Dave Cockrum

Cockrum was born on November 11, 1943, in Pendleton, Oregon. His father was a lieutenant colonel of the United States Air Force, resulting in the Cockrums frequently transporting their household from one city to another for years. Cockrum discovered comic books at a young age; an early favorite was Fawcett's Captain Marvel, especially Mac Raboy's Captain Marvel Jr. Other artists whose work the young Cockrum admired were Wally Wood, Gil Kane, Murphy Anderson, and Joe Kubert. such as Fantastic Four #22 (Jan. 1964), The Amazing Spider-Man #12 (May 1964), The Atom #1 (June 1962), and Fantastic Four #36 (March 1965) (return address "YN 'A' School, USNTC"). A letter from Cockrum in Fantastic Four #34 (Jan. 1965) led to a correspondence with Andrea Kline, who later became his first wife. Cockrum's ambition was to become a comic-book creator himself. After attending but not graduating from Southern Illinois University, Cockrum joined the United States Navy for six years. During this time, he created the character Nightcrawler, though the character would not be used until years later. ==Career==

Despite serving during the Vietnam War, Cockrum found time to contribute artwork to comics fanzines such as Star-Studded Comics and Fantastic Fanzine. He was then hired as an assistant inker to Murphy Anderson, Cockrum's work on the feature, beginning with a backup story in Superboy #184 (April 1972) and recurring in several following issues "established an exciting new vibe". He remained the artist on the Superboy series after the Legion of Super-Heroes became the main feature of the book with #197 and his art redefined the look of the Legion, creating new costumes and designs that would last until artist Keith Giffen did a similar revamp in the 1980s. Cockrum is credited with creating team member Wildfire. Cockrum drew the story wherein the characters Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel were married in Superboy Starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #200 (Feb. 1974). Cockrum eventually left DC and the Legion in a dispute involving the return of his original artwork from that issue. Prior to his departure, Cockrum had been preparing to be the regular artist on an ongoing Captain Marvel Jr. back-up strip in the Shazam! series for DC. These characters made their debut in Giant-Size X-Men #1 ([July] 1975), and then in a relaunched Uncanny X-Men (beginning with issue #94). Cockrum stayed with the title until 1977 (as main penciler on issues #94–105 and 107), when he was succeeded by penciler John Byrne with issue #108. The final issue of his original, regular run introduced the Starjammers, a spacefaring superhero team he had originally intended to debut in their own series. He continued to contribute covers for the series until Uncanny X-Men #126. Cockrum quit his staff job at Marvel in 1979 and his angry resignation letter was printed without his permission in Iron Man #127 (October 1979) but he continued to work for Marvel as a freelancer. Cockrum was Marvel's primary cover artist during this period, When John Byrne left the X-Men in 1981, Cockrum returned to the title with issue #145 but left again with issue #164 (Dec. 1982) to work on The Futurians. a two-part Starjammers limited series in 1990 and an X-Men short story for Marvel Holiday Special #1 in 1991. Two unpublished fill-in issues that Cockrum pencilled in the early 1990s for X-Men and New Mutants were released together posthumously as the one-shot X-Men: Odd Men Out in 2008. The Futurians In 1983, Cockrum produced The Futurians, first as a graphic novel (Marvel Graphic Novel #9), and then as an ongoing series published by Lodestone Comics. Though it did not last past issue #3, a collected edition was published by Eternity Comics in 1987 that included the "missing" issue #4. In 1995, Aardwolf Publishing printed the "missing" issue as Futurians #0, with a new five-page story by Cockrum and author Clifford Meth. Claypool Comics In 1993, Cockrum was recruited by Claypool Comics to produce work for them, resulting in several stories for Claypool's Elvira, Mistress of the Dark series beginning with #7. Cockrum was put into rotation on Peter David's Soulsearchers and Company, beginning with issue #13, becoming the series' penciler with #17 and penciling most issues through #44, published in 2000. Cockrum contributed a short feature to Richard Howell's Deadbeats #18. ==Personal life, illness, and death==

While serving in the Navy in the late 1960s, Cockrum married Andrea Kline Dave and Paty Greer Cockrum were married on April 28, 1978. In later years, Cockrum worked less frequently in comics. In 2004, he became seriously ill due to complications from diabetes and pneumonia, and a number of fellow artists and writers led by Clifford Meth and Neal Adams organized a fundraising project. The auction, run by Heritage Auctions at the WizardWorld Chicago show in August, raised over $25,000. Cockrum died at his home in Belton, South Carolina, In the novelization of X-Men: The Last Stand, written by Cockrum's longtime associate Chris Claremont (published in 2006), the President is named "David Cockrum". Claremont also created a character in homage to Cockrum in New Exiles who eventually "moved on" at the end of X-Men: Die by the Sword (2007), which ended with a full-page tribute to Cockrum. ==Awards==

Cockrum's work on the X-Men earned the creative team an Eagle Award for Favourite (Colour) Comic in 1977. Cockrum received an individual Inkpot Award in 1982. ==Bibliography==