Just read on Mark Evanier’s blog that Dave Stevens, the creator of The Rocketeer and the man whose art led to the resurgent popularity of Bettie Page in the 80s and 90s, has died. Leukemia took Stevens from us at the too-young age of 53.
Never met Stevens, but boy did I like his work (especially – OK, mostly – his cheesecake drawings of women in various stages of undress) and I LOVE The Rocketeer movie based on his work (it STILL amazes me that this film did not become a huge hit and franchise for Disney – I guess it was the period slang and references that turned viewers off).
The world today is minus one great artist. God speed Dave.
UPDATE: Correction, Dave was only 52. And here’s some great comments on Newsarama on his passing.