Michael Turner

Michael Turner is a comic book artist who I have admired with almost religious devotion for many years. His crisp, stunning artwork has been featured on many covers of Marvel, DC, and Top Cow comics alike, though he is probably best known for his Aspen work. Aspen Comics is the publishing company that he started himself, as a vehicle for some of his original characters such as Fathom. Aside from his heroic work as a comic artist, I also admired Turner for his tenacity; he was a fellow cancer survivor. Diagnosed in 2000 with bone cancer, Turner continued to work and produce beautiful, breathtaking artwork until his tragic passing in 2008, coincidentally on June 27, my birthday.

Turner's talent for illustration far surpassed most of his peers in the comic industry. Though he is most revered for his ability to render beautiful women, his work in general is nothing short of spectacular. His figures, male and female, are dynamic and mysterious, even when standing still. He was unparalleled at having his characters express raw emotion. His figure work, exaggerated as it might be, was nonetheless very informed, and his characters always come across as clean, intriguing, and almost vibrating with life. I really admire (and envy!) his skills as an artist. My one disappointment is that Turner didn't branch out into other modes of art. I really would have loved to see what he could have created if he tried to depict his cancer experience. His death last summer was a real loss to the art world.