Death of a legend...
Yesterday morning, Dave Cockrum passed away.
A lot of you probably don't know who Dave Cockrum is. Well, Dave is sort of a comic book legend. Certainly not on the level of Stan Lee or Jack "the King" Kirby, mind you, but he did help shape one very important part of the Marvel Universe.
Back 1969 or so, Marvel's Uncanny X-Men wasn't doing so well. When an attempted rejuvination of the flailing title failed to yield results, the book ceased publication with #66.
In 1975, Marvel decided to try again. To do this, they hired Len Wein and Dave Cockrum.
Long story short, these two guys co-created characters like Colossus, Storm, and Nightcrawler. These characters, along with Wolverine (who they introduced into the X-Men universe but didn't create) first jumped onto the scene with Giant X-Men #1 (summer 1975, cover pictured below) and have proven to be some of the most popular characters in the entire duration of the characters' existence. These two guys brought the X-Men back to the forefront of the Marvel Universe, and shaped what the book would be for years to come. These characters have since starred in movies, cartoons, and video games, and it arguably never would've been possible without Wein and Cockrum.
Below is the official report from Comic Book Resources.com...
As reported earlier today by Clifford Meth, legendary comic book artist Dave Cockrum passed away this morning due to complications from diabetes. He was 63.
Mr. Cockrum was best known for his work on "Legion of Super-Heroes" and "Uncanny X-Men," though his route to comic books wasn't as direct as one might imagine. The artist first spent six years in the United States Navy before finding employment at Warren Publishing. He soon became an assistant to inker Murphy Anderson, which soon brought Dave Cockrum into the orbit of Superboy & The Legion of Superheroes. His work on "Legion" in the seventies, re-designing the costumes and aesthetic of the series, remains a highpoint in the popular superteam's history. Later, teamed with Len Wein and Chris Claremont, the artist redefined the X-Men at Marvel Comics in "Uncanny X-Men" and "Giant Size X-Men."
Meth, a close family friend and the man behind the Dave Cockrum tribute book, explained, "There are no details of services at this time. Dave asked to be cremated and his widow Paty is burdened with the news, so well wishers are asked not to call. Email can be sent to magnetorampant@yahoo.com"
Comic Book Resources offers its condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Cockrum.
Now, Dave Cockrum joins such industry legends as Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, and Jim Aparo in that big Marvel Universe in the sky. You'll be missed, Dave.
-M
UPDATE 11/28: Just earlier tonight, Comics 101's Scott Tipton posted a column in memory of Cockrum - an interview from 2003. It's got some of his art and some interesting insight. Take a peek.