Friends In Need

[filkertom]

Many of you have already heard of James Doohan's battle with Alzheimer's. Fortunately, Scotty has got a massive support network in place, and it looks as if he'll get a great sendoff and a peaceful finale.

Not necessarily so Dave Cockrum.

For those of you who didn't know, Mr. Cockrum was one of the better comic artists of the 1970s and 1980s. He designed most of the "new" X-Men -- Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Mystique, and Phoenix are all his, along with Lilandra and the Imperial Guard. He's one of those Sal Buscema/Dave Gibbons types, a solid worker who you can give just about anything to and he makes it sing.

Unfortunately, Mr. Cockrum has been very ill. So many of their friends in the comics industry have put together The Uncanny Dave Cockrum... a Tribute as a benefit for Dave and his wife Paty.

Superb comic art and writing for an excellent cause. What's not to love?

Comments

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

I dunno...

To paraphrase Foghorn Leghorn, there's something kinda "YeeeeEEEEEEeeeeh" about giving a guy a memorium and send-off BEFORE he's dead.

Still, I suppose their heart's in the right place.

I saw James Doohan on stage at the last Las Vegas TrekCon, and I could tell the poor old devil was on his way out. He was cheerful and congenial, as always, but barely coherent.

You sure it's a good idea to have him and Shatner on the same stage? I hear he HATES Shatner! But then again, who doesn't?

That was also the con i met Wil Wheaton at.... Nice guy! No seriously, you wouldn't believe. He's just a geek, same as us!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I dunno. It's got his advantages -- there's no possible way to care what people say about you before you've died, and if someone is beloved it may make those last days easier to know how well you're loved. (I personally don't want to think how long the standing O for Mr. Doohan is going to go, because everyone's going to realize that, once they stop it, that's it -- it'll be like clapping to bring Tink back to life....)

Besides, Doohan may not remember that he hates Shatner. Thank you! I'm here all week!

And, I wanted very much to meet Wil Wheaton at PenguiCon. Next time.

Friends in the comics industry

[dbcooper.livejournal.com]

I would love to know what it is about an apparent majority of comic book writers and artists that motivates them to do stuff like this for their friends. It reminds me of the Reed Waller effort, and Marvel's honoring of Mark Gruenwald's rather unusual last wish, as well as other examples I'm sure people can name.

But I really would love to find out what motivates them to band together, so I could synthesize it and bottle it. I'm not saying that all comic book people are this good to each other, or this professional, but those who are inspire me. We need more like them.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

I actually think I know, db, although I'm not sure I can easily put it into words. It's the same with the filk community, really -- like when Nate Bucklin collapsed on stage. Not only did he have to be rushed to the hospital (this was years ago, he's fine), but he fell on top of his guitar. We started collecting almost immediately, so that when he was up and around he could get a new one. Respect and admiration for one's fellow artist, is how I'd put it.