John Severin Dec 26th 1921- Feb 12th 2012 RIP

Veteran American comic book artist John Severin has died at the not unimpressive age of 90. Severin had been working in comics since 1947 and worked extensively for numerous publishers including EC Comics (until the line was cancelled following the anti-comicbook witchhunts of the '50's) and later the satirical magazine Cracked and the then newly emerging Marvel Comics line. He continued to work well into the 2000's, and was partly responsible for the controversial 2003 limited series which reimagined Marvel Western character the Rawhide Kid as an effeminate gay man.

I saw that today. Very sad.

The good thing about being a fan now is how much material there is out there to be had, in reprints and from other sources. I am hoping to add his work to my library.

I didn't realize until today he had a part in that series. I never read it, because it sounded like hype, but I may have to pick it up now because of his work.

The writer of the book, at the time, was circulating a rumour that Severin drew it without actually realizing they'd made the Rawhide Kid both gay and as camp as a row of tents. I'm not sure why anyone believed a man who'd spent about forty years working on satirical magazines wouldn't notice that, but Severin made it clear he knew exactly what he was doing. That's probably the most entertaining series the Kid ever had. .

tony ingram wrote:The writer of the book, at the time, was circulating a rumour that Severin drew it without actually realizing they'd made the Rawhide Kid both gay and as camp as a row of tents. I'm not sure why anyone believed a man who'd spent about forty years working on satirical magazines wouldn't notice that, but Severin made it clear he knew exactly what he was doing. That's probably the most entertaining series the Kid ever had. .

Wow, what a way to make yourself look stupid, trying to say you'd "fooled" him. I may have to track that series down, now.

I stand to be corrected but iirc it wasn't Howard Zimmermen, who wrote the excellent Slap Leather, and it's follow up, Sensational Seven (which features equally great art by Howie Chaykin), but Chuck Dixon or Tim Truman (I forget which) who opined that Severin couldn't possibly have known what the finished script was going to read like when he did the pencils or he wouldn't have done the series as the John Severin he knew wouldn't have been comfortable with the gay references.

Severin was happy to correct him on both counts.

RIP Mr Severin. Time to ride the Big Range in the Sky.

I think you're right! Chuck Dixon, I believe. Belated apologies to Mr. Zimmerman, in the unlikely event he should ever look in here...

Chuck Dixon sounds right to me as well. Severin was very classy in the way he handled it though, as he made sure to thank Dixon for looking out for him so well before gently corecting him. It's no suprise that no one had a bad word to say about him.

I'm going to miss seeing his name on new projects and ever since his 'return' with Desperadoes: Quiet of the Grave it's been a sure sign of a quality book. I suspect Witchfinder: Lost and Gone Forever will prove to be his last completed work and it's a pretty good way to bow out, as the combination of Severin's artwork and Dave Stewart's colours is stunning.

I never saw it, I think the last thing I saw his name on was something for DC a few years ago. Trying to remember what...

He did the 2008 Bat Lash mini that was written by Aragones and Peter Brandvold. I'd forgotten that but it was really rather good. According to Wiki he did some Suicide Squad as well, which seems an odd fit, I have to say.

Mind you, they also claim Slap Leather was set in an alternate universe, so I think anything they say should be taken with a large pinch of chilli....

I don't remember Severin on Suicide Squad, but yeah, I did read Bat Lash. Not a particularly memorable book, but the art was good.

If Slap Leather was set in an alternate universe, does that mean Blaze of Glory was set in a different one, too?

Hmm. I'd been trying to forget Blaze of Glory. In fact I've been trying to forget all of Marvel's attempts to do their western heroes for about the last three decades. Except the Man Called Hurricane short fromt he otherwise appalling Marvel Westerns mini.

Compared to that Bat Lash was a masterpiece. At least it looked nice.

Blaze of Glory was a nice idea, but very poorly executed. Whoever that guy was, he wasn't any Johnny Bart I recognized. At least Slap Leather was fun.

The old Marvel Western characters were always fun, even if the stories were often rather uninspired. It's a shae most of them are unlikely ever to be seen again in their original forms (and a whole generation will now believe the original Ghost Rider was a cowboy with a flaming skull, thanks to a certain movie)...