Farewell, Mang Tony

We take time to celebrate the life of a true legend in comics, Tony De Zuniga.

Death is never easy to digest. Especially when the loss is so great. The comic book industry, most especially the Filipinos, lost a true legend in Tony DeZuniga. Mang Tony passed away last week after battling an illness. He was 79. Today, we grieve for his death and the loss of his family, remember the man he was, but most of all, celebrate the life he lived.

Best known for co-creating Jonah Hex for DC Comics, Tony DeZuniga was truly influential and inspirational. He was arguably the most significant person in Philippine comics history. More than being the very first Filipino artist to work for a mainstream publisher in America, his hard work and dedication to his craft gave reason for editors to hire more Philippine artists. Mang Tony brought then DC Comics editor-in-chief legend Carmine Infantino to the Philippines in 1971 to hire more artists. Because of Mang Tony, artists such as Alfredo Alcala, ER Cruz, Nestor Redondo, and Ernie Chan made it into mainstream comics. Today, the mainstream comic industry continues to have a large pool of talented Filipino artists, a relationship that began with Mang Tony and his American publishers. DeZuniga was more than just the first Filipino artist to work for mainstream comics, he was, above all, the greatest Filipino ambassador we had to comics.

Versatility was something inherent in Mang Tony’s work. Name any top character and he has probably worked on them. This success led him to create a beloved character for comics with Jonah Hex and DeZuniga’s style and passion in co-creating that character led to its success and eventually becoming a Hollywood movie.

Hanging out with Mang Tony and Kristine Chuco-Tan in Comic Con

From Philip Tan to Gerry Alanguilan, many of our local artists were affected by the passing of a true legend. Gerry Alanguilan mentioned in his Komikero blog that Mang Tony was always there as a steady presence in the conventions and events. He was always there to interact with the fans. From our own experiences, whether it be Komikon or a book signing, Mang Tony always gave his time to meet with fans and offer sketches for anyone who wanted one.

There is no denying that comic book fans will miss Mang Tony. As an artist, his style and work ethic has inspired hundreds of artists around the world. As a man, his warmth and care for others always stood out as something to be imitated. Above all, he was proud to be a Filipino and for any local artist out there who wants to make it into the industry, remember that Mang Tony paved the way. He believed in the talent of the Filipino artist and that’s what the world saw. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Mang Tony!