REMEMBERING….. MICHAEL TURNER
July 7th, 2008
I’m sure by now most of you know that the comic industry has lost one of its greatest talents.
Michael Turner passed this last weekend. I found out like many others on the convention floor at Wizard Chicago before the doors opened. It was a shock for all of us at the Blue Line booth, even though we knew he was continuing his fight with cancer.
Professionally I would meet Mike several times at conventions over the years, always picking up his latest sketchbook or ashcan. Blue Line prints the paper for Aspen Comics, Michael’s company, but we work closely with Frank Mastromauro, not with Mike. I don’t have a great professional story to tell you other then he has always been very friendly to me and the rest of the Blue Line staff.
Personally, what I can pass along about Mike happened five years ago. My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer before we went to Wizard Chicago 2003. A colleague passed along to Mike that my wife had breast cancer and was undergoing treatments. As usual I made my way up to the front of the show on Saturday afternoon. Mike was busy signing autographs and meeting fans. Frank saw me and called me over to see if it was indeed my wife with cancer. I told him yes. Frank said that Mike wanted a minute. Mike stopped signing, came over and gave me his personnel cell phone number. He said that if my wife had any questions about cancer or the treatments to please have her call him. Again, Mike only knows me because we print his paper. That’s the kind of guy Mike was; caring and giving to everyone.
Even though my wife never called him she truly appreciated the gesture and kindness. I believe because of Mike’s kindness my wife has taken his lead to help others and created an email list to remind friends, family or anyone to self examine once a month.
Thanks Mike, that gesture has left a very lasting impression on our family.
Every sunset that I see from now on I’ll wonder if Mike, up in the heavens, had a hand in creating it. Heaven needed him for a reason.
Take care,
Robert W. Hickey
