Prolific comic creator George Pérez, who made his mark on both DC and Marvel, announced that he is officially retiring from comic work.

In an open letter, Pérez started by addressing the speculation regarding new projects, convention appearances, and his health, and stated that he wanted to clear things up to quell rumors and speculation.

“With respect to future published work in comics and such…while I know it’s been no secret that I’ve been dealing with a myriad number of health issues (diabetes, heart ailments, vision issues, etc.), they have indeed forced me to, for all intents and purposes, formally retire from the business of creating new comics stories.”

Pérez also expressed that due to the strain on his eyes, he’ll no longer do private commissions. He will still do some prearranged sketches at cons, though 2019 will be the last year that he’ll appear at conventions.

During his 40-year career in comics as an artist and writer, he acquired an impressive number of credits and contributions. Pérez was part of major storylines and drew most significant characters for Marvel and DC. He and regular collaborator Marv Wolfman co-created The New Teen Titans, teaming Robin, Wonder Girl, and Kid Flash with other teenage heroes. The pair also led the Crisis on Infinite Earths event that rewrote and trimmed DC’s large history.

“I’ve had a wonderfully good run doing exactly what I have wanted to do since I was a child. Now I can sit back and watch the stuff I helped create entertain whole new generations,” Pérez said. “That’s a pretty nice legacy to look back on.”