Comic book artist Clement Sauvé passed away yesterday at 33 after a battle with cancer. I worked with him on one of his first comic books, "Human Defense Corps" for DC. It is also the first comic I edited myself, and we were both pretty nervous about doing a good job. Clement gave 150% on every page, and always wanted to learn more and see how he could improve. We were on the phone a lot. It's funny, I've forgotten the voices of many of the freelancers I used to work with way back when -- but right now I can clearly remember the way he said my name.
While "Human Defense Corps" -- a book that I will always have a fondness for -- may not have been a commercial success, his work on it was detailed and intense, and I knew he was destined for bigger and better things. He wasn't just a comic book artist -- he was a "world builder," a designer, and when I first saw the new GI Joe cartoon "Renegades" I immediately recognized his unique style.
It's not fair that someone who had just "made it" in the business would have his life end so soon. This wasn't supposed to happen. This isn't how the narrative goes.
Beyond these feelings of sorrow, Clement's passing reminds me of the #1 thing that I have gotten from, and continue to get, out of the profession of editing. That's the human factor, working with talented writers and artists to help create, and see to realization, really awesome stuff. In the end -- after all the hype, number-crunching, and politics are over -- it is the only thing that really matters.
My condolences to Clement's family and friends.
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