An Odd But Sad Coincidence

Derek — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 22:57:26 +0000

Two of the recent comic books that I bought were Mark Hazzard: Merc #1 and PowerLine #7. They both had artwork by Gray Morrow. I always liked his artwork because I tend to gravitate towards more realistic art styles. I am also a big fan of people like Alex Raymond, Alex Toth, Gil Kane, Steve Rude, Adam Hughes, Mike Deodato and Stuart Immonen’s early work. They all have a sense of the fantastic to them, but the basic figures are more realistic than someone like Kelley Jones, Keith Giffen’s later work or Humberto Ramos. (This is not an indictment of their work because I know for a fact that I could NEVER do what they do. I just however happen to prefer a different style.)

After I realized that I knew next to nothing about Gray Morrow, I decided to find out what he had been up to recently. Trying to find out whatever happened to creators who are no longer working on mainstream books on a regular basis is a crapshoot. For every Mindy Newell (who left comics to become a full time nurse) or Steve Bissette (who teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont), there is a sadder story like John Totleben (who is legally blind due to a condition called retinitis pigmentosa) or Gray Morrow.

Gray Morrow was despondent over a long running illness and took his own life on November 6, 2001. According to Wikipedia, the illness was some form of palsy but it is the only place with that detail, so I am taking it with a grain of salt. To make matters worse, his website became defunct and is now one of those link/placeholder sites that scumbags put up when they want to be scumbags.

What I Got – 2/20/2009

Derek — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:35:58 +0000

I stopped by a comic shop on the way home today. I asked the guy behind the counter “What have you sold the most of this week?”

He told me and I bought Dark Avengers #2.

I also picked up:
Tangent: Superman’s Reign #7

Tangent: Superman’s Reign #9

Tangent: Superman’s Reign #10

Tangent: Superman’s Reign #11

I couldn’t find #8 and I forgot to pick up #12. (Yeah, I know, Idiocy Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Every Derek. *Very obscure reference.*)

Noble Causes #37

Proof #15

Proof #16

And I hit the dollar bin:
New Avengers #43

Mark Hazzard: Merc #1

Powerline #7

Comic Book Noise » powerline

An Odd But Sad Coincidence

What I Got – 2/20/2009