RIP Mike White

[paddybrown]

Some of you may have heard of the passing of Mike White, artist on Kids Rule OK in Action, The Mean Arena and Abelard Snazz in 2000AD, and of course his six year run on Roy of the Rovers, at the weekend after a long illness. Many comics blogs and news sites have given him a write-up - here's the Comics Reporter, and Lew Stringer.

Mike was rather a self-effacing artist - his art wasn't flashy and didn't call attention to itself - but editors must have loved him for his solidity and his consistent quality. Last I noticed him was during the last series of Armoured Gideon in 2000AD, a crossover story featuring all of the comic's crappest characters, and for an episode where everything became "old school" 2000AD, who should step in to replace regular artist Simon Jacob but Mike White. I also remember him drawing DC Thomson's Football picture library title - it wasn't credited, but it was unmistakably him. He moved into illustration, but still did comics from time to time - apparently he's been drawing Commando lately.

If you want something to remember him by, here's The Reversible Man, a very affecting Time Twister he drew from an Alan Moore script. Anyway, charge your glasses - ladies and gentlement, Mike White.

[Digifiend]

Yeah, Digital Spy says his most recent work was a Commando in March last year. RIP Mike.

[tony ingram]

one of those stalwarts who never really got the recognition he deserved. I really liked his work on 2000AD, and on Tornado.

[Shaqui]

I really liked his work on Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet for Fleetway in the 1990s but never got the chance to talk to him. I gather from Barrie Mitchell he was somewhat a retiring soul who didn't relish the limelight in his latter years.