Monday, February 11, 2008

Gone Too Soon: Stever Gerber Passes Away


Howard the Duck #12
Originally uploaded by Heidi Meeley
It is with great sadness that I have just learned that comic book legend Steve Gerber has passed away after fighting pulmonary fibrosis. He was just 60 years old.

Having recently been enjoying the "Countdown to Mystery" mini-series at DC, and really looking forward to a "Dr. Fate" series courtesy of Gerber, it makes the news seem unreal. The creator of Howard the Duck and Omega the Unknown can't really be gone, right?

Words just can't express enough what a talent Gerber was. Dancing to his own tune, the man was unique and clever, keeping the readers on their toes. Losing him is so unfair.

Head over to Newsarama to check out the article there. Thank you to my good friend John for letting me know. John's tribute is a beautiful testament to a great talent.

4 comments:

Carl said...

I remember Howard The Duck #1 (along with Conan The Barbarian #1) was pretty much The Holy Grail of my childhood. I remember a friend having a copy of the issue (can't remember the number) with "Master of Quack Fu!", reading it and was hooked! And of course got back issues, which was hell in those days, only one comic book shop in town and the cover prices being expensive to someone that got a $2 dollars allowance a week. But quickly and beyond belief, I saw the first issue go all the up to $100 dollars! It might as well have been Detective Comics #15 and on the moon. I did get to read a reprint years later and collected the rest of the issues, the magazine, saw the okay movie and later day incarnations until Cap's death ended my unMarvelous association. And strangely enough, at a Megacon just a few short years ago, I found a HTD number one in a dollar box. I, of course, snapped it up, my own copy at last! But at the same time thought, this was worth a hundred bucks at one time, what the hell happened?! Just time I guess. No one knew the character or how great and biting the satire of the stogie-chompin' badass duck from Cleveland was. But I never forgot him. Thank you so much Mr. Gerber, you gave us so much, rest in peace...

Swinebread said...

Sad I wish Steve would have stopped smoking...

then wwe would have had him longer

Heidi Meeley said...

Carl, I appreciate your thoughts so much. Gerber has had such a profound impact in so many ways and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Heidi Meeley said...

Swinebread, amen.