Mike White RIP

[Emperor]

Sad news from Mike Perkins:

Just to let you know that Mike White passed away this weekend after a long illness.

Erstwhile British artist and one of my artistic heroes. Mike had worked on a variety of strips from the controversial Kids Rule OK, through Invasion, Disaster 1990, Ro-Busters, Mean Arena (a favourite of mine) and a fair few Future Shocks including some truly memorable ones with Alan Moore eg: Eureka and Bad Timing as well as the classic Time Twisters - The Reversible Man and Going Native. He also collaborated with Mr. Moore on a few stories featuring the incorrigible Abelard Snazz - The Double Decker Dome! He will probably be most fondly remembered by the general public for his long run on Roy of the Rovers. In recent years he had been drawing and painting historical illustrations for various book publishers through his long alliance with Temple Rogers Artist Agents.

I've had the honour to go drinking with Mike a few times and had always found him to be a lovely bloke - with a curmudgeonly streak - accompanied by a plethora of tales. He arrived in London during " The Swinging Sixties" and, by his accounts, he made the most of it - regaling me with tales of drinking Oliver Reed under the table and another, unmentionable tale, involving Felicity Kendal! It's my belief that he was in love with the theatre and felt compelled to pursue this as a career. I have no idea why he didn't but am glad that he chose the path he did - enriching so many lives with his artwork even if he himself believed he left no lasting impression unlike those talented "kids" Bolland and Gibbons. I like to think that, in our times drinking in the Lord Salisbury pub, I had persuaded him, just a tiny bit, that his work was, indeed, influential on, at least, my life.

He'll be missed. Next time you're at Orbital Comics in London pop around the corner to the Lord Salisbury and raise a drink for him from me.

http://perkyposts.blogspot.com/2012/02/mike-white-rip.html

Via:
www.bleedingcool.com/2012/02/05/mike-white-passes/

Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and we'd also like to raise a glass to Mike for giving us all some of the finest thrills over the years.

Here are his complete 2000 AD credits:

www.2000ad.org/?zone=droid&page=profiles&choice=MIKEWH

[Emperor]

More on him from other British comics luminaries:

Lew Stringer:
http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2012/02/mike-white-rip.html

And he links to Steve Holland's overview of his work from last year:
http://illustrationartgallery.blogspot.com/2011/06/mike-white.html

[ming]

Sad news.  Not my favourite artist as a kid (blame his contemporaries and my still-developing brain) but I rate him highly now.  It's very easy to think of a huge number of the strips he contributed to 2000AD, and I can picture a l lot of classic stuff very easily, despite not having read them for many years.

[TordelBack]

Sad news to wake up to.  Mike White seemed to be everywhere in the comics I read before I settled on 2000AD, and his 'The Reversible Man' remains one of the most moving comics stories I've ever read, with Mike's flawless depiction of a whole ordinary life in 4 pages.  The two panels where Namron and Egdam meet/part for the first time amidst a flurry of newspapers are particularly powerful. 

[Colin_YNWA]

Sad news.  Not my favourite artist as a kid (blame his contemporaries and my still-developing brain) but I rate him highly now. 

Yeah that about nails it for me. Since going through my re-read a while back I really began to notice what a talent he was.

[John Caliber]

Rest in Peace, Mike! 

I found his art for MEAN ARENA to be hugely-inspirational, and enjoyed his Future Shocks work from the same era.

[George Dread]

Yeah. Mean Arena had him doing that Roy of the Rovers thing with being amongst the pace of the game reaching its pinnacle. As a kid I thought Mike was probably the go to guy for street level action.

[Van Dom]

Shite. RIP Mike.

[Mangamax]

Yeah, agree with the above. At the time, i totally overlooked him, what with all the Big Guns around at the time. Except for Mean Arena, which was ace.

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

Always liked his artwork. Sorry to hear he's past away. I'll have a quiet whiskey tonight and raise it to Mike White. RIP.

[Emperor]

Down the Tubes have published a tribute:
http://downthetubescomics.blogspot.com/2012/02/in-memoriam-mike-white.html

[Judge Jack]

Great artist, first came across his work in my beloved Action, ( the superb kids rule ok and Hells Highway) and looking back on the work he did during his time at 2000ad, its got to be said, thats a pretty impressive list. Some re-reading of old favourites will be done tonight. RIP Mike.

[M.I.K.]

I flippin' loved that episode of Armoured Gideon that he drew.

[SmallBlueThing]

Very sad news- I absolutely loved Mean Arena back in the day- and The Reversible Man is one of the best things 2000AD has ever printed. Condolences to all who knew him.

SBT

[Dark Bat King]

Abelard Snazz - The Double Decker Dome!

One of my all time favourites.