DC Comics
Dillin returned to Blackhawk, now a DC property, and when the book's initial run ended, was assigned Justice League of America, a superteam series featuring, at the time, Superman, Batman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and the Atom. Dillin penciled the series from #64–183 (Aug. 1968–Oct. 1980), except for the planned reprint issues #67, 76, 85 and 93; issue #153 which was pencilled by George Tuska; and issue #157 where he provided the intro and epilogue pages while Juan Ortiz pencilled the main story.[4][6] He had completed the first 2½ pages of #184 when he died; penciler George Pérez and inker Frank McLaughlin took over the title, starting that issue from scratch.[7]
Dillin's tenure on JLA included the reintroduction of Red Tornado. He and writer Dennis O'Neil made several changes to the membership of the JLA by removing founding members Wonder Woman and the Martian Manhunter.[8] They also oversaw the migration of the Black Canary from Earth-2 to Earth-1; and the introduction of the JLA satellite. Dillin and writer Len Wein produced the return of the Seven Soldiers of Victory in issues #100–102[9] and the introduction of the Quality Comics characters to the DC continuity as the Freedom Fighters in issues #107–108.[10]
In late 1972, Dillin drew the DC chapter of a metafictional unofficial crossover crafted by writers Wein, Steve Englehart, and Gerry Conway spanning titles from both major comics companies. Each comic featured Englehart, Conway, and Wein, as well as Wein's first wife Glynis, interacting with Marvel or DC characters at the Rutland Halloween Parade in Rutland, Vermont. Beginning in Amazing Adventures #16 (by Englehart with art by Bob Brown and Frank McLaughlin), the story continued in Justice League of America #103 (by Wein, Dillin and Dick Giordano), and concluded in Thor #207 (by Conway and penciler John Buscema).[11][12][13]
Wein and Dillin created the supervillain Libra in Justice League of America #111 (June 1974),[14] who would play a leading role in Grant Morrison's Final Crisis storyline in 2008. Dillin drew the return of Wonder Woman to the team in issues #128–129 (March–April 1976).[15] He and writer Steve Englehart crafted a new origin story for the JLA in issue #144[16] and inducted Hawkgirl into the team two issue later.[17] Other highlights of Dillin's tenure included the 1976 integration of the defunct and newly acquired Fawcett Comics heroes in issues #135–137, and the murder of the original Mister Terrific in issue #171.[18] Dillin and writer Bob Haney created the
He was living in Peekskill, New York, at the time of his death.[1] As per the letters page of Justice League of America #184, Dillin suffered a heart attack.
