John Romita Sr., a renowned comic artist who co-created popular Marvel characters like Wolverine and Mary Jane Watson, has passed away at the age of 93. The news was shared by his son, John Romita Jr., also a celebrated Marvel comic artist, on Twitter. Romita Jr. expressed deep sadness and commended his father’s legendary status in the art world. Born in New York City in 1930, Romita Sr. completed his education at the School of Industrial Art in Manhattan. He initially worked in commercial illustration and comic book art, collaborating with Marvel and DC on various projects. Romita Sr. played a significant role in the success of Spider-Man, taking over as the regular artist after the departure of co-creator Steve Ditko. His distinct style and romantic portrayal of the character, along with the introduction of Mary Jane Watson, elevated Spider-Man’s popularity to new heights. Romita Sr. later became Marvel’s art director and contributed to the creation of iconic characters such as Wolverine, the Punisher, and Luke Cage. He also mentored younger artists and provided guidance at Marvel. Despite his contributions, Romita Sr. and his wife, Virginia, resigned from Marvel in 1996 due to the company’s financial troubles. This decision left them disheartened as they were forced to let go of talented employees. Romita Sr.’s legacy continues, with his son currently working as the artist on The Amazing Spider-Man. Marvel expressed their condolences, acknowledging Romita Sr.’s immense impact on the Marvel Universe and mourning the loss of a true creative legend.