ARTISTS WE LOVE: MICHAEL TURNER

For one of comic's superstars, Luis stans

One of the most influential comic artists of the 21st century and this month’s artist we love is the late great Michael Turner. Turner was a Tennessee native who, after finishing up college at the University of Tennessee International Performing Arts Academy, found his way to the late '90s haven of comics, San Diego.

In San Diego, he was discovered by Marc Silvestri who quickly hired him to his Image Comics Top Cow imprint. Michael’s style featured clean, dynamic pencils with a thicker outer line. His work was bursting with energy. This helped him render some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful pencils the comics world has ever seen. He quickly took the comic world by storm, co-creating Witchblade and turning it into one of the top-selling books in the entire industry. With the success of that launch, he was able to launch a creator-owned title of his own, Fathom, at the age of 21.

Witchblade

Michael Turner

In March of 2000, at the height of his artistic career, Michael was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma (a form of cancer) in the right pelvis. He was treated for this cancer at the UCLA Medical Center where he lost a hip and 40 percent of his pelvis. He then underwent nine months of radiation therapy. In 2002, with his cancer in remission, Turner broke away from Top Cow and launched his own comics imprint, Aspen.

Fathom: The Definitive Edition

Michael Turner

Aspen would launch with a new Fathom series as well as Soulfire and Ekos. By launching his own imprint, he was available to do work for hire for other companies. In 2004, Turner started working with DC comics by contributing covers to The Flash and the ground-breaking Identity Crisis. Brad Meltzer once said that the inclusion of Turner's art to the covers of Identity Crisis were instrumental to the books' success as Turner was a veritable box office draw, one of the true superstars in comics. Turner would continue both writing and contributing covers for DC. He even reintroduced Supergirl/ Kara Zor-El in his story arc in the Superman/Batman comic.

In 2006, Turner signed a work for hire agreement with Marvel to create covers as well as launching an Ultimate Wolverine title. Unfortunately, during this time, Michael’s cancer returned. In June of 2008, Michael ultimately succumbed to his battle with cancer. Tributes poured in from all over the comics universe.

Civil War

Michael Turner/Marvel

Turner’s work was highly influential to me. I’ve often tried to mimic his style in my own work. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone for so long, but his legacy lives on in the legions of comic artists who are clearly inspired by his work. He is one of my favorite comic book artists of all-time.