Carlos Pacheco, Avengers Forever artist, dies at age 60

Legendary comic book artist Carlos Pacheco has died at the age of 60 after a battle with ALS, a diagnosis which he disclosed earlier this year, announcing his retirement from the comic industry at the same time.

Known primarily for his work on Marvel Comics, Pacheco began his career working on European editions of Marvel titles from his native Spain, before breaking into American comics in the mid-'90s.

In his multi-decade career, there are few Marvel characters Pacheco didn't put his stamp on. Pacheco's big break in American comics came as the artist of Avengers Forever working with writer Kurt Busiek on a 12-issue story that spanned multiple timelines of the Marvel Universe.

Pacheco also enjoyed notable runs on the Fantastic Four and Captain America, as well as a long stint as a go-to artist for numerous X-Men titles and projects.

At DC, Pacheco grew his reputation as one of the artists on the much acclaimed Green Lantern Rebirth, which brought the Silver Age Green Lantern Hal Jordan back from the dead and back into the role. He also worked on the Justice League, the Flash, Superman/Batman, and more, fully solidifying himself as one of the top superhero artists of the last 20 years.

One of Pacheco's final published works reunited him with Kurt Busiek for a new volume of their creator-owned comic Arrowsmith, published through Image Comics.

His final released art was a variant cover for Marvel's Damage Control #2.

Following news of his passing, Marvel honored Pacheco in a tweet recalling some of his most notable work, stating "We mourn the loss of a dear part of the Marvel family, comic artist & writer Carlos Pacheco. His legacy of iconic designs and storytelling like Avengers Forever, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Excalibur, Captain America, and more will be remembered. Our thoughts are with his loved ones."

In 2001, Pacheco's hometown of San Roque, Spain declared him "Hijo Predilecto," an honorific title meaning "favorite son."