. He was famously advocating hard for creator rights and helped secure a pension for Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster.

Working on huge titles like Batman, Adams also co-created characters like Man-Bat, John Stewart, and Ra's al Ghul. Neal Adams' work has had a significant impact not only on the comic book industry but also on the film industry.

Without his art, we wouldn't be getting so many of these great visualized and realized worlds. So to celebrate the life of this iconic, once-in-a-lifetime comic book legend, let's take a look at some of his best work.

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Neal Adams' best works include Batman, X-Men and more

5) Superman vs Muhammad Ali - A match for the ages

Superman vs Muhammad Ali (Image via DC Comics)

Dennis O'Neil Adams banded together to deliver this legendary comic story that pits one of the best fighters the world has ever seen against the Man of Steel.

Superman competes in this fight against Ali without his powers and understandably gets beaten up. However, what happens later will keep you engaged in this comic.

Adams' art makes this so enjoyable as you feel every blow that Ali and the Boy in Blue trade. It's genuinely one of the most iconic pieces of work in the comic world.

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4) The Brave and the Bold: The Senator Has Been Shot - Green Arrow's redesign

Green Arrow's redesign (Image via DC Comics)

When talking about Green Arrow, the first image you have in your mind is how close he resembles Robin Hood.

The classic design of an archer sticks out the most and has made Oliver Queen one of our time's most iconic characters.

Now, who came up with that design? It was Adams all along. He introduced the first redesign of the character and gave him a makeover that fans adored. So much of Green Arrow's legacy is owed to Adams.

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3) X-Men - The art that defined the team

X-Men comic cover (Image via Marvel Comics)

Adams jumped on board the X-Men #56-63 and gave us some of the best art you will ever see of the iconic team. Fighting off the Sentinels here, Adams creates amazing art page after page that will have your eyes glued to the book.

It truly is one of his most remarkable works that any X-Men fan should check out if they haven't already. Even if you have, do it again.

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2) Batman #232 - Creation of Ra's Al Ghul

Ra's Al Ghul's Debut (Image via DC Comics)

Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams is a duo that just kept on releasing some of the most iconic things you will ever see.

With that came the creation of Batman's deadliest rogues, Ra's Al Ghul. The Demon Head debuted in this comic and became one of the biggest parts of Batman's mythos.

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1) Batman #251 - One of Joker's most iconic appearances

Joker's revenge (Image via DC Comics)

With #251 of Batman, the Joker is back in Gotham and is set to get his revenge. Of course, the art here is magnificent. Over here, the Joker is redefined and is something that would shape the character for the future.

The way Adams draws the Joker helps as he seems like an actual maniac and something that so many creators have been trying to emulate.

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With this, we are finishing off the list. While Neal Adams has sadly left us, his legacy will infinitely live long in the breathtaking work he has left behind. Truly one of the comic book industry's best personalities, Neal Adams was a gem.