{{Short description|American comics artist (1971–2008)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{other people|Michael Turner}} {{Infobox comics creator | name = Michael Turner | image = Turner draw.jpg | imagesize = | caption = Turner at his drawing board, as seen in the posthumous ''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]'' #8 (April 2009) | birth_name = Michael Layne Turner | birth_place = [[Crossville, Tennessee]], U.S. | death_place = [[Santa Monica, California]], U.S. | nationality = | write = y | art = | pencil = y | ink = y | edit = | publish = y | letter = | color = | alias = | signature = | notable works = ''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]''<br>''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]''<br>''[[Superman/Batman]]''<br>''[[Witchblade]]'' | awards = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1971|4|21}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|2008|6|27|1971|4|21}} }} '''Michael Layne Turner'''<ref name=LATObit>{{cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jul-04-me-turner4-story.html|title= Michael Turner, 1971-2008 Comic-book artist known for his highly stylized covers|first= Valerie J.|last= Nelson|date= July 4, 2008|newspaper= [[Los Angeles Times]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121024224711/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/04/local/me-turner4|archive-date= October 24, 2012|url-status= live}}</ref> (April 21, 1971 – June 27, 2008)<ref name=nyt>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/arts/design/06turner.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1388202224-A939uB8Y5EeKH+lm/5ue8g |title=Michael Turner, 37, Creator of Superheroines, Is Dead |first=George Gene |last=Gustines |authorlink=George Gustines |date=July 6, 2008 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228034754/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/arts/design/06turner.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1388202224-A939uB8Y5EeKH%2Blm%2F5ue8g |archive-date=December 28, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> was an [[Americans|American]] [[comics artist]] known for his work on ''[[Witchblade]]'', ''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]'', ''[[Superman/Batman]]'', ''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]'', and various covers for [[DC Comics]] and [[Marvel Comics]]. He was also the president of the entertainment company [[Aspen Comics|Aspen MLT]].<ref name="ap1">{{cite web |url= http://www.today.com/id/25555875#.Ur5HfEnnbIU|title= Comic book artist Michael Turner dies at 37|date= July 6, 2008|publisher= [[Associated Press]] via [[Today (American TV program)|Today]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131228034042/http://www.today.com/id/25555875|archive-date=December 28, 2013 |url-status= live|access-date= December 27, 2013}}</ref>
==Early life== Michael Turner was born in [[Crossville, Tennessee]] on April 21, 1971.<ref name="Lambiek">{{cite web |url= http://www.lambiek.net/artists/t/turner_michael.htm|title= Michael Turner|year= 2012|publisher= [[Lambiek|Lambiek Comiclopedia]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120506095542/http://lambiek.net/artists/t/turner_michael.htm|archive-date= May 6, 2012|url-status= live|access-date= December 27, 2013}}</ref> He was a student at the [[University of Tennessee]], and graduated from the International Performing Arts Academy after which he moved to [[San Diego]], California, where he developed an interest in comics.<ref name="trib1">{{cite news |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/07/04/michael-turner-1971-2008/|title= Michael Turner: 1971-2008 'Popular and influential' comic book artist; Published the best-selling ''Fathom''|first= Valerie J.|last= Nelson|date= July 4, 2008|newspaper= [[Chicago Tribune]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131228033125/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-07-04/news/0807030909_1_comic-book-comic-book-artist-mr-turner|archive-date=December 28, 2013 |url-status= live}}</ref>
==Career== Turner was discovered by [[Marc Silvestri]] at a convention<ref name="Lambiek"/> and hired by Silvestri's [[Top Cow Productions]] as an artist.<ref name="ap1"/> He initially did background illustrations for Top Cow titles before co-creating ''[[Witchblade]]''. In the summer of 1998 he debuted the [[creator ownership|creator-owned]] ''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]'', having also worked on his new series ''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]''.
As well as an artist, Turner was an award-winning water skier, held an instructor-level red sash in martial arts, and was an avid [[video game]] player. In March 2000, Turner was diagnosed with [[chondrosarcoma]], a form of [[cancer]], in the right pelvis. He was treated at the [[Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center]] with surgery in which he lost a hip, 40% of his pelvis, and three pounds of bone. The surgery was followed by nine months of [[radiation therapy]].
Turner departed Top Cow in late 2002 to found his own comic book publishing company,<ref name="Lambiek"/> [[Aspen Comics|Aspen MLT Inc.]] (where MLT stands for Michael Layne Turner), located in Santa Monica, with a studio in [[Marina del Rey, California]]. The release of comics from Aspen was delayed by a year-long lawsuit with Top Cow Productions over the rights to ''Fathom'' and over the rights to the unreleased titles ''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]'' (initially called ''Dragonfly'') and ''[[Ekos (comic)|Ekos]]'', both of which Turner had begun developing before leaving Top Cow and before his diagnosis of cancer. Aspen and Top Cow settled the lawsuit out of court in 2003.
In 2004 Turner contributed covers to various [[DC Comics]] titles, including ''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' and ''[[Identity Crisis (DC Comics)|Identity Crisis]]''. He provided cover art and co-wrote the "Godfall" story arc that ran in the three main ''Superman'' titles in early 2004 and illustrated the six-issue [[Supergirl]] story arc in ''[[Superman/Batman]].''<ref name="trib1"/><ref>{{cite book|last= Manning|first= Matthew K.|editor-last = Dougall|editor-first = Alastair|chapter= 2000s|title= Batman: A Visual History|publisher= [[DK (publisher)|Dorling Kindersley]]|year= 2014|location= London, United Kingdom|page= 274|isbn= 978-1465424563|quote= [Jeph] Loeb began the second major story arc on this title in this issue [#8], drawn by superstar Michael Turner.}}</ref> His creator-owned title ''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]'' began publication in 2004 and ''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]'' resumed publication in that year as well, though this time with Aspen MLT rather than Top Cow.
On August 6, 2005, [[Marvel Comics]] announced the signing of Michael Turner to a work-for-hire deal for a six-issue project and covers. This would turn out to be at least the variant covers for the miniseries ''[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]'' and the Wolverine ongoing series ''[[Wolverine: Origins]]''.<ref name="trib1"/> In addition Turner had been announced as the artist on ''[[Ultimate Wolverine]]''.
Turner created [[List of Heroes graphic novels|online comic adaptations]] for the [[NBC]] television series ''[[Heroes (American TV series)|Heroes]]''.<ref name="LATObit"/>
==Death and tribute== Turner died June 27, 2008, at the [[Santa Monica Hospital]] in [[Santa Monica, California]], of complications from [[bone cancer]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16988|title= Michael Turner Passes Away at 37|first= Jonah|last= Weiland|date= June 28, 2008|website= [[Comic Book Resources]]|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131008090325/http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=16988|archive-date= October 8, 2013|url-status= dead|access-date= June 29, 2008}}</ref> He is survived by his mother Grace Crick, his brother Jake Turner, and his fiancée Kelly Carmichael.<ref name=LATObit/> ''Fathom'' vol. 3 #1, which was published on Wednesday, August 6, 2008, featured a tribute to Turner in the form of a stylized blue ribbon in the upper right-hand corner of its cover, and its first page was a memorial to him.<ref>''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]'' vol. #1 (Sept. 2008)</ref> Aspen MLT also published a [[Trade paperback (comics)|trade paperback]] collection of writings from people who knew Turner, titled ''A Tribute to Michael Turner'', which features a cover painted by [[Alex Ross]]. Volume #21 of ''[[The Boys (comics)|The Boys]]'' included a page dedicated to Michael Turner as well.<ref>''[[The Boys (comics)|The Boys]]'' vol. #21 (Sept. 2008)</ref>
==Bibliography== ===Interior art=== ====Aspen MLT==== * ''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]'' #0–7 (2004–2005)
====DC Comics==== * ''[[Superman/Batman]]'' #8–13 (2004)
====Image Comics/Top Cow Productions==== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''[[Ballistic (Image Comics)|Ballistic]]'' #1–3 (1995) * ''[[Codename: Strykeforce]]'' #14 (among other artists) (1995) * ''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]'' #0–14 (1998–2002) * ''[[Tomb Raider (comics)|Tomb Raider]]'' #25 (2002) * ''Tomb Raider/[[Witchblade]]'', one-shot, (with Brian Ching) #1 (1997) * ''Witchblade'' #1–8, 10–23, 25 (1995–1998) * ''Witchblade/Tomb Raider Special'' #1 (with Keu Cha)(1998) * ''Wolverine/Witchblade'' #1 (1997) * ''Witchblade/Elektra '' #1 (1997) {{div col end}}
===Covers=== [[File:JLA 12 Variant.jpg|thumb|Variant incentive cover for ''[[Justice League of America]]'' #12 (October 2007)]]
====Aspen MLT==== *''[[Fathom (comics)|Fathom]]'' vol. 2, ''Beginnings'', ''Prelude'' #0, 1–4, 7–8, 10–11 (2005–2006) *''[[Shrugged]]'' #0, 1–6 (2006–2007) *''[[Soulfire (comics)|Soulfire]]'' ''Preview'', #0, 1–10 (2004–2009)
====DC Comics==== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''[[Action Comics]]'' #812–813 (2004) * ''[[Adventures of Superman (comic book)|The Adventures of Superman]]'' #625–626 (2004) * ''[[The Flash (comic book)|The Flash]]'' vol. 2 #207–211 (2004) * ''[[Identity Crisis (DC Comics)|Identity Crisis]]'' #1–7 (2004) * ''[[Justice League of America]]'' vol. 2 #0–12 (2006–2007) * ''[[Supergirl (comic book)|Supergirl]]'' vol. 5 #1–3, 5, 50 (2005) * ''[[Superman (vol. 2)|Superman]]'' vol. 2, #202–203, 205 (2004) * ''[[Superman/Batman]]'' #8–13, 19, 26 (2006) * ''[[Teen Titans]]'' vol. 3 #1 (2003) {{div col end}}
====Dynamite Entertainment==== * ''[[Mercenaries 2: World in Flames#Related media|Mercenaries]]'' #1–3 (2007)<ref name="Mercenaries1">{{cite web |title= ''Mercenaries'' #1 |url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C108218 |website=[[Dynamite Entertainment]] |access-date=13 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222140922/https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C108218 |archive-date=22 February 2021 |quote=Covers: Michael Turner |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Mercenaries2">{{cite web |title= ''Mercenaries'' #2 |url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C108444 |website=[[Dynamite Entertainment]] |access-date=13 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250713153724/https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C108444 |archive-date=13 July 2025 |quote=Covers: Michael Turner |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Mercenaries3">{{cite web |title= ''Mercenaries'' #3 |url=https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C108662 |website=[[Dynamite Entertainment]] |access-date=13 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250713153836/https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C108662 |archive-date=13 July 2025 |quote=Covers: Michael Turner |url-status=live}}</ref>
====Image Comics / Top Cow Productions==== * ''[[The Darkness (character)|Darkness]]'' #7, 11 (1997–1998) * ''[[Tomb Raider (comics)|Tomb Raider]]'' #1, 9, 25, 46 (1999–2004) * ''[[Witchblade (comics)|Witchblade]]'' #1–25, 27, 50, 86, 100, 103 (1995–2007)
====Image Comics / Hurricane Ent.==== * ''[[Violent Messiahs]]: Lamenting Pain'' #1 (2002)
====Marvel Comics==== {{div col|colwidth=20em}} * ''[[Black Panther (character)|Black Panther]]'' vol. 4 #18, 23–25 (2006–2007) * ''[[Civil War (comics)|Civil War]]'' #1–7 (2006–2007) * ''[[Fantastic Four (comic book)|Fantastic Four]]'' #544–553 (2007) * ''[[Hulk]]'' vol. 2 #1, 6 (2008) * ''[[The Incredible Hulk (comic book)|The Incredible Hulk]]'' vol. 3 #100 (2006) * ''[[Carol Danvers|Ms. Marvel]]'' vol. 2 #1 (2006) * ''[[Onslaught (Marvel Comics)|Onslaught]]: Reborn'' #1 (2006) * ''[[Spider-Man]]/[[Red Sonja]]'' #1–5 (2007) * ''[[Namor|Sub-Mariner]]'' vol. 2 #1, 6 (2007–2008) * ''[[Thor (comic book)|Thor]]'' vol. 3 #1 (2007) * ''[[Ultimate X-Men]]'' #75 (2006) * ''[[Uncanny X-Men]]'' #500 (2008) * ''[[World War Hulk]]'' #1 (2007) * ''[[Wolverine: Origins]]'' #1 (2006) * ''[[Wolverine (comic book)|Wolverine]]'' vol. 3 #66 (2008) {{div col end}}
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==Further reading== * Jim McLauchlin, "Up from the Depths", ''[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]]'' #112 * "Playin' It Cool", interview with Michael Turner, ''Wizard'' #115
==External links== * [http://www.aspencomics.com Aspen MLT Inc.], official website * [https://www.mikesamazingworld.com/main/features/creator.php?creatorid=150 Michael Turner] at Mike's Amazing World of Comics * [http://www.maelmill-insi.de/UHBMCC/namt26.htm#N2099 Michael Turner] at the Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators
{{s-start}} {{succession box|title= ''[[Witchblade]]'' penciller|before= n/a|after= Randy Green|years= 1995–1998}} {{succession box|title= ''[[Superman/Batman]]'' penciller|before= [[Pat Lee (comics)|Pat Lee]]|after= [[Carlos Pacheco]]|years= 2004}} {{s-end}}
{{Witchblade|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Michael}} [[Category:1971 births]] [[Category:2008 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century American artists]] [[Category:21st-century American artists]] [[Category:American comics artists]] [[Category:American comics writers]] [[Category:Artists from San Diego]] [[Category:Artists from Tennessee]] [[Category:Comic book publishers (people)]] [[Category:DC Comics people]] [[Category:Deaths from bone cancer in California]] [[Category:Marvel Comics people]] [[Category:People from Crossville, Tennessee]] [[Category:University of Tennessee alumni]] [[Category:Witchblade]]