RIPs

Colin YNWA · 13 August, 2012, 06:54:11 AM

Wow well its too often said, but the passing of Joe Kubert is truly the passing of a legend. An incredible artist, but so much more. From what little I know a good life, lived well.

A.Cow · 13 August, 2012, 08:20:57 AM

The Olympics Closing Ceremony, which died on its arse for much of the evening. Even the second half, after Russell Brand mimed his way off stage, was bare minimum entertainment. Should have just given Muse the whole gig.

dracula1 · 13 August, 2012, 11:38:53 AM

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 13 August, 2012, 06:54:11 AM
Wow well its too often said, but the passing of Joe Kubert is truly the passing of a legend. An incredible artist, but so much more. From what little I know a good life, lived well.

Rest in Peace Joe Kubert, long may his wonderful work continue to inspire us.

SuperSurfer · 13 August, 2012, 03:12:24 PM

Very sad to read that Joe Kubert passed away.

This is one of the first comics I ever owned. I still have it. Whenever I come across it, it takes me back to an entirely different era.

The last work of his I came across was Sgt Rock in Wednesday Comics. Brilliant, fluid, loose artwork.

dracula1 · 13 August, 2012, 04:07:03 PM

Wonderful examples of the great man's work. The good thing is he ended on a career high teaming up with his son on Nite Owl.

Zarjazzer · 13 August, 2012, 04:41:19 PM

Another giant gone.rip Joe Kubert.

SmallBlueThing · 13 August, 2012, 06:13:59 PM

Oh, that's just... well, it's very sad. I know next to nothing about the man to be honest, and i'm familiar with him primarily through adverts for his school, which seemed to be in every comic i read throughout the late eighties and early nineties. I won't pretend to be an expert, or even familiar, but i do know that's another legend gone.

SBT

Goaty · 14 August, 2012, 10:08:57 AM

The Dandy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/9474241/The-Dandy-Britains-oldest-comic-could-be-shut-after-75-years.html

Mike Carroll · 15 August, 2012, 04:59:35 AM

I'm devastated to report that Harry Harrison died shortly after midnight this morning, following a long illness.

Harry - as I'm sure most people on this site will be aware - was the creator of hugely popular Stainless Steel Rat series of science fiction novels, among many, many others. Adaptations of three of the Rat books appeared in 2000AD between 1979 and 1985, and helped a whole new generation of readers to discover Harry's work.

Speaking personally: I first met Harry at a signing in Dublin in the late 1980s, and I'm proud to say that he was not only my favourite writer, he was a great mentor and over the years became a very close friend to both Leonia and myself.

It breaks my heart that he's no longer with us. We've known the end was coming for a long time now, but it's still a shock. As a mark of respect I'll be temporarily shutting down Harry's website (www.harryharrison.com). Later, I'll add a condolence book for fans to add a few lines.

-- Mike

Albion · 15 August, 2012, 07:13:19 AM

Very sorry to hear that Mike.

It was the adaptation of the Stainless Steel Rat in the Prog that got me to read his books and I got hold of the the other Rat novels as soon as I could. His books were very funny and a joy to read.
I read several of his other books too.

Farewell Harry and thanks for the stories.

Richmond Clements · 15 August, 2012, 07:30:53 AM

Dammit. Thanks to Mike, I had the privilege of meeting Harry a couple of times. Gutted that I'll never get that honour again. A real loss.

SmallBlueThing · 15 August, 2012, 07:56:12 AM

Because of the age i was when i first discovered him, Harry Harrison sits with Bradbury, Clarke, Harlan Ellison, and the other true greats of science fiction. He was my author of choice from the mobile library that stopped right outside my house, along with Target Dr Who books and Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators. Always funny, always exciting and always readable, you can imagine my excitement when his work started appearing in my favourite weekly comic!

Very sad news to wake up to today, and my condolences to mike and those who knew him personally and who have lost a friend as well as one of the 'names' of classic genre fiction.

SBT

JOE SOAP · 15 August, 2012, 08:13:42 AM

Sorry to hear that Mike. Apart from the Stainless Steel Rat, it's this that comes to mind when I think of Harry Harrison:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYTIgcMRdbU

So long Harry.

Trout · 15 August, 2012, 09:02:15 AM

The news about Harry Harrison has made me very sad. I love his stuff. His writing style was so full of inventiveness, presented at such a fast pace. I've been clearing out tons of stuff lately but the Stainless Steel Rat books, which are so very re-readable, were kept without a second's thought.

He was a great creative force.

TordelBack · 15 August, 2012, 10:19:25 AM

So sorry to hear this, and my condolences to his family and friemds, and to Mike and Leonie in particular.

I devoured Harry Harrison's books as a young teenager, and once nearly expired with nascent geekgasm when my uncle revealed over dinner that he was a much-liked neighbour of his down near Avoca. Sadly I never really capitalised in this potential 'in', and never met him, although he did sign a book for me.

When sending the bulk of my books to eBay and the charity shops a while back, I opened a large box packed entirely with everything from Deathworld 3 to A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah! to Make Room! Make Room! to The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted. I couldn't part with a single one.

Out of all of his work, and I think I've read nearly everything, Lifeboat is the one that really stood out for me, a simple claustropobhic genre mashup he wrote with Gordon Dickson. Love that book.

One of the true greats of clever, entertaining and adventure-packed SF.