6-30-8

So... I'm feeling sorta of bad right now. The death of celebrities don't really hit me until after I read what other people have to say because for some reason, that makes it more real to me. I don't actually feel much of anything when most famous people die. I acknowledge that the world has lost a talented person, but I know that others will share their talent and so the circle goes on and on. But as a huge fan of comics, deaths in comic book community shock me more than I can say. Sadly, I remember when Mike Wieringo died. I cried. I couldn't believe that I cried about that. I felt like such a poser and that I shouldn't feel so much for some guy that I had met only once but was still a super nice guy who's contributions to the comic art world I really appreciated. But, people are allowed to express emotion and so after awhile, I didn't feel so bad.

I get a text message this morning from Gary saying "Mikey T is dead." I couldn't even remember who Mikey T was. So as I was talking to Grady and Robert, asking them if the name meant anything to them because it sounded so familiar to me, it dawned on me who Mikey T was. At first, for a about 10 seconds, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't bring my hands that covered my mouth that was wide open in disbelief and shock and I couldn't say anything to them that I just realized the repercussions of what I now knew. So, in disbelief, I did what I always do when I don't believe something that must be true: I go online and check. And since my internet capabilities are severely limited at work, I could only use Wikipedia. And there is was: Michael Turner, April 21,1971 – June 27, 2008. After years of cancer, he finally lost the battle.

During today, I sort of joked around about certain things because I didn't want to face what it actually meant to me. But the truth is that it does affect me. I know most of his fans right now are probably reeling in shock and overwhelming sadness. This blog was created post-Turner obsession. Gary described it best when he said that I'd become disenchanted with the company after several delays in publishing and that sort of thing has been known to drive fans away. But just because I don't go posting all over the Aspen message boards like I used to doesn't mean that I was any less of a fan of his work or that I don't I feel the loss of one of my first and biggest artistic role models any less. Everyone who knows anything about my art career knows that I loved Aspen titles pretty much more than anything out there (which the exception of X-Men).

I remember this one time at Wizard World Los Angeles. It was my first con and I was there for one reason. And that reason was Michael Turner. I was deeply in love with his artwork and I couldn't wait to meet him. I was such a fan girl. I had all my Fathom comics and I was so excited. While I was waiting in line, I had someone hold my spot while I went over to the Wizard booth. Matt Seinrich was there and we got to talking about Michael Turner. I told him that he was late for his own signing. So Matt calls him and hands me the phone so I could be the one to talk to him if Michael picked up. He didn't, so I left a message and I told him better hurry over because I really wanted to meet him and I can't remember what I said. I was nervous and excited. A half hour later, I met him for the first time. He was really nice and I know I said something embarrassing which I honestly can't remember, only that I was embarrassed afterward. But I remember that he was really gracious about it and made me feel a little better. I met him a few more times at a few more cons, I even got to go to Aspen Studios when they were in Santa Monica and I said hi to him there.

After a while, I don't want to say I had a falling out with my love for Aspen, but I can say that it had slowly deteriorated. Slowly, my love for Aspen sort of faded. I stopped drawing. The Michael Turner posters made there way off of my walls and into my closet, and I sold my comics to some punk Canadian kid who in turn sold them on eBay for a seriously inflated price. I still go to the website almost once a week and look for new art and read the comments and look at the artwork. But that's all. It's sort of gone. And now he is too.

I guess I needed a place to just say that I will miss his artwork. And that he influenced everything about the way I draw. A lot of people say that I'm a talented artist. And if that's true, then I owe a lot of that to Michael Turner. So thanks, Mike. I will miss you.