Filipino comic book legend Tony de Zuñiga passes away

Tony de Zuñiga, the veteran Filipino comic book artist and co-creator of DC Comics' Jonah Hex,  passed away at around 1:30 a.m. on Friday, May 11. He was 71.

De Zuñiga was the first Filipino artist whose work got accepted by foreign comic book companies which, as fellow comics veteran Neal Adams points out, paved the way for other Filipinos such as Alfredo Alcala, Alex Niño, and Nestor Redondo to enter the highly-competitive comic book industry.

The 2010 movie, "Jonah Hex," starring  Josh Brolin in the title role, with Megan Fox, Michael Fassbender and John Malkovich, was based on the character de Zuñiga he created.

Fundraisers

In April, the veteran artist suffered a stroke, complicated by pneumonia and blood pressure problems and rendering him partially paralyzed.  His wife, Tina, subsequently asked for help from de Zuñiga's peers, prompting the local  comic book industry to embark on a series of fundraisers to help out the ailing De Zuñiga, capped by the Free Comic Book Day event held just last weekend at Comic Odyssey in Robinsons Galleria.

Ambush Comics creator and “Batibot” art director Andrew Villar, who is distantly related to de Zuñiga, considers the veteran's stature as having a profound impact on him as a kid. “My cousins would be visiting Mang Tony's house and watch him work. That's how I discovered that there was an actual Filipino working in DC Comics.”

Worked until the very end

For Gerry Alanguilan (“Wasted,” “Elmer,” “Superman: Birthright”), “Mang Tony is a member of our comic book family, and has become a fixture in our local events. Signings, comic cons, he was always there.

“Mang Tony has been a big influence for me,” he adds. “Not only in terms of artwork, but in terms of how to BE an artist.” Prior to his stroke, de Zuñiga was still doing the rounds of lectures, not to mention working on his comic book projects.

“He wasn't even just working, he was actually better than he was before,” exclaims Alanguilan. “It inspires us na, sana, in our old age, we would also be like him.”