Herb Trimpe was an American comics artist and occasional writer born on May 26, 1939, whose contributions to Marvel Comics left a quiet but durable mark on the medium. He passed away on April 13, 2015.
Trimpe's professional comics work began in the early 1960s, and over a career spanning more than five decades he accumulated credits on more than a thousand issues as artist, inker, colorist, and writer. He is perhaps most closely associated with The Incredible Hulk, where his steady, expressive linework defined the visual identity of the green goliath throughout much of the 1970s. His long run on that title made him one of Marvel's most dependable and recognizable house artists of the era.
Beyond the Hulk, Trimpe holds a distinctive place in comics history as the first artist to draw Wolverine for publication — a character who would go on to become one of Marvel's most popular figures, particularly through his association with the X-Men. At the time, it was simply another assignment; in retrospect, it stands as one of the more consequential single-issue contributions in superhero publishing.
His credits also extended to titles including Marvel Super-Heroes and The Mighty World of Marvel, reflecting a versatility that kept him active across different formats and international markets. Trimpe remains respected among historians and fans as an artist whose workmanlike reliability masked genuine craft.
