Sad breaking news this morning.
After announcing yesterday via his blog that writer, artist and comic book legend Darwyn Cooke that he was battling an aggressive form of cancer and that he was in palliative care, Cooke passed way. Darwyn Cooke is dead at 54.
Friends of Darwyn Cooke, and many of his comics professional peers, have been discussing this sad news on social media and some close friends have confirmed that Cooke has now died.
Comics artist Mike Allred, and Cooke family friend, was the first to report on twitter that he had spoken to Cooke’s wife and could sadly confirm Darwyn’s passing. Allred’s tweet was an explicit confirmation of what he heard directly from Darwyn’s widow about the legend’s passing. Since that time,
UPDATE #1:
Mike Allred has since removed his confirmation tweet at the request of Cooke’s family.
This is clearly a respectful response by Allred to the request of the grieving family and concerns a conversation they had with Allred not knowing he’d make it public before the family had time to digest this painful development and issue a formal confirmation of their own.
Despite the discussion that Allred’s initial tweet and removal has created, this clearly was an honest initial mistake by a friend having difficulty traversing their private and public conversations at this difficult time.
Darwyn Cooke’s passing remains the sad news here despite the unfortunate social media distraction Allred’s tweet and removal has caused.
UPDATE #2:
The family of Darwyn Cooke have issued a statement confirming the passing of the legend. Donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society and the Hero Initiative.
Original story continues below.
I am a huge fan of Cooke’s comics work and have enjoyed my two brief encounters with him over the years. His DC Comics New Frontier comics, later adapted as Justice League New Frontier for Blu Ray, is a charming look at DC’s silver age and is probably his most well known comics and movie work, which I’ll reread tonight. Most recently, he did the cover to DC Comics’ Future Quest #1 and has been adapting Donald E. Westlake’s Parker series for IDW Publishing.
My personal thoughts and prayers, and those of the Comics Nexus and Insidepulse team are with Darwyn Cooke’s family, friends and fans, but most particularly with his wife Marsha Cooke at this difficult time.
