What is John Paul Leon's net worth? Inside comic book artist's fortune as he loses cancer battle at 49
On May 1, John Paul Leon, best known for his work on Static and Earth X, died at the age of 49. The cause of death has not been confirmed, but his GoFundMe states that it was due to his 14-year battle with cancer.
"Last night we lost John Paul Leon, one of the greatest draftsmen in the history of comics, the kind of artist that EVERY artist revered. Those who loved him had some warning, but not enough," Chris Conroy, a senior editor at DC Comics through whom the news came, wrote on Twitter.
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It seems the news is out.
— Chris Conroy (@ConroyForReal) May 2, 2021
Last night we lost John Paul Leon, one of the greatest draftsmen in the history of comics, the kind of artist that EVERY artist revered. Those who loved him had some warning, but not enough. pic.twitter.com/1x73cComE7
"Because of the long gestation period of BATMAN: CREATURE OF THE NIGHT, working with JP just might have been one of the longest professional relationships of my career. Every minute of it was a joy. I've never worked with anyone as kind, as thoughtful, as dedicated," he said. Here's what's to know about how much the comic book artist was worth.
What is John Paul Leon's net worth?
John Paul Leon's net worth is estimated to be between $1M and $5M, according to Celebs Age Wiki. The artist began his career as a black and white illustrator for the TSR's Dragon and Dungeon magazines when he was 16 years old. While at the School of Visual Arts in New York, he majored in illustration and studied under artists such as Will Eisner, Walter Simonson and Jack Potter.
The artist died at 10 am on May 2 after a 14-year battle with cancer, according to his GoFundMe page which was set up by fellow illustrator Tommy Lee Edwards. His "wish was to have any funds from his art sales go into a trust for his 17-year-old daughter, and help fund her future education and interests in engineering," the bio read. The artist leaves behind a wife, a daughter and an older brother. The funding page is run by JP's studio-mates Tommy Lee Edwards and Bernard Chang at the behest of the Leon family.
The awesome @tommyleeedwards has set up a GoFundMe for John Paul Leon's family. You can donate here: https://t.co/gDaOKzHgU5
— Jody Houser ✒️🗯️🎲 (@Jody_Houser) May 3, 2021
I'll share some more art too. The first three pages of his Mother Panic arc... Just another day in Gotham. And a beautiful unused cover concept sketch. pic.twitter.com/4oBFVdFw9M
Worked on Batman, Superman and X-Men
JP started his professional comics career while studying at SVA, drawing 'Static' for DC Comics/Milestone. He graduated from SVA with a bachelor's degree in fine arts in 1994 and went on to work on top pop culture icons such as Superman, Batman and X-Men. 'RoboCop' (1992) and 'RoboCop: Prime Suspect' (1992) for Dark Horse Comics was his first foray into comics. He then went on to work for DC Comics on 'Static' (1993) and 'Static Shock!: Rebirth of the Cool' (2001), where he helped to start the Milestone Comics Universe.
John Paul Leon was a comic book humanist. He grounded the inherent absurdity of conveying myth and story through inked panels by insisting the emotional struggle of our lived experience be in every line, every picture. And he was a joy of a man, kind and funny, to the end. RIP. pic.twitter.com/ERLxdJjnIX
— Tom King (@TomKingTK) May 2, 2021
Awards
Leon and Tom King were nominated for an Eisner for their work on the short story 'Black Death in America', which first appeared in Vertigo's CMYK: Black issue. The Eisner Awards, also known as the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, are given for artistic achievement in American comic books. They are also referred to as the Academy Awards of the comics industry.
Not much is known about Leon's house or his other material possessions. His website says that he lived in Miami, Florida.