R.I.P. Dave Cockrum

[buster00]

From Newsarama:

According to several sources, legendary X-Men and comic book artist Dave Cockrum passed away in his sleep last night, his death a result of diabetes and its resultant complications. He was 63 years old.

...While his Legion work is widely known to Legion fans, Cockrum will forever be known as the artist who, with Len Wein, and later with Chris Claremont, created the new X-Men, and redefined both the existing characters and revitalized the world of the mutants and the franchise for Marvel. Cockrum had two major stints as artist on Uncanny X-Men, from Giant-Size X-Men #1 in 1975 through 1977, and then from 1981-1983.

Though he had worked less and less in comics in recent years, Cockrum had never left the hearts of his fans, as they rallied around him when it was announced in 2004 that he was seriously ill due to complications from diabetes and pneumonia. A benefit book and action was held, while Marvel Comics announced that it would pay Cockrum retroactively for his work in design and co-creation of the new X-Men.

[Chilli]

Aw, fuck!

[Logan5]

damn...

[SilentBobX]

Truly a great loss. His artwork was tops and a hell of alot better than the current crop of artists who think heroes should look like overconstipated bodybuilders.

RIP

[The Ginger Man]

Sad day. RIP.

[DennisMM]

For me, no matter how dreamy I may have felt about John Byrne's work, Cockrum was the X-Men artist. Dave, I'll miss you.

[Brocktune]

this is a real bummer.

i had heard he was having health problems for a while now.

dave cockrum was my absolute favorite xmen artist of all times. all fucking times. fuck barry windsor smith cockrum was the shit.

r.i.p. dead buddy.

[The Ginger Man]

According to CNN, Cockrum died in his favorite chair, under a Batman blanket and wearing his Superman pajamas. There will be no public service. He will be cremated in a Green Lantern shirt and his ashes spread on his property.

[Lady Sheridan]

RIP. I haven't gotten to enjoy alot of his work but it is sad to see the old guard of Marvel go.

[justcheckin]

That is pretty young to kick it. I hope I go in my sleep too, in about 70 years from now. That would make me ... 100! Yep, sounds good...

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Goddamn, eh? Another one, he bite a the dust... Alla the peoples, they give alla the credit to a the Claremont putz for alla the X-Men popularity, no? But they alla forget, it was a the Cockrum anna Len Wein who actually created alla the new X-Men characters like a the Storm anna Nightcrawler anna Colossus anna such... To be sure, the Claremont, he brought alla them to life with a the writing anna storylines, but you gotta to say something for a the initial concept anna design of a the characters too, no?

Alla the parts, they come a together to help achieve a the longevity of the characters... they gonna to live on long after the flesh anna blood, she turn alla to dust, eh?

[The Vicar]

Sad loss.
The Marvel Universe just dimmed.

[The Ginger Man]

Here's a link to a quick, 5-question interview with Cockrum about his creation, Nightcrawler. Found it rather interesting.

http://www.comics101.com/?page=C101

My fave part was, when asked if he intended Nightcrawler and Storm to get together in the comics, since they kinda flirted in X2, he said:

"Not seriously, but I did a number of scenes with the two of them together, including the back-of-the-page pencil drawing that was reprinted in THE ULTIMATE X-MEN. It was done mostly for fun. I also did a number of (gasp) XXX-rated drawings of the two of them together."

I knew Cockrum from his work, but the more I've read of him since his passing....gotta say, I like the guy.

[DinoDeLaurentiis]

Hmmm... more interesting than a the "blue" pictures is a the fact that a the religious aspect of a the character came from a the Claremont putz stabbing Cockrum inna the back, no? Especially considering that a the aspect of a the character, she became so deeply ingrained inna the fans' minds, eh?

[The Ginger Man]

It was pretty interesting to see that Claremont would do that to what I assume was a friend and his deeply personal character. Then again, writers fucking over artists isn't anything new in the comic book world.

[Brocktune]

i read this this morning, in reference to cockrum and the xmen movie, and it just fuckin killed me.

"Dave saw the movie and he cried — not because he was bitter," Meth said. "He cried because his characters were on screen and they were living."

[The Vicar]

i read this this morning, in reference to cockrum and the xmen movie, and it just fuckin killed me.

"Dave saw the movie and he cried — not because he was bitter," Meth said. "He cried because his characters were on screen and they were living."

But this is a thing to rejoice in - because he did get to see his characters living, breathing & all that happy crap.
It's a dream I wish I could see come true.

He cried for happy.
For a dream made flesh, well, celluloid.

Exit smiling.