By d. emerson eddy — This past Friday, the comics industry learned of the loss of one of its legends in Denny O'Neil. His influence and legacy across the medium is vast, with rightfully lauded work on Batman, The Question, and Green Lantern/Green Arrow. He worked hard, both as a writer and an editor, to elevate the medium, to push progressive ideas, and ensure that the stories could be considered with maturity and depth. He understood well that social issues and politics could be tackled through comics storytelling and helped comics “grow up” in the '70s and '80s. Though often dark and dealing with difficult subject matter, his work was never what you'd consider “grim and gritty” or an adolescent's idea of maturity. He simply wrote great comics, and through editorial, he helped guide, mentor, and influence many of comics' great creators over the past four decades.