Updated: This post has been updated to include a statement from Stuart Immonen.
As if you needed another reason to pick up today’s “Amazing Spider-Man” #800, it may be the last time you see Stuart Immonen’s art for awhile. According to frequent inker Wade von Grawbadger, Immonen retired after finishing the landmark anniversary issue, though whether Grawbadger’s statement means Immonen retired from comics in general or just Marvel books is up to interpretation.
“Spider-man 800, the final installment of the ‘Go Down Swinging!’ storyline, is out today and it’s a day of seriously mixed emotions. Very proud of the book and I had a blast on every page but it also marks the end of an era; Stuart retired after finishing this issue,” Grawbadger said on Tumblr. “It’s possible he may return for a small thing here or there but he was more than ready to move on to other challenges and opportunities. So could the title of this story arc be more appropriate?”
Immonen has been Marvel-exclusive since 2002 and worked on a number of notable books for the publisher, including “New Avengers,” “Ultimate Spider-Man,” “All-New X-Men,” and fan-favorite “Nextwave: Agents of Hate.”
In a later statement to Newsarama, Immonen said he has no immediate plans for other projects, but isn’t ruling new books out entirely.
“My exclusive agreement with Marvel wound down some time ago. Everyone involved is happily still on good terms,” said Immonen. “As to the rest, I have no immediate plans; if the right project with the right collaborators came along, I would of course consider it. For the moment however, Kathryn and I are enthusiastically devoting our time and energy to non-work matters.”
