Mark Evanier's blog contains the sad news that comics writer Arnold Drake has passed away. Drake is little known outside the comics world (and to some degree within it), because the famous characters he worked on (like Little Lulu) he did not create; and the characters he created generally did not become famous. The one exception was Beast Boy, a supporting character from his DOOM PATROL comic who gained a measure of fame on the recent animated TEEN TITANS cartoon. Not that his characters weren't clever. DOOM PATROL was an offbeat comic about a group of freaks led by a genius in a wheelchair. Yes, the concept was amazingly like X-MEN. That isn't sarcasm; it is amazing, because Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's X-MEN appeared almost simultaneously with the DOOM PATROL. The DOOM PATROL also became a group that lived up to its name: In the final story, the entire team died, sacrificing themselves to save others. (Alas, it didn't last; they came back.) DEADMAN was another clever concept: His name was literal. He was a murder victim who hunted for his killer, as a ghost who could possess people. Although Deadman was executed (sorry) to perfection later by writer Jack Miller and artist Neal Adams, Drake conceived him.
Drake had recently become a familiar sight at the San Diego Comic-Con, wandering around with his walker or his scooter, delivering some well-weathered wisdom at panels and awards presentations. He was always easy to spot with the colorful, African-looking skullcaps he wore. He'll be missed.
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