George Perez, Legendary Comic Book Artist, Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer

George Perez, the legendary artist known for his work on DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths and Wonder Woman as well as Marvel’s The Avengers and The Infinity Gauntlet, revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with stage three pancreatic cancer.

In a Facebook post, Perez wrote that he received the diagnosis Nov. 27 and that the cancer is inoperable. Doctors have given Perez, 67, between six months to a year to live. He has opted not to undergo treatment.

“I have been given the option of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, but after weighing all the variables and assessing just how much of my remaining days would be eaten up by doctor visits, treatments, hospital stays and dealing with the often stressful and frustrating bureaucracy of the medical system, I’ve opted to just let nature take its course and I will enjoy whatever time I have left as fully as possible with my family, friends, and fans,” Perez wrote.

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The artist, who has been married for more than 40 years, is planning on making one last public appearance to meet with fans and will continue signing autographs. He retired in January 2019 due to health issues.

Perez became a star artist in the 1970s and 1980s, with an influential run on DC’s New Teen Titans leading him to work on Crisis on Infinite Earths, a generation-defining crossover event that still resonates today. Perez’s shadow looms large over comic book films, with his work helping inspire films such as Avengers: Infinity War and Wonder Woman. Filmmakers such as Wonder Woman’s Patty Jenkins have cited him as an influence on their work.

“This is not a message I enjoyed writing, especially during the Holiday Season, but, oddly enough, I’m feeling the Christmas spirit more now than I have in many years,” Perez wrote in concluding his message. “Maybe it’s because it will likely be my last. Or maybe because I am enveloped in the loving arms of so many who love me as much as I love them. It’s quite uplifting to be told that you’ve led a good life, that you’ve brought joy to so many lives and that you’ll be leaving this world a better place because you were part of it.”