In the 1970s and ‘80s, artist Ernie Chan made his mark several times over at DC and Marvel. As a penciller and inker, Chan is known for multiple titles at the big two, especially for his tenures on Batman and Detective Comics and series starring Conan the Barbarian.

Chan was born (and sometimes credited as) Ernie Chua on July 27, 1940, in the Philippines. Emigrating to the US in 1970, he got into comics two years later at DC, penciling horror and mystery titles like House of Mystery, The Unexpected, and Ghosts. Not long after this, he started working regularly at Marvel on Conan the Barbarian, inking John Buscema, and on Incredible Hulk, inking Sal Buscema.

In the mid-‘70s, he provided art on Claw the Unconquered and Detective Comics while also serving as the primary cover artist at DC. Back at Marvel, he inked Tom Sutton’s Doctor Strange, contributed to Kull the Destroyer, and drew Power Man and Iron Fist.

Throughout the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, Chan primarily drew Savage Sword of Conan and Conan the Barbarian. In the early ‘90s he worked outside of comics at Sega on Eternal Champions, providing character designs and additional art.

Chan retired in 2002 and died on May 16, 2012, at the age of 71.