“Howard the Duck” creator Steve Gerber, 60
Posted: Friday, February 15th, 2008 8:31 pm
Steve Gerber, the comic book writer and creator whose signature character was the alienated, cigar-chomping Howard the Duck, has died. He was 60. Gerber, who also co-created Marvel’s “Omega the Unknown” and created the 1980s animated series “Thundarr the Barbarian,” suffered from pulmonary fibrosis.
He died Sunday in a Las Vegas hospital from complications related to the disease, said Mary Skrenes, a friend and writing partner on “Omega” and other comics.
The “Howard the Duck” series became a fast hit after its January 1976 debut on Marvel and remains a cult favorite. Its lead, a disgruntled duck from another universe with a bombshell sidekick named Beverly “Thunder-Thighs” Switzler, was hailed as both smart and subversive.
The adjectives could be applied to Gerber, Skrenes said.
“Howard was his voice. Steve was able to do social commentary and sort of sneak it up on you…” Read full obituary
