WAUGH!
Writer Steve Gerber died yesterday.
A lot of you reading this site probably have no idea who I’m talking about, but this guy’s work has brought me a lot of entertainment over the years.
Probably more than anyone, it was Gerber who shaped the aesthetic of the “back bench” of Marvel Comics in the 1970s; The Defenders, Man-Thing, and of course, Howard The Duck.
In many ways, Gerber continued the “cool older brother” vibe Stan Lee brought to Marvel in the 60s. Gerber expanded this model, however, by embracing a definite counter-culture bent, never shying from complex concepts, and addressing often weighty issues of the day (race, Vietnam, etc), often voicing his progressive political opinions through his on-panel avatar, Richard Rory, in the pages of Man-Thing, and most famously, via absurdist, biting satire in Howard the Duck.
Of course, I wasn’t really reading Gerber’s work as it was published: I was way too young, and I probably wouldn’t have “gotten” it anyway. I really only found it a few years ago, thanks to reprints in the Marvel “Essentials” line (definitely worth checking out!). Many folks who grew up in the 80s (including me) will, however, remember his work from 80s cartoons like Thundarr the Barbarian, Dungeons and Dragons, and Transformers. He also penned a script or two for Star Trek: TNG
His work on the original 27 issues of Howard the Duck are what really cement his place in history. It was here really pushed the boundaries of what one could do with the comic book format, breaking conventions of the genre and pushing boundaries in service of his stories rife with humor, pathos, and astute commentary.
It’s a shame we won’t hear any more from him.
