Disney Comics Great Patrick McGreal Passes Away at 68
One of the great Disney comic book writers of the past thirty years, Patrick “Pat” McGreal, past away on Monday at the age of 68.
McGreal’s Disney Legacy
In 1991, McGreal joined the team of Disney comics. He went on to write more than 600 stories for Egmont Comic Creations. Egmont is a Copenhagen-based group responsible for distributing Disney comics around the world.
Along with penning stories about Mickey and his pals, McGreal also developed Scrooge McDuck and his community in many stories.
Following the release of “The Little Mermaid” feature film in 1989, Mcgreal also took on the task of continuing the narrative of the strong-willed princess.
After participating in the writing process for many years, his wife Carol became McGreal’s official co-writer in 1997. Together, they crafted tales of Blotman, Rodent, Goofus D. Dawg, and Doc Stat. He even crafted Batman parodies for the company.
Tributes Pour in for Comic Legend
“Missing Patrick McGreal, my old friend and Disney comics colleague, who passed away several days ago. An ace of a guy, an incredible writer, and an extra-incredible *dialogue* writer, Pat—with his wife Carol, another great comics talent—spent decades making Duckburg and Mouseton richer,” said David Gerstein, an author, editor and Disney comic historian, according to a CBR article.
Nominted for an Eisner Award for Best Limited Series, McGreal received acclaim for his work on Chiaroscuro: The Private Lives of Leonardo da Vinci in 1996. He developed that for comic powerhouse DC/Vertigo.
Such terrible news to hear that Pat McGreal died yesterday. Pat was a smart, inventive writer of Vertigo’s Chiaroscuro series (w/Dave Rawson) & the Veils and I,Paparazzi graphic novels. He was a great storyteller, kind, gracious & fun to be around. I will miss him. R.I.P, Pat. pic.twitter.com/pJMU3kWswu
— Karen Berger (@karenpberger) June 1, 2021
Recently, McGreal published a Justice League story for DC Comics. He also authored a series for DC comics featuring superhero Flashpoint. His acclaimed photography-based graphic novel titled, “I, Paparazzi,” diversified his extensive portfolio.
A gifted writer and leader in the field of comic arts, McGreal’s talents will certainly be missed. Still, his work will live on through his adventures for so many classic characters, including Indiana Jones, Tarzan, Captain Marvel, Flash, Hawkman, and even the Simpsons.
Feature Image Credit: Disney Comics