PeterDavid.net

Sorry to hear about Mr. Cockrum.

He also drew some wonderful Legion of Super-Heroes stories, mostly from the early 70's, that I've found over the years from back issue bins.

Get well soon Dave!

While I remain disappointed with the Nightcrawler limited series (a classic case of beating one joke into the dirt, IMO), I have nothing but respect for Mr. Cockrum, and hopes he gets well soon.

I've enjoyed Cockrum's work for years (and years and years...) and have missed his presence in the comics scene recently. (Given some of the "artists" Marvel has trotted out over the last decade-plus - especially during the Perelman era - you'd think he'd have been able to get a regular job on a title there, but nooo...)

Hope he's better soon!

BTW, for those interested in Cockrum's Legion work, it's all been collected in DC Archives editions. I think Legion vol 10 has the bulk of his work on the title (which predates his X-Men work).

Best wishes to Mr. Cockrum for a speedy recovery.

And, on a lighter note, anybody else notice that if you pronounced his last name with a cold, you would say "cockrub"? Probably just me then.

I know he has had some ongoing health problems, but I do hope he pulls out of this soon and is back drawing soon. He did a few pages of a recent issue of Legion, and while his art isn't the same as it was 30 years ago, I prefer his work to most of the artists on, say, the Superman titles. On the off chance anybody from DC editorial drops by this site, consider that a broad hint.

I'm embarrassed to say that I wasn't aware of his health problems. I hope that he gets well soon. His Legion stories were a happy part of my adolescence. It was also a kick seeing his designs on a number of the X-Men action figures a few years back.

I hope he gets well soon.

Howdy,

Best wishes to Dave Cockrum for a quick recovery.

On a somewhat related note, is Julie Schwartz out of the hospital? The post a while ago seemed rather dire, but I haven't heard anything since.

-- Ed

That's sad to hear. I've always liked his work on that "obscure" Mutant title. Indeed, I wish Joe Q. would wake up and actually used experienced talent like him, instead of Artists who are younger and have an Assitude (Waldo's defines it as copping an attitude while being an Ass.)

P.S. I created the word and you didn't, so I get the Royalties for its use. NYAHHH!!! :)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Mr Cockrum - pneumonia's a harsh one.

I hope Dave's fine very soon. He not only resuscitated life in the Legion of Super-Heroes, but also the X-Men--that's two major (at the time) franchises for those respective companies. He created some of the most beautiful superhero costumes back when it wasn't embarassing for superheroes to have really flashy and outrageous outfits. As they say in Death of a Salesman: "Attention must be paid." BTW, on Harlan Ellison's site, he says Julie Schwartz is doing fine and is out of the hospital. (Yay, Julie!)

I am certain that members of the Legion World Message Board (www.legionworld.net) would like to send their best wishes to Dave.

Peter, would you happen to have an address where get well cards could be sent?

I'll be happy to pass an address along to our members. Or, please feel free to stop by and give us an update.

Dave has been an infrequent poster on the LWMB, and has his own forum, but none of us was aware of any illness.

A fan on Dave's Nightscrawlers board posted:

\\I talked to Paty today, and she told me that Dave is in the hospital, still in New York. He came down with pneumonia just before they had to move out of their house. He's at the VA Hospital in the Bronx, she said. He's doing better today, she told me -- he was on a respirator since Jan. 1st, but was taken off the respirator today. Dave's still in Intensive Care, though. Paty said he's still a little disoriented and not feeling very well. I know we all wish him the VERY best, and our thoughts and prayers are with him.

Paty had to go on down to South Carolina by herself; she had no choice! You can imagine what she's going through at this moment! Friends and family are looking in on Dave, she said, although hardly anyone is being allowed into the ICU at the VA. Paty is trying to get the house ready, so Dave can join her there when the hospital discharges him. (Hopefully soon!) Paty said the new place is beautiful, and the people in Belton, S.C. have been very helpful. She told me to post her new address:

18615 Brown Ave. Extension

Belton, South Carolina 29627

So we can send Dave some get well cards.

Also, a reminder, Paty's birthday is coming up at the end of January. (The 30th I believe, although I keep getting that wrong and it could be the 31st. She's going to kill me. :-) )

Paty asked me to post and let you-all know what was happening with them. They don't have their computers hooked up yet -- it isn't a high priority at the moment, Paty said, as we all can imagine!

I too apologize for not posting more!

Anyway, like I said, I know we all wish Dave the very best, and hope he gets well as soon as possible, and will be posting here again before long.\\

http://www.nightscrawlers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=3690

All the best for Mr. Cockcrum. I've long admired and enjoyed his work.

By the way, mother grew up in Belton, which is apropos of nothing other than to instill an "it's a small world" feeling in me.

Get well soon, Dave.

With Sikorsky as your personal physician, you can't go wrong (I just hope the Starjammers are in hailing distance).

My best to Dave and his family...incidentally, for Robert Jung, in a situation like this, that's really all you need to say, not "While I remain disappointed with the Nightcrawler limited series (a classic case of beating one joke into the dirt, IMO), I have nothing but respect for Mr. Cockrum, and hopes he gets well soon." Dude, that was almost 20 years ago, get over it.

I also wanted to send my best wishes for a speedy recovery. I'm a big fan of Dave (both the man and his art) and it's a shame that his health hasn't been good in recent years. Hopefully the South Carolina climate will suit him better (while us other New Yawkers are stuck in the freezing cold).

If you want to do something nice for Dave, you can buy one of his books from Aardwolf: http://www.aardwolfpublishing.com/Artists/cockrum.htm

Best,

Ted Latner

Best wishes to Mr. Cockrum for a speedy recovery. He was one of the first artists whose style I could recognize on sight. At a time when DC (and the industry in general) was pretty worn-out and stodgy, he made the Legion look slick, ultra-modern, and sexy. From Legion and X-Men to Futurians and Soulsearchers, he's the go-to guy for super-teams, and nobody does it better. Get well soon, Dave!

Oh my. I'm so sorry to hear about this. Dave & Paty have both had some wicked bouts with health matters of late. He'll be in my thoughts.

I have been a long time admirer or Dave's work. He is truly one of the greats and I sincerely hope for a speedy and full recovery for him.

The post on Nightscrawlers was from me, and I talked to Paty again today. (I'm Rivka Jacobs, Matt knows me as a fellow veteran of PAD's AOL folder.)

Anyway, Paty said that Dave is doing a little better today. He was more alert, and able to answer nurses' questions, but his answers were very slow. Paty pointed out to the doctor that Dave had been under sedation for a week, so what do they expect. Paty said that she was told, Dave's recovery will be a long process, but he should have a private room soon.

Although someone posted an address for the VA Hospital in the Bronx on Nightscrawlers, Paty felt it was better to send the cards and letters to her until Dave gets a private room. But it won't hurt to send cards to the hospital now, I imagine. Paty's just not sure Dave can read them now. When he has a private room, she'll send along the room number and the phone number. At the present time, no one but immediate family can visit in the UCU. (Except Paty is stuck down in South Carolina, where the temperature is indeed excellent at the moment -- Paty said, "New York really kicked us in the butt on the way out.")

Hi Elayne! Paty is such a strong person -- you refer to her eye problems and how she fought against all odds to get her eyesight back. And Dave's had diabetes for a number of years now. Paty said that this infection just snuck up on Dave; it's a bacterial pneumonia gone wild, but was almost asymptomatic until Dave started getting really short of breath. Paty meanwhile had no choice, with the house closing, the moving vans packed, and on the way south, she had to be in Belton to take care of business there, and be there when the moving vans arrived, so she had to leave Dave in the hospital in New York. I admire her strength so much, that she's able to deal with all this.

And yeah, Dave Cockrum and Chris Claremont created much of the basic X-MEN mythos that is still used in stories today. Dave's storytelling skills were and are awesome. Even if because of the diabetes he doesn't have as fine control over his pencils today as he did 20 years ago, he could (and can) teach many many younger artists a thing or two.

My best wishes to Paty and Dave, and hopefully Dave will be out of the ICU soon, and on his way to a full recovery!

I hope Dave has a speedy recovery.

I was recently reading his Giant Size X-Men from the Marvel CD Rom Comics...which I hope they have many more of because I have no more room to warehouse thousands of comics...Well if Dave gets better perhaps he can make a how to book on making comics, I certainly would buy it. It's frustrating to me not to see his work out on the stands especially not to see him on an X-Men title. You can't tell me Marvel couldn't hire him to do something with the X-Men or Nightcrawler..

Prayers to Mr. Cockrum and his family.

I wish nothing but the best to Mr. Cockrum and his loved ones right now. As someone before me said, he gave us some of the greatest lively comic-book outfits and visual storytelling while both were still considered important. I silently thank him every time that I draw Storm in her first outfit. I smile every time that Marvel realizes that you can't beat Nightcrawler's first costume and put him back in it. I hope he gets well soon!

First Julius Schwartz, now Dave Cockrum. I wish both men and their families well. Both Cockrum and Schwartz are legends in the comic book industry and are among the many that have also entertained me with their storytelling. They are also among the many that made want to be a comic book writer. I hope you can keep us posted on their conditions. Does anyone out there know how Mister Schwartz is doing now?

JHL

Dave Cockrum's arrival on the Legion, then an occasional feature in the back of Superboy, added a critical energy to the series. He contributed to the revivification of the team at a time when it needed it.

With two framed pieces of original Cockrum artwork, from the first two E.R.G.-1 stories (one, a generous gift from Richard Bensam and the other with a colored tissue-overlay by Mark Patterson), I've felt fortunate to enjoy Dave's work in its best form.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

George Guay

They're in my prayers.

Chris

I hope Dave gets through allright, and also Julie. They're both important contributors to comics.