160-page FULL-COLOR Trade Paperback - by Glen CADIGAN

From the letters pages of Silver Age comics to his 2021 induction into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame, the career of Dave Cockrum started at the bottom and then rose to the top of the comic book industry. Beginning with his childhood obsession with comics and continuing through his years in the Navy, The Life and Art of Dave Cockrum follows the rising star from fandom (where he was one of the “Big Three” fanzine artists) to pro-dom, where he helped revive two struggling comic book franchises: the Legion of Super-Heroes and the X-Men. A prolific costume designer and character creator, his redesigns of the Legion and his introduction of X-Men characters Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Thunderbird (plus his design of Wolverine’s alter ego, Logan) laid the foundation for both titles to become best-sellers. His later work on his own property, The Futurians, as well as childhood favorite Blackhawk and T.H.U.N.D.E.R Agents, plus his five years on Soulsearchers and Company, cemented his position as an industry giant. Featuring artwork from fanzines, unused character designs, and other rare material, this is the comprehensive biography of the legendary comic book artist, whose influence is still felt on the industry today! Written by Glen Cadigan (The Legion Companion, The Titans Companion Volumes 1 and 2, Best of the Legion Outpost) with an introduction by Alex Ross.

LUNAR Distributors Order Code: 0225TM913

This item is listed in the May 2025 issue of Lunar’s Next Phase catalog (#41).

A LIMITED HARDCOVER EDITION is also available here.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-113-4

REVIEWS:

"Dave Cockrum was the best of us. He was the embodiment of the fan who aspired to make comics, improve upon what was there, and create something new... Dave's contributions to the arts deserve our recognition and respect, and there is still so much to learn from him." -- Alex Ross, from his introduction.

"Dave Cockrum was one of the most underappreciated forces in comics, even though much beloved as an artist. His behind the scenes work as a costume designer and cover sketcher had massive effects on Marvel, and influence far beyond the specific work he created. Consider checking out his life in this recent well-researched book." -- Paul Levitz

"Dave was not only a phenomenal artist and designer, but a friend from long before he became a pro. Along with so many great characters, Dave designed most of the X-Men characters you love (Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and many others). He also designed The Black Cat, one of my characters. How great was his design? Over 40 years later, you’ll find scores of fans still cosplaying her at conventions across the globe. Dave’s story is both fascinating and heart-breaking, and one all comic fans should read. The book is filled with great art and the writing will draw you in. Give it a try." -- Marv Wolfman

"A very fine volume on the life of the best super hero character designer of the 1970s. It's packed with behind-the-scenes artwork and photographs and includes a detailed section on the creation of the All-New X-Men, as you'd expect that it would. But it also covers all of the other facets of Cockrum's career, including his fan press days and his time designing models for Aurora and so forth... I think Dave's work is a bit under recognized for the impact it had on the field, so it's nice to see him and his work spotlighted in this manner." -- Tom Brevoort

"I enjoyed this book thoroughly. If you're at all a fan of the late Dave Cockrum's work, it's a must-read." -- Mark Waid

"Such a great book. A true joy to read as it adds insight to one of my all time favorite artists!" -- Dan Jurgens