Artist, Aspen founder, Witchblade creator Michael Turner dies

Friday, June, 27, 2008, comic artist Michael Turner died in Santa Monica, CA, after an eight year battle with cancer.

While Michael Turner might not be as well known as Stan Lee or Todd McFarlane, to fans and those within the industry, Michael Turner was an icon who helped redefine the comic industry in the mid 1990s. It was his fighting spirit and dedication to his fans that set him apart from many of his peers.

Michael Turner began working with Top Cow comics in 1995 where he would become the driving force behind Top Cow’s most popular book, Witchblade, which he would pencil for three years before eventually moving onto Fathom.

Behind his very stylized artwork and incredible sexy women, Top Cow would become the most successful Image Comic imprint company, a position they still hold today due in large part to the fans that Turner brought to them during his run with Top Cow.

In 2002 after departing Top Cow, Turner created his own company, Aspen MTL Inc. There, Turner would mentor a new generation of inspiring comic book artists, but it was during this time that Turner would begin to suffer from repeated relapses from his progressive Chondrosarcoma cancer.

As to his character, Turner never gave up. While enduring weeks of chemotherapy, he would begin a drawing spree as he designed covers for Marvel and DC, as well as continuing work on Aspen titles.

More recently, Turner was working alongside famed comic writer Jeph Loeb (who also lost his son to cancer) on Marvel’s upcoming Ultimate Wolverine, but now that book’s future is in doubt.

Michael Turner’s passing is a hard one to accept. While I never knew him nor met him, his work was a huge inspiration for my own art and his determination to keep fighting and doing what he loved, is something we all can look up to and admire.

While it is difficult to think that fans will never get to see another Michael Turner original piece of artwork, there is no doubt in my mine that his work inspired a whole new generation of artists that will step up and continue his legacy.

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Site [Aspen Comics]