<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Dave Cockrum (b. November 11, 1943 — November 26, 2006) was an American comic book artist born in Pendleton, Oregon. He is known for having overhauled the X-Men and increasing the popularity of the Marvel Comics Franchise.

Cockrum discovered comics early and studied art in school. He enjoyed the superhero comics Hawkman, Flash and Green Lantern. He joined the Navy and after his six year stint took a job at Warren Publishing in New York which published Creepy, Eerie, and Vampirella. He was later employed as an assistant inker to Murphy Anderson who worked on Superman and Superboy for DC Comics.

When an opportunity arrived to work on the Legion of Super-Heroes, Cockrum became the lucky artist. Cockrum's work redefined the look and the team but he left a year later over a dispute involving his work on Superboy. After leaving Legion behind, he moved on to Marvel Comics where he worked on several comics including Giant Size Avengers before the opportunity to rejuvenate X-Men came up. His work popularized Marvel and made X-Men one of the best selling comics.

He ultimately left Marvel to create his own group and created the graphic novel Futurians and Lodestone for an independent publisher.

CNN reported that Crockum died from complications related to diabetes and pneumonia on Sunday, November 26, 2006, wearing Superman pajamas and covered with his Batman blanket.

External Links

• Dave Crockum Tribute Site
• CNN Obituary
• Blackhawk Dave Cockrum bio