Dave Cockrum - 1942-2006

In 1975, Len Wein and Dave Cockrum created a comic called "Giant Size X-Men #1." That comic introduced the X-Men lineup consisting of Cyclops, Storm, and Wolverine. Today, that fifty cent comic can sell for thousands of dollars. Those characters have been featured in three films, making Marvel Comics millions of dollars. Dave Cockrum never saw a dime of it.

But that's the nature of the comic biz in the 70s. It was work for hire. It wasn't until the 90s that comics creators got a cut of merchandising.

Cockrum worked at DC Comics before moving over to Marvel, illustrating Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes and other DC titles.

Cockrum died over the weekend after a long battle with diabetes and complications. He was a driving force of comics in the 70s and 80s, and is one of my favorite artists. I will miss him.