Michael Turner Tribute

I only met him once and ironically everything centered around WW chicago. My first foray into the original art addiction was the Sam Loeb Auction in 2006. I knew i wanted to bid on a John Cassaday page but then I saw Michael come up to the stage on his crutches and they announced that he had drawn a special something for the auction..and it was Superboy...I know i had to have it . Ironically, I got both pieces for the same price and both with my lucky numbers (the day i was born). At that time, i was so nervous to meet Michael but he gave me this big smile and great hand shake....I could feel how genuine he was and how caring.

Then the next year at WW Chicago 2007, i saw him and had had grown his hair back and I felt so inspired to see him...He looked so great....and he just embraced his fans...I was so impressed. I was in awe of him...i got him to sign my Flash/Grodd statue...i actually hauled the base of it to the convention....they kinda thought it was funny....b/c i said "please sign my monkey"

now it's WW Chicago 2008....i didn't go........didn't even look at CAF all weekend....then my heart just fell yesterday evening when i saw it on CAF...RIP michael turner....I was in shock all night. My friends knew i was so troubled and i couldn't even sleep. I cleared my entire Feature Gallery of everything and imported the four Michael Turner pieces that i own....the Superboy from the Sam Loeb Auction and pages from Jeph Loeb's run on Supergirl....I see those pieces differently now.....One has Wonder Woman comforting a crying Superman and I see the sadness and grief in it that i did not see before, One has Batman and Superman gazing on a monument of Superman's long dead parents--I see the pain of losing your loved ones and how that affects you to this day....and Last one, I see Batman in awe of the Hellhounds of Apokolips...how he, an ordinary man, can survive such godlike odds and adversity...it made me think of how we fragile we humans are...

What is amazing to me...what was surprising is that Michael Turner worked the hardest as anyone in the business and with that great smile of his even in the face of the hellhounds and the close embrace of death....

I know he is at peace and hope that his family can find some peace.....He was a Great Talent, A Generous Soul...A True Superman