DON NEWTON: DRAWING WITH POWER coming from TwoMorrows…
Some seriously groovy news coming out of San Diego Comic-Con: TwoMorrows is planning illustrated histories of two artists who never seem to quite get their due — Don Newton and Frank Robbins.
You can read about Robbins’ book over here, but Newton’s book is called Don Newton: Drawing With Power, by Jay Willson and Christopher Irving, and here’s your SNEAK PEEK at the cover…
… which, using public domain characters, riffs on the penciller’s 1983 Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #13:
The book is tentatively scheduled for spring 2027, but that’s all the detail there is for now, sez publisher John Morrow.
When Newton — who died in 1984 at the far too young age of 49 — was in his prime, I wasn’t much of a fan. I preferred what Irv Novick was doing in Batman, while Newton was on Detective. I can only chalk it up to being a 12-year-old whose tastes weren’t yet fully matured, because I can’t get enough of Newton’s art now.
The title of the book is fitting, because everything he did pulsed with strength and sinew.
I cannot wait to get my hands on this one, so I can really immerse myself in his complete oeuvre, which also included Captain Marvel, the Phantom, and much more.
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MORE
— FRANK ROBBINS Illustrated Biography in the Works at TWOMORROWS. Click here.
— Here’s DICK GIORDANO’s Moving Eulogy for DON NEWTON. Click here.
July 27, 2026
Many know Newton was one of the great Batman artists of the 70s and 80s, but as noted, he also did great work on The Phantom for Charlton and Captain Marvel (the latter being one of his favorite characters) when the Shazam! series was a backup in the World’s Finest Dollar Comic.
July 27, 2026
I was never a fan of Newton’s Batman but, man, I loved (and still love) his Shazam. Wish he’d done more Superman too.
July 27, 2026
One of the most underrated cartoonists of the 1980s. I was 11-years-old when I started reading comics regularly, and he was the artist on Batman at the time. Beautiful artwork. I also really loved how he drew Shazam/Captain Marvel (although not much of a fan of the stories themselves). I hope this book delves into Shazam reboot that he, Roy Thomas, and Jerry Ordway were working on 1984 at the time of his death (essentially a new Captain Marvel (to be called Captain Thunder) on Earth One (pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths)).
July 27, 2026
Wonderful to hear! I loved Don Newton’s art from the get-go. The moody shadows and powerful figures just seemed to amp up the stories he drew to 11, especially on Batman. I was so sad to read that Meanwhile article in DC’s comics that announced his passing. This is a definite buy for me.
July 27, 2026
I loved everything Don Newton worked on, beginning with the first Phantom issue I picked up.
July 27, 2026
Don Newton my All Time Favorite Batman and Captain Marvel artist.
July 27, 2026
I love Don Newton but, there’s no way in hell I’m buying a book about him with a cover “using public domain characters, riffs on the penciller’s 1983 Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #13 cover”, and I actually know those characters! Does DC no longer let TwoMorrows use their art on covers or is the permission fee too much? Why not go with one of his Phantom covers? I’m sure getting permission to use Phantom art would be easier and/or cheaper.
July 27, 2026
OK
July 27, 2026
Loved seeing his Captain Marvel work. Was also a fan of his BATMAN….
July 27, 2026
Thanks Dan! I’ve been working on this book for years and it’s finally close to being finished! Don was a good friend of mine and I felt that I owed him some sort of tribute. Thanks to Chris Irving and TwoMorrows, we have made that happen!
July 27, 2026
First encountered Don Newton in a cousin’s copy of Phantom #71. Instantly loved it. If you love Newton and have never read Avengers Annual #9, do yourself a favor and track down a copy. Still one of my favorite Avengers stories, and Newton is at the top of his game, with excellent inks by Joe Rubenstein.
July 27, 2026
Roy Thomas has said if Don had not passed, he would have been his choice for his post-Crisis Revival of Captain Marvel/Shazam!