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Futurians, Warhawk, Thunderbolt & Lightning, other characters art ™ and © Estate of Dave Cockrum. Photo by Anthony Taylor. Creature from the Black Lagoon ™ and © Universal City Studios, LLC. Zorro ™ and © Zorro Productions, Inc.
PRINTED IN CHINA
52795
TwoMorrows Publishing
ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-113-4 ISBN-10: 1-60549-113-6
by G LEN CADIGAN
TwoMorrows Publishing Raleigh, North Carolina ISBN: 978-1-60549-113-4 $27.95 softcover
The Life & Art of DAVE COCKRUM
DAVE COCKRUM
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. His later work on his own property, The Futurians, as well as childhood favorite Blackhawk and T.H.U.N.D.E.R Agents, 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!
The Life & Art of
by G LEN CADIGAN Introduction by Alex Ross
The Life & Art of Dave Cockrum Written and edited by Glen Cadigan Layout and design by Eric Nolen-Weathington Proofread by Kevin Sharp Front cover colors by Glenn Whitmore Back cover photo by Anthony Taylor Patron Saint and Guardian Angel: Paty Cockrum TwoMorrows Publishing 10407 Bedfordtown Drive Raleigh, NC 27614 www.twomorrows.com • e-mail: twomorrow@aol.com First Printing • June 2022 • Printed in China Softcover ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-113-4 Hardcover ISBN-13: 978-1-60549-114-1 Editorial package © 2022 Glen Cadigan and TwoMorrows Publishing.
Dedication To Paty Cockrum, for her blessing and for single-handedly providing many of the images that appear within. Acknowledgements Jim Amash, Frank Anderson, Miki Annamanthadoo, Heritage Auctions, Al Bigley, Dave Braunstein, Eliot R. Brown, Dewey Cassell, Eddy Choi, Shaun Clancy, Jon B. Cooke, Scott Edelman, Ruben Espinosa, Michael Eury, Fred Hembeck, William Hild, Tom Hoffman, Richard Howell, Ankur Jetley, Andrea Kline, Ted Latner, Michael Lovitz, David Mandel, Manny Maris, Sam Maronie, David Edward Martin, Kevin McConnell, Doug McCratic, Jay McKiernan, Cliff Meth, Ken Meyer, Jr., Brian Philbin, Alex Ross, Peter Sanderson, Anthony Taylor, Jerry Thompson, Mercy Van Vlack, Steven Weill, Geoff Willmetts, Charles Yoakum, Dwight Jon Zimmerman Trademarks and Copyrights Armor Thug, Avatar, Belladonna, Blackmane, Bloodstar, Bloodknight, Dark Demon, Doctor Zeus, Dr. Fang, Exotic Lady, Futurians, Galactic Agent, Hammerhand and Miss (Ms.) Mercury, Intruder and Hellsprite, Long John Silverstein, Manta, Moonfang, Mosquito, Mysterians, Phaedra, Power Boy, Quetzal, Reflection, Scungili, Sidewinder, Silkie, Silver Shadow, Sunswift, Terrayne, T.H.U.G.S., Thunderbolt and Lightning, Trio, Typhoon, Un-Man, Vampyre, Warhawk, Webster, Werehawk, Zapcat ™ and © Estate of Dave Cockrum.
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Batman, Blackhawk, Death, Doom Patrol, Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, Justice League of America, Legion of Super-Heroes, Robin, Shazam Heroes, Son of Vulcan, Superman, Teen Titans, Wonder Woman ™ and © DC Comics. Angel, Ant-Man, Avengers, Banshee, Beast, Binary, Black Cat, Brood, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Colossus, Cyclops, Daredevil, Deathbird, Deathgrip, Defenders, Dreadknight, El Aguila, Giant-Man, Fantastic Four, Havok, Hulk, Ice Man, Imperial Guard, Inhumans, Iron Man, Lillandra, Magneto, Manphibian, Mantis, Ms. Marvel, Mystique, Nightcrawler, Phoenix, Polaris, Professor X, Quintronic Man, Silver Surfer, Skywolf, Starjammers, Storm, Swordsman, Thor, Thunderbird, Vanguard, Vision, X-Men, Wasp, Wolverine ™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc. Animan & Shattuck ™ and © Wallace Wood Properties, LLC. Comet ™ and © Archie Comic Publications, Inc. Creature from the Black Lagoon ™ and © Universal City Studios, LLC. The Day the Earth Stood Still ™ and © 20th Century Studios. Doc Savage ™ and © Conde Nast Entertainment. Elvira ™ and © Queen “B” Productions. John Carter of Mars ™ and © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Soulsearchers and Company ™ and © Claypool Comics/Boffin Books, Second Age, Inc., and Richard Howell. Star Trek ™ and © ViacomCBS. This Island Earth © Universal City Studios, LLC. T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents ™ and © Radiant Assets, Inc. Warren Publishing art © New Comic Company, LLC. Warriors of Plasm, Fatale ™ and © DreamWorks Classics. Zorro ™ and © Zorro Productions, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction by Alex Ross.....................................5 Chapter 1: 1943–1970 Part I: The Early Years........................................7 Part II: In the Navy.......................................... 11 Part III: Fandom’s Finest................................ 14 Chapter 2: 1970–1974 Part I: Breaking In........................................... 23 Part II: The Legion of Super-Heroes......... 26 Part III: Side Projects...................................... 33 Chapter 3: 1974–1977 Part I: Enter the X-Men................................. 43
Chapter 6: 1985–1995 Part I: Catskills Country..............................107 Part II: Odds ’N’ Ends....................................108 Part III: Brave New World...........................114 Chapter 7: 1995–2003 Part I: Claypool & Company......................127 Part II: The New Millennium.....................132 Part III: World Wide Web.............................136 Chapter 8: 2003–2006 Part I: Battle in the Bronx...........................143 Part II: The Last Years...................................148 Part III: The End..............................................155
Chapter 4: 1976–1982 Part I: Two’s Company................................... 67 Part II: An Artist of Mars............................... 70 Part III: On Staff................................................ 72 Part IV: The In-Between Years..................... 78 Part V: Return to Xavier’s.............................. 81 Chapter 5: 1982–1985 Part I: Tomorrow Is Now............................... 91 Part II: T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Artist........................... 93 Part III: Nightcrawler...................................... 95 Part IV: Return of the Futurians................. 97
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Captain Marvel was Cockrum’s first exposure to superheroes. Painting by a pre-pro Cockrum, courtesy of Heritage Auctions. Shazam hero ™ & © DC Comics
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Chapter 1: 1943–1970
O
I. The Early Years
n November 11, 1943, David Emmett Cockrum wrote in 1968. “They bought me a subscription to was born to Emmett Ernst and Fern Council Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies, which, at the time, Cockrum in Pendleton, Oregon. According to featured ‘Bugs Bunny,’ ‘Mary Jane and Sniffles,’ and a his brother, Doug, “Illinois was the family home. My pair of kid brothers that were some kind of rodents — dad was in the Army. He was commissioned into the pack rats or gophers or something. Previous to that, I’d Field Artillery in 1935, but he was in the reserves, and never seen a comic book before. so he wasn’t called to active duty until the beginning “That was the start of it all. Suddenly, I couldn’t get of World War II. Illinois was his home — his longenough of comic books! I was only about five years old time home — and also my mother’s longtime home. and we lived on a farm, so naturally I didn’t have much When he was called to active duty, chance to go looking for myself. I they were assigned to Pendleton, had to survive on the generosity of Oregon, for a while. They were also my parents. Their generosity only in Madison, Wisconsin, for a while. extended, alas, to an occasional Walt Anyhow, that’s how Dave came to Disney in addition to my subscripbe born in Pendleton, because of my tion, but I hoarded those comics, dad’s military assignment there.” stuffed them under my mattress and Later the family moved back in every nook and cranny, mainly to to Illinois, where, at an early age, keep my younger brother and sister Cockrum’s artistic leanings became away from them.”2 In 2001, the artist explained to apparent. “I think I first started Jay McKiernan, “My folks were both drawing when I discovered that one teachers and they got me reading end of a pencil makes a funny mark early... [They figured] it was a useful on paper,” he recalled years later. “I’d way to encourage my reading skills. guess the first things I tried to draw Little did they know what they were were Bugs Bunny, Gene Autry, and 1 starting.”3 monsters!!” A young Dave Cockrum looks on. “For as long as I can remember, Photo © Estate of Dave Cockrum. In 1968, Cockrum also recalled, he sketched and drew,” Doug Cock“Then came my parents’ second big rum reflected, “and when he was young, my mom mistake. Even bigger than the first, perhaps. My dad, and dad thought that that was a good thing, and they who was teaching in a high school at the time, brought enjoyed watching him draw, but they had different home a comic he’d confiscated from a student called things in mind for him, in terms of making a living. Boy Crime Fighter,4 a violent, crime-ridden mag about a kid who ran around knocking the crap out of adult I guess when we were very young, the grand plan was villains; his favorite punching bag was an evil-looking that Dave was supposed to go to West Point, and I was character with a saw-toothed, iron lower jaw whose supposed to be a doctor. And as things worked out, name was — you guessed it — Ironjaw. This opened Dave became a cartoonist and I went to the Air Force a whole new world! I had never imagined such things Academy. I became the professional military guy, and existed! Imagine — a comic book without sickeningDave pursued his own interests.” ly-cute little animals parading around getting into Comic books were a fixture in Cockrum’s life early petty troubles! Even at that tender age, you see, I was on. “Years ago, my parents made a great mistake,” he 7
An unpublished cover featuring the Manphibian. The character eventually appeared in Legion of Monsters #1 (1975). Manphibian ™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Chapter 2: 1970–1974
I
I. Breaking In
n June 1970, twenty-six year old Dave Cockrum Warren that I said to give you work.’ And in those days, moved to New York City to pursue his dream of if Jim Warren heard Neal’s name, he’d go, ‘Salaam!’ So I becoming a professional comic book artist. As part would get these jobs, and I would bring ’em in to Neal of military cutbacks that year, he received notification first and show him, and he’d say, ‘Well, fix this, and fix of his “Early Out” in the spring, and it enabled him to this, and fix this,’ and I’d fix ’em and take ’em over to 1 arrive Stateside months earlier than expected. Warren. [He] would say, ‘Neal Adams is telling you “I got out [of the Navy] in 1970 and came straight to what to fix, isn’t he?’ and I’d say, ‘What? I don’t know New York, just in time for Phil Seuling’s convention in what you’re talking about.’”5 Cockrum’s first work for the publisher was the sixJuly,” he told Comic Book Artist’s Jon B. Cooke in 1999. page story, “Prisoner in the Pool!” which appeared in “I met all kinds of professionals there and then went Vampirella #11 (May 1971). Coinup to DC first, but their attitude was cidentally, the story was written by that I was close to professional qualBuddy Saunders, one of the original ity, but just on the wrong side of it.”2 While at the DC offices, he met publishers of Star-Studded Comics, with editor Julie Schwartz, to whom to which Cockrum had been a conhe had written for years. “I used to tributor just one year before. His send him sketches of characters next story appeared in Creepy #39 when I was just a fan,” Cockrum (May 1971 — “C.O.D. — Collect recalled in 2003. “When he hired me on Death”), followed by “Swamp years later, he pulled a stack of those Demon” in Creepy #40 (Sept. 1971 drawings from his desk and showed — a story which he both wrote and them to me. Gawd, they were awful! illustrated on spec while still in After that, every time I’d visit, he’d Guam),6 and “A Change of Identity” in Creepy #42 (Nov. 1971). Cockrum take them out again, or threaten to. rounded out his Warren career with He was always kidding around.”3 When work was not forthcomtwo stories in Eerie: “Oh, Brother!” ing from the publisher, Schwartz Cockrum at the 1970 Comic Art Conven- in #36 (Nov. 1971), and “Yesterday walked Cockrum around the offices tion (seen in Fantastic Fanzine #13). is the Day Before Tomorrow” in #39 and introduced him to Neal Adams. (April 1972). All stories ranged from Adams, then the industry’s biggest star, was aware of six to eight pages in length, and Cockrum inked all of Cockrum’s work from fanzines, and upon being introhis own artwork. duced, said, “Oh! It’s the famous artist from Fantastic About his time at Warren, he later said, “It would Fanzine.” have probably benefited me if I had stayed on and done “I knew he was being sarcastic as hell, but it was more stuff... because I was learning black-&-white nice to hear that he knew who I was,” Cockrum later techniques that I later quit using.”7 At the time, the artist wrote in Eerie #33 (May 1971), “Thanks to lots recalled. “And Marvel wasn’t ready for me yet, so Neal of help and goodwill from Neal Adams and trial script Adams sent me over to Warren. So that was where my 4 from Jim Warren, I seem to be making that first tentafirst professional stuff appeared.” In 2002, the artist told Glen Cadigan, “Neal got me tive step up the ladder. With all the helpful people I’ve those [jobs] by telling me, ‘Okay, go over and tell Jim met in the business, I may just make it.” 23
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(previous page) Cockrum’s original designs for Legion heroes and villains, plus his Legion letterhead from the era. Legion of Super-Heroes ™ and © DC Comics.
(this page) The original “Starfire” designs and bio, plus color guide samples of Princess Projectra and Saturn Girl showing front and rear views. Note the coloring error on Saturn Girl which led to a permanent change. Thanks to Steven Weill for the latter. Legion of Super-Heroes ™ and © DC Comics
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The cover to a paperback reprinting of Giant-Size X-Men #1, from the collection of David Mandel. X-Men ™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Chapter 3: 1974–1977
I
I. Enter The X-Men
n 1974, an event occurred at the offices of Marvel prise, surprise — when he wasn’t doing anything and Comics in New York City that proved to have a we started to kick around the idea of the X-Men, and long-lasting impact on both the career of Dave he had said that he had always wanted to start a new Cockrum and the industry as a whole. It was during group and sort of treat them like mutant Blackhawks, a meeting attended by Marvel Editor-in-Chief Roy an international group.” Cockrum continued, “I told Thomas, Publisher Stan Lee, and President Al Landau, Roy I’d be interested in doing something like that, and who represented Cadence Industries, the then-owner so he said, ‘All right, I’ll consider you.’ Then he couldn’t of the company, that the idea to bring back the team write it himself, so he first asked Mike Friedrich.”4 In 2003, Friedrich told Alter Ego magazine, “What I of mutant superheroes known as the X-Men began. recall most clearly is one lunch that was held near the According to Thomas, “...Landau mentioned that it Marvel offices with... Roy Thomas, would be a good idea to have an freelance artist Dave Cockrum, and international team of some sort. You myself... What I remember now is see, he had his own company called that Roy had conveyed to me the Trans World, which at the time was idea of an international group of reselling Marvel’s work overseas by characters... and I remember him the page. And he knew that if we... saying, as shorthand, ‘kinda like the had big markets in three or four Blackhawks,’ which, of course, was countries and we had a team that a similar international group, then had three or four characters in it, one out of print.”5 from each country, we’d have a terAccording to Thomas, “I don’t rific hit on our hands overseas. So the think it was acted on right away, new X-Men was actually born to tap although I got a lot of encourageour foreign market.”1 Thomas continued, “[Landau] ment[.]”6 In 1981, Cockrum remembered, mentioned this general, vague idea “[It] was a long time before this got just in passing, without pressing for off the ground, I think actually about it; I countered that I thought it was Cockrum at the 1976 Marvel Con, taken a year, maybe — eight months, ten an excellent idea and I thought we by Sam Maronie. months, or a year. But Roy couldn’t should do it with the X-Men.”2 At that point in the publication’s history, The X-Men devote any attention to it and the whole thing kinda had been converted into a reprint book after having got shelved, but I had drawn up a whole bunch of charbeen cancelled some years before. According to acters.”7 In 1994, Cockrum remembered, “One day, [Roy] Thomas, “...Martin Goodman, the publisher at that walked into the area that I worked in, and he literally time, was on an economy kick. He wanted to bring the told me to go home and come back with some X-Men. book back, but he didn’t want to spend the money [for 3 I was really excited about this, because I liked the team. new material], so he just did reprints for a while.” From there, Cockrum became involved with the But with the exception of Cyclops, I never considered project. According to the artist, “I was hanging around the original characters [to be] all that strong. So I was Marvel in those days looking for something to do, and happy for the chance to reshape things. I practically one day I had a few minutes alone with Roy — surstarted from scratch.”8 43
One of three painted covers Cockrum did for the Marvel Novel Series. Captain America (#4) and The Avengers (#10) were the other two. Avengers, Captain America, Daredevil, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, X-Men ™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Chapter 4: 1976–1982
I
I. Two’s Company
t was while working as the artist on The X-Men tions all morning, and all of a sudden I look up and revival at Marvel that Cockrum’s marriage of nine I see this person [next to the Xerox machine]. Duffy years fell apart. “My folks divorced when I was about Vohland was right next to me doing some inking at the eight,” the artist’s son, Ivan, recalled in 2007. In order board next to mine, and I nudged him. I said, ‘Duffy! to pay the rent, he took on a roommate in the form of Who’s that?’ and he said, ‘Oh! That’s Dave Cockrum. fellow comics industry professional Jim Shooter. He’s working on the new X-Men project,’ and I said, In 2002, Cockrum recalled, “My first wife and I ‘Oh! I’ve seen his work. He’s pretty good.’” broke up, and I had this nice, three-bedroom apart“So I gathered up the stuff I had to take back to ediment in Queens. Shooter was looking for an aparttorial, and I did a long trek around the office... and I ment, and I said, ‘Well, I’ve came up behind Dave. He’s got one.’ And he wound up standing there, Xeroxing 1 moving in.” As to how the pages. I walked by him with two met, the artist laughed, the pages in my arms, and as “Probably because someI walked by, I patted him on body told me he was lookthe tail and said, ‘Nice ass,’ ing for an apartment. I don’t and kept going. And Dave’s remember.”2 In 1994, he like, ‘What? What? Who also laughed when he told was that?’ looking around.” Cliff Meth, “Shooter credShe continued, “By that its me as the guy who saved time, I was out the door and him from having to live at gone. Duffy told me later, 3 the YMCA.” ‘I nearly fell off the chair Shooter informed Dia- Cockrum at his desk at Marvel. Photo by Eliot R. Brown. laughing. I [was] rolling mond’s Scoop newsletter in 2006, “When I first moved around on the floor,’ and Duffy looked like Volstagg. to New York City in 1976, as it happened, Dave had I mean, literally, he looked like Volstagg. He said, a room to rent and I needed a place to live. We didn’t ‘I’m rolling around the floor. When I could catch my know each other at all, but it worked out fine for the breath, I said, ‘Oh, that’s Paty. Don’t worry about her. eight months or so I stayed there. Dave was good-naShe’s harmless.’ So that’s how I met Dave.” tured, easygoing, and easy to get along with — also, The two started dating in October of ’76. Accord4 totally honest and honorable. The place was great.” ing to the future Mrs. Cockrum, “Marv Wolfman It was also in 1976 that Cockrum met another indiwas throwing a Halloween party, and everybody was vidual who would play a significant role in his future. invited. We were all gonna sit around and watch Sat“[I met Dave] in the summer of ’76,” Paty Cockrum urday Night Live and have a good time, but you had to recalled in 2007. “I knew [his] work before I ever met come in costume. I was going in a Scarlet Witch-type him, from fanzines and things like that, and when I costume — not exactly the one that was in the books, first saw [it], I said, ‘Aw, that kid’s going somewhere!’” but I thought that the one that was in the books was Their first encounter occurred in the Marvel bullpen, kinda dull, so I sort of jazzed [it] up — [and] Dave where the then-Paty Greer was working. “[I was] doing wanted to go as Zorro... art corrections and some of the merchandising art at “He had black boots and he had black jeans, and he the time,” she remembered. “I had been doing correchad this black pull-over sweatshirt — actually, I think 67
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Futurians ™ and © Estate of Dave Cockrum.
Chapter 5: 1982–1985
A
I. Tomorrow Is Now
fter a year-and-a-half as the penciller of the The author continued, “The Inheritors abandoned monthly X-Men series, in 1982 Dave Cockrum their time in favor of a more primitive one (right, achieved a goal that he had not yet accomours, you guessed it) that perhaps they could conquer. plished in his entire career: to create a new team of The scientists were unable to physically follow, and superhero characters and retain all rights associated so they did the next best thing: they seeded the past with them. In 1985, he wrote, “The Futurians... is with tailored chromosome packages — genetic ‘time another major milestone for me. It’s the first time I’ve bombs’ — designed to create superior potential in cerset out to do a series with characters that I not only cretain human strains. Terminus then sent the mind of its ated, but that I own myself. This gives me the opportugreatest scientist into the past to occupy the body of a nity to introduce other characters, which means I can 20th Century man, and organize a defense against the finally use some of the hundreds of Inheritors. He arrived into a derecharacters I’ve come up with over lict wino in a back alley in Denver, the past thirty years. I’ve never in 1962.”3 Regarding the full team, the been prolific enough to use many of Futurians were, “...Avatar, a 7,000 them, and also, one becomes relucyear old perfect specimen with tant to give away characters to a enormous power of mind and company so they can get rich while body; Sunswift, a 3,000 year old you get a wart on your nose. WitEgyptian woman whose power ness the New X-Men.”1 Originally launched as Marvel caused her to become too hot to Graphic Novel #9 (1983), “The live on Earth — she now resides in Futurians dealt with the residents of the Sun; Terrayne, the Earthmover, Earth, some five million years in the a former football star turned into a future. Splintered into two warring huge shambling lump of stuff with groups called the Inheritors and the geo-manipulative powers; BlackScientists of Terminus, they strugmane, a very short comic book gled for domination of the Earth. artist transformed into a very tall Both sides having lost all knowland raunchy leonine being; Silkie, edge of space travel, their battles Dave Cockrum in 1984, in a photograph a marine biologist transformed into published in David Anthony Kraft’s Comics were limited to an already ravaged Interview #20 (Feb. 1985). a fish-lady; Mosquito, a world-class Earth. Ultimately, despairing of gymnast and all-around bug-pervictory, the Inheritors used a gigantic tractor-cannon son; Werehawk, a Dakota Indian who’s exactly what called the Sky-Gripper to pull the moon from orbit and the name says; and Silver Shadow, a former spy who drop it onto Terminus, nearly destroying Earth itself in travels through dimensional doorways in shadows. the process. Ordinarily this would’ve ended hostilities, These, then are The Futurians!”4 Out of all the characters, their creator put the most but — Terminus has this really terrific force field. Half thought into the team’s leader. “Avatar... has an incredthe world wrecked, and their city sat there snickering ibly long and complex backstory,” he wrote in 2003. at the Inheritors. This is no way to treat desperate vil“He’s an immortal of extremely long life, and has lains; you’re supposed to lay down and die, or at least 2 been many of history’s most influential men, includwet your pants.” 91
Splash page from Marvel Fanfare #16, originally intended for Marvel Premiere years earlier. Thanks to Ted Latner. Skywolf ™ and © Marvel Characters, Inc.
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Chapter 6: 1985–1995
I
I. Catskills Country
n 1985, the same year that saw the publication He said, ‘No, you test out as being diabetic, and we’re of both Nightcrawler and The Futurians ongoing going to put you on oral medications and a very strict series, Cockrum was first diagnosed with the condidiet,’ which he gave to me, and [he] jumped up and tion that would eventually take his life. “He had an ear down and said, ‘You will do this!’ and I said, ‘Okay, infection, and he didn’t know he had diabetes,” recalled fine.’ And Dave was on that for years, and actually lost Paty Cockrum in 2007. “He knew it ran in his family, fifty pounds and was feeling fit and fine and everything but it was probably in about... I’d say Spring of ’85, or else, and then he fell off his diet wagon and started maybe the Fall of ’84 [that] he got an ear infection, eating again, and things went downhill from there. As and he went to the doctor down there for the doctor to they will, when you have diabetes. You can’t fall off the take a look at his ear. The doctor drew some blood and wagon and start eating chocolate, and peanut butter, took some tests, and came back and and all this good stuff again.” nearly had a fit of apolepsy because That same year, the artist and Dave’s sugar level in his blood that his wife made a decision to leave morning was something like 480, the metropolitan New York area where it should be around 100. So for upstate New York. “We lived on he called Dave in, and hauled both Long Island for eight years,” Paty him and me in and read Dave the remembered, “and Dave wanted to riot act. [He] jumped up and down, get off the island because it was too and nearly had a fit. I thought the hot and muggy. I mean, we had an poor man was gonna actually drop air-conditioning bill one summer dead in his office. He wanted to send that was $800 a month, and that Dave to a hospital, [but] Dave said, was in the ’70s [or] early ’80s. So we “No.” He said, ‘I want you to see an looked around.” enthroconologist,’ and the enthroShe continued, “He still wanted conologist he wanted [Dave] to see to be close to the city, so I started was booked up solid for months. looking around in my old area up Cockrum at a Brooklyn Plastic Modeler’s “Basically what she did was she Society. Photo by Frank Anderson. there because at that point I had called David and she said, ‘[Your quit Marvel and was doing freelance doctor] sent this over and said that your blood sugar, work, and so we didn’t have any real restrictions on us when he tested it, was 480.’ And Dave said, ‘Yeah, that’s except that we wanted to be within driving distance of what he said.’ She says, ‘What did you have for breakthe city for editorial conferences and things like that. fast that morning?’ and he proceeded to regale her with So I said, ‘You know, we could look up where I used the fact that he had had French toast with lots and lots to [live],’ and Dave went up with me at one point, and of syrup and butter, and bacon and eggs, and he had looked around and said, ‘Yeah, I like this mountain air. just come off of a week of eating cherry and apple pies It’s nice and dry. Yeah, I like this up here.’ that I had made, and chocolate chip cookies. She said, “So we looked around, and I found a house. [At this ‘Okay. This is the diet I want you on for two weeks, and point,] my former husband would put the boys on a then you go get tested again.’ bus and send them to the city, and I would pick them “So he did, and his blood sugar was right back up at Port Authority and then drive them back up down to normal, and [his doctor] wouldn’t believe it. sometime Sunday. I had a lot of friends up there, ’cause 107