| Tim Sale | |
|---|---|
 Sale at the 2011 New York Comic Con | |
| Born | May 1, 1956 Ithaca, New York, U.S. |
| Died | June 16, 2022 (aged 66) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Area(s) | Penciller, Inker |
Notable works | Batman: The Long Halloween Batman: Dark Victory Superman For All Seasons |
| Awards | Eisner Award "Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team", 1999 |
Timothy Roger Sale (May 1, 1956 – June 16, 2022) was an American comics artist, "best known for his work on the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman and for influencing depictions of Batman in numerous films."[1] He is primarily known for his collaborations with writer Jeph Loeb, which included both comics work and artwork for the TV series Heroes. Sale's renditions of Batman influenced modern cinematic depictions of the character, with film directors and actors directly citing Sale's work.
Tim Sale was born on May 1, 1956,[2] in Ithaca, New York, the son of Dorothy Young,[1][3] a feminist political activist,[1] and Roger Sale, a literary critic.[3]
He spent most of his early life in Seattle, Washington, having moved there with his family at age six.[4] He attended the University of Washington for two years before moving to New York City to attend the School of Visual Arts, as well as the comics workshop run by artist John Buscema. Mr. Sale completed the "John Buscema Art School, which was advertised in the pages of Marvel Comics and held in a New York City hotel for a short time in the 1970s."[1]
He returned to Seattle before graduating from SVA.[5]
Sale began doing art for the series MythAdventures in 1983, and was soon working on Thieves' World.[6]
The body of Sale's comics work has been with collaborator Jeph Loeb.[7] The duo, credited in their comics as 'storytellers', produced popular work such as the "Year 1"-centered Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials,[8] Batman: The Long Halloween,[9] Batman: Dark Victory,[10] as well as Superman for All Seasons[11] and Catwoman: When in Rome.[12] At Marvel Comics, the team has produced the so-called "color" books such as Daredevil: Yellow,[13] Spider-Man: Blue,[14] and Hulk: Gray.[15] A Captain America: White limited series was announced in 2008 but only a #0 issue was published. The long-delayed project finally saw print in September 2015.[16]
With Darwyn Cooke, Sale launched the Superman Confidential series in 2007.[17]
Sale worked on artwork for the television program Heroes, where his frequent collaborator Jeph Loeb served as a writer and producer. Sale's artwork appeared in the show as the work of the precognitive artist Isaac Mendez as well as other artists on the show. Eric Powell was hired as the colorist for Sale's work. Sale also created the font used in the show's captions and credits, which he based on his handwriting.[18][19]
In 2021, The Long Halloween was adapted for a two-part animated film from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.[1]
Sale won an Eisner Award in 1999 in the "Best Artist/Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team" category.[20]
Sale lived in the Seattle metropolitan area. On June 13, 2022, Jim Lee announced Sale had been admitted to the hospital with severe health issues. Representatives of Sale later confirmed he was in the hospital while asking for privacy.[21] Three days later, Sale died on June 16, from kidney failure.[1][22][23] "He is survived by his mother; his sister, Maggie Sale; and his partner, Susan Bailey."[1]
DC Comics publisher Jim Lee praised Sale, saying, "Tim Sale was an amazing artist, draftsman and storyteller. Beyond the taut chiaroscuro style which became his trademark. Tim clearly put a premium on storytelling, clarity and pacing — cherishing emotion above all. His stories were beautifully visceral, nuanced and evinced deep humanity. Tim simply had no use for surface banality."[1]
Filmmakers Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves, both of whom directed Batman films, have cited Batman: The Long Halloween and its sequel, Batman: Dark Victory, as an influence on those films. In an interview with the website World of Batman, Christian Bale, who played the character, characterized the "really fantastic imagery" with which Sale rendered those works. Commenting on Sale's figurework, Bale stated, "I would kind of imitate those positions."[1]
