Joe Kubert - Another Legend Passes

The advert was in a copy of Wizard Magazine my mother bought for me at the grocery store. It popped off the page and declared to me the magical Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art. Suddenly a boy who had been given countless sketchbooks and nearly filled them all had a target, a goal point on the horizon. I aimed to attend that marvellous school.

Things change, sadly, naturally, and I forgot about the desire kindled in the me of my childhood to attend Kubert's school. I never forgot the raw energy of the illustrations accompanying that ad, though. They remain vibrant in my mind's eye.

I was saddened at the news I discovered when I opened my email this morning around 3:00am. It said that Joe Kubert had passed away. The words were there as bold and as powerful as the man's inking, which I've greatly admired ever since I first saw it in Wizard. Another great image-smith from the good old days of comics has left us and a massive void in the industry.

Joe Kubert will be missed and will continue to be admired many, many years from now. I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to behold the man's stunning and powerful artwork. I'm thankful to have seen that ad so long ago and, later in my life, to have beheld his short piece in the first volume of Batman: Black and White. I'll not forget his character Tor. I'll always remember and appreciate his texts on drawing and his desire to teach those who longed to better themselves as artists. He was without a doubt one of the greats, truly.

Thank you for everything, Mr. Kubert. Rest well.