Image Comics ushered in a new generation of young, talented creators and one of the brightest, the most affable and most ambitious was young Mike Turner. He stood out because not only was he tall, handsome and smart as a whip, but because he had dreams beyond just comics and more importantly, made those dreams come true.
I liked Mike a lot. We socialized mostly after hours during cons but since he had family and friends in San Diego who I also knew, we had a chance to hang out here as well, and he was just a great guy to shoot the shit with. Like Dave Stevens, Mike made comics more glamorous and cooler ahead of its time. He also always made sure to put the fans first, and it's been truly heartwarming to read all the accounts and tributes to his good nature and his big heart.
I had known about his worsening condition for some time now as I work right next to Joel Gomez who was pals with Mike back when Joel worked at Top Cow and Aspen, but even that knowledge couldn't soften the blow of his passing. It is particularly bittersweet to me that his death fell during the Wizard World Chicago convention as that is where I remember him being at his very best many years ago. Not because of the long lines of fans waiting to just meet him (because that was a normal occurrence, really) and not because of an amazing cover or comic he had just published (again, there are too many to list as I was a big MLT fan) and not because he always looked like he was having the time of his life (which he truly was--I still remember hanging out at his condo in LA, marveling at the view and toys), but because he was on stage at the Wizard World Awards show with Sam and Jeph Loeb, inspiring everyone in the room with his determination to not let cancer take him down.
And even when it got bad, Mike still made appearances at shows, drew gorgeous cover after gorgeous cover, and damn if he still didn't make it all look easy.
Cancer took its toll but did not defeat him. Mike will continue to inspire, through word and picture, anecdote and hilarous, tall tale.
Rest in peace, Mike.