News of David Bowie’s passing brought an outpouring of tributes from many who were creatively influenced and admire the pop future legend, including those in the comic industry. Bowie’s eccentric life attracted a diversity of comic industry pros who celebrated his life in their own way.
Last year, Neil Gaiman released the short fiction collection Trigger Warning. Gaiman chose to tribute Bowie by releasing his short story The Return of the Thin White Duke online. Gaiman explains briefly how this story ties to Bowie.
I never met David Bowie. After a while it almost became a game: I only had one hero left, and it was him. The nearest I came to it was meaning to send him a copy of Trigger Warning, with this story in it, and an apologetic note.
It’s unabashedly fan fiction. You can find the story of its origin in Trigger Warning.
Additional artwork from The Return of The Thin White Duke can be found on Yoshitaka Amano’s website.
A bevy of artists took to social media with David Bowie illustrations
Farewell Spaceboy. #DavidBowieRIP pic.twitter.com/KC0Wdcwxdk
— Dave McCaig (@DaveMcCaig) January 11, 2016
“The stars look very different today” – #DavidBowie https://t.co/l4gOZwPpNx pic.twitter.com/N9GiAlbics
— David Mack (@davidmackkabuki) January 12, 2016
Erin Humiston included the late Motörhead frontman Lemmy, who passed away on December 28.
“Ground Control to Major Tom Commencing countdown, engines on. Check ignition and may God’s love be with you” pic.twitter.com/j90FzYvRWZ
— FrancescoFrancavilla (@f_francavilla) January 11, 2016
icymi i drew a quick bowie last night. shout out to bowie, i bet his and lou reed’s spirits are doin cool shit rn pic.twitter.com/tg0o0hvzHC
— VII (@RamonVillalobos) January 11, 2016
— Bill Sienkiewicz (@sinKEVitch) January 11, 2016
Meanwhile, Michael Allerd turned his Instagram into a curated selection of Bowie images. His love of Bowie is no surprise to anyone familiar with Red Rocket 7. Interestingly enough, Allred chose not to post his own artwork with the images.
Roger Langridge made a comic strip, Goodbye Spaceboy, to bid adieu.
Gail Simone shared how Bowie impacted her life and writing in a series of tweets.
I just heard about David Bowie’s death. The fact that he wasn’t immortal is impossible to come to grips with.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
I grew up rough, in a house where art and music played no role. My first Bowie album cracked that world in half.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
Bowie was my first exposure to another world, where artistic courage was indomitable and dangerous and wonderful.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
I loaned Damond Dogs to a friend of mine. His father heard one track, looked at the cover,band threw the album in the river.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
It was then that I knew Bowie was on to something.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
From that day, that very day, everything changed for me. My clothes, my tastes, my ideas, and my dreams.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
To this day, once a month, I listen to all of Bowie’s albums in order, start to finish.n
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
Bowie was the artist who made other musicians better artists just by existing.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
When I am about to do a project that scares me, Bowie is always the fearless dapper sun that says, “fuck fear.”
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
Thank you, David Jones. Today is a day for you and Mick and Spiders and the Thin White Duke. If not for you, I don’t know what I would be.
— GAIL SIMONE (@GailSimone) January 11, 2016
And finally, in what may be the largest collection of it’s kind online, comics and pop culture journalist Sean T. Collins has been procuring David Bowie sketches since 2007. Over 100 sketches have been upload so far to his Flicker account, which include works by artists Becky Cloonan, Paul Pope, Jeff Lemire, Hope Larson and many more.
Thanks to Smash Pages staff for help compiling this post.
You’re missing Headlocked Artist Michel Mulipola’s (twitter: @BloodySamoan) contribution, which while simple, for me embodied the emotion of losing some one as legendary as Bowie the most. And I feel stands out over all the more detailed works done.