Comic, Manga Letterer Dave Lanphear Dies at 58
Lanphear's death removes a letterer whose digital techniques and manga work, including Bleach and Beyblade, connected the American comic industry to the Japanese manga market at a time when both were expanding.
Key Facts
- Dave Lanphear died on August 18 from complications related to diabetes, as reported by Bleeding Cool and first shared by his sister Tera Lanphear on Facebook on August 22.
- Lanphear was 58 years old at the time of his death, born on June 5, 1968.
- He won two Eisner Awards in 2011 for Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard.
- He was nominated for Harvey Awards as Best Letterer in 2012 and 2014.
- His manga lettering credits include Beyblade, Bleach, Densha Otoko, and Oyayubihime Infinity.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Inside.
Comic book and manga letterer Dave Lanphear died on August 18 from complications related to diabetes, according to a Bleeding Cool report that his sister Tera Lanphear first shared on Facebook on August 22. He was 58. Lanphear was an award-winning cartoonist, letterer, art director, and story producer. He was born on June 5, 1968, and worked as a newspaper illustrator from 1985 to 1989. He joined Comicraft in 1994, where he helped advance digital lettering techniques, then left in 1999 to lead the lettering department at CrossGen Entertainment. He later co-founded Artmonkeys Studios and worked as a freelance letterer. His comic credits span Marvel, DC, Image, Valiant, Malibu, and Dynamite, with work on titles like Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman '78, Mighty Avengers, and Wonder Woman. In manga, he lettered Beyblade, Bleach, Densha Otoko, and Oyayubihime Infinity. He won two Eisner Awards in 2011 for Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, and was nominated for Harvey Awards as Best Letterer in 2012 and 2014. Comic-Con International posted condolences on Thursday, noting his prolific work across major publishers.
Dave Lanphear's career spanned multiple roles beyond lettering. He worked as a storyboard artist and revisionist on television series such as Dragon Tales and Ultimate Spider-Man. His portfolio was hosted on Coroflot, and his sister Tera Lanphear and fiancee Laura Bee survive him, according to Comic-Con International's statement.
Lanphear's lettering credits include Danger Girl, X-Men/WildCATS, Fraggle Rock, and Thunderbolts, in addition to the titles already noted. His manga work included Densha Otoko and Oyayubihime Infinity alongside the more widely known Bleach and Beyblade. The Eisner Awards he won in 2011 were for Best Graphic Album and Best Anthology, recognizing his contributions to Return of the Dapper Men and Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard respectively.
Bleeding Cool reported the cause of death as complications from diabetes. The news spread through social media, with Comic-Con International posting its condolences on Thursday, the day before Anime News Network published its report. Lanphear's influence on digital lettering, developed during his time at Comicraft, was noted by Bleeding Cool as a significant contribution to the field.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- Anime News Network News Comic, Manga Letterer Dave Lanphear Dies at 58
- Inside 合法的に「BLEACH」の「黒棺」が詠唱できる！？ カードゲームの“原作再現”が、とってもユニークと話題