Aw, man…
Warren Ellis just posted that he’s heard that Dave Stevens, creator of the Rocketeer, died yesterday.
I haven’t found any confirmation of it yet. I’m hoping it’s not true. EDIT: He’s updated the post, and apparently it was Leukemia. Well….SHIT.
I’ve been trying to get ahold of Stevens for a couple years now — I desperately want to include new prose fiction featuring The Rocketeer in Thrilling Tales Quarterly, and wanted to license the character from him. I’ve been unable to reach him through any of my usual contacts (and a few unusual ones).
Dave Stevens is (was?) my favorite comics creator. I sincerely hope that this news isn’t true — but something tells me it probably is. I guess that means I’ll need to discover the disposition of his estate, to find out what the possibilities are now for reviving The Rocketeer.