Comics Blog: Michael Turner, Writer/Artist, founder of Aspen Studios, dead at 37

Michael Turner, famed comic book writer/artist and co-founder of Aspen Studios, passed away from complications deriving from his fight against cancer. He was 37 years old. Turner exploded onto the comic book scene in the late 1990's, discovered by writer/artist Marc Silvestri at a comics convention. Silvestri hired Turner to work for Top Cow Productions, and it was there that Turner would co-create Witchblade, a comic which went on to become a best-seller, inspire a short-lived television series, and continues to this day. In 1998 Turner created his almost-equally popular comic Fathom, and shortly thereafter, 2002, he left Top Cow to form his own company, Aspen. Under the Aspen banner, after settling a lawsuit with Top Cow in 2003, Turner continued to work on Fathom as well as his new series, Soulfire, both of which continued to be top-sellers.



In 2000, Turner was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma, a form of cancer, in his right pelvis. He underwent surgery, in which he lost his entire hip, 40% of his pelvis, and three pounds of bone. The surgery was followed up by radiation treatments, which prolonged his life and permitted him continue reaching new heights of popularity among comic fans.

In 2004, Turner contributed covers for DC Comics' best-selling storyline Identity Crisis, written by novelist Brad Meltzer. In addition, he contributed cover art for The Flash and cover and interior art for a pivotal story arc in Superman/Batman, "The Supergirl from Krypton", written by Jeph Loeb, which reintroduced Supergirl into mainstream DC continuity. He would continue to contribute cover art for DC Comics until 2008, most notably variant (alternate) covers for Justice League of America, the new ongoing Supergirl title, and the cover to Superman/Batman #26, which presented a story written by Jeph Loeb's son, 17-year-old Sam Loeb, who also succumbed to cancer in June 2005.




Marvel Comics' most high-profile titles benefited from Turner's distinctive artwork, as well. In 2005, he produced variant covers for the best-selling miniseries Civil War and the ongoing series Wolverine: Origins. In 2006, he produced the variant cover for the first issue of the new Thor series, which returned Thor to regular monthly publication after an absence of two years. As recently as 2008, he'd been announced as the artist for the new ongoing series Ultimate Wolverine. He also continued to do cover art for independent comics such as Dynamite Entertainment's adaptation of the popular sci-fi TV series Battlestar Galactica.



Turner passed away at his home in Santa Monica, CA, surrounded by family and friends. In his tragically short career, Turner left a lasting mark on the comics industry with his unmistakable style and his always-unique take on iconic characters. His first and arguably most memorable creation, Witchblade, continues to be a talked-about property in terms of television series and film adaptation, and the original TV series continues to be a cult favorite. Turner's work, in particular his work on female characters, always sparked powerful responses and debate amongst comic book readers, both positive and negative. Whether you liked the work or not, you could never ignore it, and for that reason alone Michael Turner's name will resonate in the comics world for decades to come. But whether you were a fan or a critic of the man's artwork, one must acknowledge the bravery and fortitude of the man himself, who continued to produce prolifically for years while battling a disease that was slowly killing him. For myself, I can't say that I always loved Turner's work, but I can say that I can only hope to be capable of that kind of bravery should I ever have to face such circumstances.

Rest in Peace, Michael Turner.

Remembering George Carlin ... Rest In Peace

(this is the same blog post I posted on MySpace earlier today)

When I logged into my computer this morning, the top headline on Yahoo! hit me like a fist:

Comedian George Carlin dead at 71

It's just one of those things you think will never happen, like a favorite relative that you know is getting older, that maybe they'll kick-off someday, or maybe, just maybe they're so stubborn and crotchety that they'll hang around forever just to piss the powers-that-be off. That was Carlin: defying convention, following in the footsteps of Lenny Bruce in the '60s and bring acerbic yet goofy comedy to a whole new generation from the late '70s to today. How else can you describe the irreverence of a man who could title a book, "When is Jesus Bringing the Pork Chops?" In fact, he once said, during his 1982 HBO Special "Carlin at Carnegie", "That's my job, thinking up goofy shit."

Now I'm the first to admit that in recent years Carlin's work was a bit too bitter and cantankerous for me. It seemed as though he'd spent half his life screaming to anyone who would listen that it was, in fact, okay to be comfortable with ourselves, our bodies, and our sexuality and to talk about them in a frank manner, as opposed to allowing our government and our supposed authority figures dictate to us what was "decent' and "indecent" to say in public forums, and his routines began to feel like he was venting frustration rather than trying to entertain. But the man's conviction (not to mention the fact that he was RIGHT) was undeniable, and we always remember him not only because he made us laugh, but like all the truly great comedians of our time, he made us THINK. Think about our social phobias, our use of language, of euphemisms, of the things we take as a given when we really shouldn't--Carlin asked us to question all these things through his goofiness, his irreverence, his refusal to accept the decrees of so-called authority. His was an unforgettable voice--at least, it was to me. Rest in peace, you cranky old bastard. You will be missed.

Here are a few of my favorite Carlin bits. I was in middle school when I first saw some of these, and they're still hilarious to me today. Enjoy!


Carlin at Carnegie, 1982



Carlin on Campus, 1984



George Carlin: Playin' with Your Head, 1986


George Carlin: Doin' it Again (1990)