The Comics Super Blog!
The co-creator of ‘Route 666’ and Joss Whedon’s ‘Fray’ passes away at 51.
Karl Moline, the artist known for his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for CrossGen and more, has passed away at the age of 51. No cause of death has been reported.
“In a week of awful news, there is unfortunately more,” Marz wrote on social media. “I learned that artist Karl Moline has passed away. Lovely guy, beautiful artist, one of my studiomates at CrossGen. Gone much too soon, deepest condolences to his family.”
Continue reading “Rest in peace, Karl Moline”The artist of ‘Astonishing X-Men,’ ‘Planetary’ and more has passed away at 52.
John Cassaday, the co-creator and artist of Planetary, has passed away yesterday at the age of 52. The news was reported by his sister on social media, as well as by his colleagues and friends.
“My dear friend John Cassaday passed today at the absurdly young age of 52 and I miss him already,” said writer Mark Waid, who met Cassaday when he reviewed his portfolio in the 1990s.
“John Cassaday, I will say without hesitation and with very little fear of disagreement, was one of the very best illustrators and storytellers to ever work in the comics medium,” Waid continued. “Like Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, or Michael Golden, he is a touchstone, a reference point to the dozens and dozens of artists whose work was influenced by his. Most people are lucky if more than a dozen people are still talking about them a month after they pass. My friend John will be talked about and remembered by an entire industry for ages. And rightfully so. Rest in peace, sir.”
Continue reading “Rest in peace, John Cassaday”The creator of ‘The Jam’ and ‘Grendel: The Devil Within’ has passed away at 63.
Bernie Mireault, creator of The Jam, Mackenzie Queen and Dr. Robot, and the artist of Matt Wagner’s Grendel: The Devil Inside, has passed away at the age of 63.
Mireault’s death was shared by his friend and fellow artist Howard Chackowicz, who posted on Facebook that Mireault committed suicide on Monday.
“Bernie was a wonderful friend (truly like a brother to me),” Chackowicz wrote. “I can’t tell you how much he’s helped me over the years, what a great, great person, I love him so much. My heart and soul goes out to his two sons and his three sisters, his family and friends.”
Continue reading “Rest in peace, Bernie Mireault”The artist of ‘Sandman,’ ‘The Last Temptation’ and ‘Puma Blues’ has passed away at the age of 71.
Michael Zulli, the creator of Puma Blues and artist on Sandman, Alice Cooper: The Last Temptation and many more beautifully drawn comics, has passed away at the age of 71. The news was shared by artist and publisher Stephen Bissette, who published Zulli’s work in several issues of Bissette’s Taboo in the late 1980s/early 1990s.
“Beloved longtime friend, irreplaceable Taboo ally and co-conspirator, and among the greatest animal artists who ever worked in the comics medium anywhere in the world—miss you, Michael Zulli, proud to have walked a few beats in this crazy creative path with you,” Stephen Bissette wrote on Facebook.
Continue reading “Rest in peace, Michael Zulli”Entries are due by the end of August.
Mad Cave Studios has announced their 2024 Talent Search, which they’ve conducted for the past seven years. Previous winners have gone on to work with Mad Cave and other publishers, including Anthony Cleveland, Jay Sandlin, David Hazan, Shane Connery Volk and many more.
The type of talent they’re looking for changes every year; up until 2022, they were looking for writers and artists, but that year they expanded it to include colorists and letterers. This year they are doubling the number of winners in each category, as they are looking for two writers, two illustrators, two colorists and two letterers to work on upcoming projects.
Continue reading “Mad Cave Studios launches their 2024 Talent Search”Here are three things to see, to buy and to view in comics this week.
Three Count spotlights, as the title suggests, three things from comics today. It’ll be three things with links, no more, no less. Hope you survive the experience.
It’s a pretty good time to be an X-Men fan. Not only is there the mega-popular X-Men ’97 animated series on Disney+ and a new Deadpool & Wolverine movie coming this summer, but there’s also a lot going on with Marvel’s merry mutants in the comics. As the Krakoa era ends in spectacular fashion, the From the Ashes era gets set to begin, and I’m not sure you could have the excitement of one without the game-changing nature of the other.
Gerry Duggan has been part of the Krakoa journey since the beginning, writing both Marauders and X-Men, as well as Iron Man, which seemed to find its way into the line at the end. In addition to being a writer, Duggan is also a photographer, and even crowdfunded a book of his photos a couple years back. In his Substack newsletter this week, he shared a collection of photos of his fellow creators he’s taken during the Krakoa journey, at retreats and other meet-ups, spanning several years and a pandemic. Outside of stalking them at bars during conventions, it’s rare that you get to see creators interacting like this … in meeting rooms and, yes, at bars.
Continue reading “Three Count | Krakoa in pictures, Jinkies, Mermay”The announcement follows recent allegations of misconduct against Piskor.
Jim Rugg has shared he has ended his professional relationship with Ed Piskor, who was accused of inappropriate behavior by multiple women this past week.
“In light of this past week’s shocking revelations, I find it necessary to reevaluate my professional associations to ensure they align with my values of respect and integrity,” Rugg wrote on Instagram. “Therefore, I have ended my working relationship with Ed Piskor.”
Continue reading “Jim Rugg ends working relationship with Ed Piskor”The Hall of Fame comics artist and co-creator of Metamorpho and Aqualad has passed away at 97.
Ramona Fradon, the longtime DC artist and co-creator of Metamorpho, passed away yesterday at the age of 97 — a little more than a month after officially retiring from drawing comics.
The news was announced by her art agent, Scott Kress of Catskill Comics, on Facebook.
“Ramona was 97 and had a long career in the comic book industry and was still drawing just a few days ago. She was a remarkable person in so many ways. I will miss all the great conversations and laughs we had. I am blessed that I was able to work with her on a professional level, but also able to call her my friend,” the post reads.
Continue reading “Rest in peace, Ramona Fradon”The former editor-in-chief of Marvel UK and veteran artist passed away on Feb. 10 after a long illness.
Paul Neary, the former Marvel UK editor-in-chief and artist of Captain America, Excalibur, The Ultimates and more, has passed away at the age of 74. Neary died of a long illness on Feb. 10, as reported by his longtime colleague Alan Davis and shared by Paul Levitz.
“In a career of more than 50 years Paul earned international respect and recognition in numerous roles within the comic book industry,” Davis shared. “Paul could write, pencil, ink, colour, letter and edit. Skills he learned from studying the medium with an academic zeal.”
Neary was born in Bournemouth, England in 1949, and would attend college at Leeds University. According to Davis, Neary traveled to New York over his first summer at university to try and break into the comics industry.
“Comics were an enthusiastic hobby for Paul when he moved to Leeds University to study for a degree in Metallurgy, but in his first summer break Paul travelled to New York, bluffed his way into Jim Warren’s office, and secured his first professional work on Eerie magazine,” Davis said.
Neary’s work would regularly appear in Eerie, where he drew the “Hunter” series, which was about a half-breed warrior who fights for survival on a weird, irradiated alternate Earth.
Continue reading “Rest in peace, Paul Neary”The creator of “Spinning” and “On A Sunbeam” will begin her tenure in April.
The Vermont Arts Council and the Center for Cartoon Studies have announced that Tillie Walden will serve as the next Cartoonist Laureate for the state. Her tenure will begin on April 13 when she will be recognized on the Vermont Statehouse floor.
“I’m so pleased Tillie Walden will serve as Vermont’s next cartoonist laureate,” said U.S. Representative Becca Balint (D-Vermont) in a press release. “She creates richly imagined worlds that transport readers on emotional and fantastical journeys and reminds us all of the importance of having a deep sense of self. Congratulations for this special accomplishment, and thank you for being part of a unique tradition that sets Vermont apart.”
Walden is the award-winning creator of several graphic novels, including the Eisner-winning Are You Listening? and Spinning, the L.A. Times Book Prize-winning On A Sunbeam and The Walking Dead tie-in graphic novel Clementine. She has two new graphic novels due out this year — a second Clementine book and Junior High, a collaboration with musicians Tegan and Sara.
Walden will be the fifth Cartoonist Laureate for Vermont, which I believe is still the only state that has one. Her term will last three years. She joins a list that includes James Kolchalka, Ed Koren, Alison Bechdel and Rick Veitch in holding the title.
The artist’s family announced this week that Pearson died from natural causes at the age of 52 last month.
Jason Pearson, the creator of Body Bags and a founding member of Gaijin Studios, passed away on Dec. 19 at the age of 52. His family revealed that he died on his Facebook page.
“Jason leaves behind a legacy of work that will be cherished by readers for decades to come,” their statement reads, which says he passed away from natural causes. “His hyper-kinetic style and breathless pace will be studied by both aspiring artists and seasoned professionals as long as the comic book medium exists. While sometimes a controversial figure, no one could ever question his commitment to the craft or the quality of work he produced as both a writer and artist.”
Continue reading “‘Body Bags’ creator Jason Pearson passed away in December”The co-creator of ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ and ‘Nemesis the Warlock’ has passed away ‘after a long illness.’
London comic retailer Gosh! Comics is reporting that Kevin O’Neill, known for his work on the earliest issues of 2000AD as well as for being declared objectionable by the Comics Code Authority for his entire art style, has passed away. No cause of death was reported, but Gosh! did say O’Neill had been suffering from a “long illness.”
“We had worked a lot with Kevin over the past two decades and had the highest personal and professional regard for him, and of course the impact he has had on the comics landscape cannot be overstated,” their post reads.
O’Neill’s impact included the co-creation of several comics, including Nemesis the Warlock and Marshal Law, both with writer Pat Mills, as well as The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen with Alan Moore. He’s won multiple Eisner and Harvey awards, as well as an Eagle Award and a Bram Stoker award.
Continue reading “Rest in peace, Kevin O’Neill”
