There was no way for me to know it at the time, but Neal Adams contributed inks (and some evident alteration) for the cover of the first comic book I purchased in my collecting career:

Yeah, those Tarzan images are iconic. For me, those Adams paintings (framed in black) on the Ballantine paperbacks from the late '70s are the best Tarzan book covers ever.

Just found a site with all of the splash pages from the Adams/Palmer X-Men issues: diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2009/09/making-splash-neal-adamstom-palmer-x.html

This is what I saw when I opened the cover I posted above:

My intro to his work was the "Batman from the '30s to the '70s" book, which I got from the library several times as a young kid. Adams' detailed, atmospheric art coming right on the heels of the earlier, more simplistic '60s stuff was quite the contrast, and I was completely blown away.

I’ve probably told this story before, but about 10 years ago I found out almost last minute that Neal was going to be at my local shop. I haven’t been to any cons of significance and have only met a few creators. But at that time I considered him one of my favorite three artists, and arranged to get off work early and go.

I planned to just get the one free signing and then maybe buy a print or possibly a sketch depending on how it went. I debated what book to bring, and decided on the Deadman deluxe hardcover.

It was a decent turnout, but many people just came and went quickly, while a couple of us were able to just sorta hang out next to his table and listen to his stories and chat with him a bit. During this time I heard that he inked my favorite cover of all-time, Micronauts #7. I scrambled home and found it, and brought my wife back with me to get it signed.

Decided to get a sketch, and as he was multi-tasking, had what might have been a full hour standing next to him hearing more stories, and asking questions. Another big Micronauts fan was there, and he, Neal, and I had an extended conversation about the rights between Marvel and Hasbro.

In perhaps the most surreal couple minutes of my life, Neal Adams sang us a little ditty he created on the spot about how Hasbro’s Marty Abrams was such a jerk.

He had his faults, but between his wonderful art, hand in creating many DC characters, and work on creator’s rights he is Comic Book Hall of Fame first ballot. And for me, I’ll never forget that odd and wonderful couple hours I had next to him and his family.

Adams was also one of the allies of Jenette Kahn when she took over running DC Comics. I've read that they spent extensive time together talking about what DC could be doing, how to improve their production department, treatment and remuneration for creators. he was instrumental in shaming Warner Bros into giving a lifetime stipend to Siegel & Shuster, which Kahn got bumped up to more significant money, in later eyars (though still a drop in the bucket compared to what they were owed).

Wasn't a fan of Continuity; but loved the earlier work, from all over.