RIP Comic Artist Michael Turner
Along with celebrating both our country’s and the site’s birthdays this weekend, comes some sad news for our readers.
The AP and numerous other outlets reported a couple of days ago that comic book artist Michael Turner has passed away at the much too young age of 37 due to complications from bone cancer. Turner is best known for co-creating Witchblade for Top Cow Productions. The series revolves around a supernatural, sentient artifact with immense destructive and protective powers that bonds itself to women. In the summer of 1998 he debuted Fathom, a deep-sea story about a female superhero, which he eventually took with him to Aspen MLT, the Santa Monica publishing company Turner founded in 2003. Through Aspen, Turner also created online comic adaptations for the NBC series “Heroes” (click here for a sample.)
He regularly drew covers for DC Comics and Marvel as well. The milestone 500th issue of Uncanny X-Men, due out shortly, will feature a special-edition cover by Turner. “He was definitely one of the most popular and influential comic book artists working right now,” said Andrew Farago, curator of San Francisco’s Cartoon Art Museum. “He was very, very much in demand as a cover artist on high-profile projects.”
Michael Turner was born in Crossville, Tennessee, on April 21, 1971, and is survived by his mother, Grace, and his brother, Jake. Fans wishing to send condolences to Turner’s family can do so at this address: Aspen MLT Inc., c/o Michael Turner, 5855 Green Valley Circle, Suite 111, Culver City, CA 90230. Aspen also encourages donations to Turner’s requested charities, the American Cancer Society or the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
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