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Given the upcoming holidays, and the likelihood that most people won't be here on the day in question, now would be a good time to note that this Saturday, November 26, is the fifth anniversary of the death of Dave Cockrum. For those of us that have been around since the pre-Legion World days of the old DC board, we can remember a time when it was possible to interact with the man himself, and to see "Dark Bamf"'s name appear on our computer screens.
We can also remember his struggles with employment and health, and the fact that he didn't let them get in the way of interacting with his fans. After he died, Paty told me that his online activities were his lifeline back when he was sick, so there's some comfort in knowing that his fans did for him what he was doing for them. During that period, Dave thought that he had been forgotten by the industry to which he had devoted his entire adult life, but every time that he logged on, his fans were there to remind him otherwise.
If anyone has any memories of him that they'd like to share, this is the place to do it!
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It is hard to believe it has already been five years since Mr. Cockrum left us. Out of all the many brilliant Legion artists, he is still number one in my book. His dynamic style and original costume designs is what hooked me on the Legion for good back in the early seventies. His artwork and stories still hold their own 40 years later, which is a testimony to the true art he created. I regret I never got to meet Dave in person, but from what I have seen and heard, he was as great a person as he was an artist. I wish Mrs. Cockrum and family best wishes during this holiday season and always.
-------------------- "My dance card was getting fuller than a contestant's at a Jandan shurg-off." - Exnihil, The Lost Klordny
From: Frederick, MD | Registered: Aug 2003
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I met Dave once at a convention here in Kansas City; this was after he started posting on the DC boards. I introduced myself as "He Who Wanders," but he had no idea who I was.
I still have the Legion issues he signed for me. These are comics I've had since childhood -- most are in tatters, but he signed them anyway, even ones with back-up stories drawn by him and covers drawn by someone else.
That Bates/Cockrum run of Superboy and Superboy staring the Legion of Super-Heroes was among the earliest comics I ever read. It played an enormous role in my love of the Legion and desire to pursue writing comics (and, later, writing in general).
It was nice to be able to thank him for that.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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He was the artist on Legion when I first started reading their adventures, so he'll always be #1 in my book. I'm so happy I got to meet him in person.
From: elizabeth,nj | Registered: Jul 2003
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Dave Cockrum made me into a Legion and comics fan, someone once said every comic was somebodies first, well my first had Dave Cockrum and the Legion, how lucky can a kid get!
I'm just sorry I never got on the web regularly before Dave quit posting on the DC boards to tell him how much his work meant to me, and that he would always be at the top of my favorite list of comic book creators as would his creations!
Top Ten Classic Cockrum Creations I miss.
1. Feral Timber Wolf design 2. Original Wildfire design 3. Nightcrawler 4. Tyr 5. Legion Cruiser design 6. Infectious Lass 7. Karate kid design 8. All of his other costume/character designs 9. The Futurians 10. His designs for the Outsiders/Strangers that never got the chance to be in the Legion
-------------------- I tried to rip their soul out.I tried to make them forget Superman. But they won't.
From: Kentucky | Registered: Oct 2005
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I enjoyed his Legion run, even though I began the Legion with Forte and Swan. My favorite work that he did was on the X-Men and the Futurians, though. What amazing characters. I always regreted that he couldn't do more with his Futurian creations. sigh
-------------------- 'In the twinkling of an eye' I'll be dancing in the sky!
Come, join me!
From: Salem, Oregon USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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For more remembrances of Dave's Legion run, check out my latest blog post, which also includes some of his (in my opinion) most memorable Legion panels.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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Dave was the very first creator to interact with me on the 'net... I know, he interacted with everyone but it still made me feel special.
I remember he had a LOT of fun on some crazy Drag Queen names tangent we'd gone off on, at the old DC board... he seemed tickled by the name 'Sofonda Peters'!
X-MEN # 100 has YET to be beaten as the single finest-drawn issue of ANY COMIC BOOK EVER. As much as I loved the previous issues he'd drawn, even little kid-me could see he had STEPPED UP his ALREADY AWESOME art-game for that issue.
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I regret that I never met him in person or interacted with him online while he was alive.
If I had to choose one single issue that sums up his genius, I'd nominate his final X-Men issue, #107, which introduced the Imperial Guard and the Starjammers.
He is one of my personal Top Three greatest designers ever to work in comics, alongside Jack Kirby and Alan Davis.
Hyperpath: Email this page to someone!
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