Eric Jerome Dickey, Marvel Comic Author, Dies At 59
Dickey's six-issue comic saw new chapters for the Storm and Black Panther characters.
Famed novelist Eric Jerome Dickey has passed away, as reported by The New York Times. According to his publisher, Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Dickey succumbed to cancer. He was 59.
A prolific writer, Dickey had been one of the most successful Black authors for over two decades. In 2006, Dickey was tapped by Marvel to write a six-issue comic book series centered around the characters Storm and Black Panther. The request from Marvel came as a pleasant surprise to Dickey.
"To me, it was like getting a call from the President," Dickey told The Houston Chronicle. "I grew up on comics. I didn't even know that I was on their radar."
“It was really kind of intimidating,” he added. “You’re thinking Stan Lee and Gil Kane and the cats that I grew up with just admiring their work — this is the same company. And they are calling me, and it’s not a sales call for a subscription?”
A staple of Dickey's work was his ability to craft incredibly intense sex scenes, however his knack for this type of writing did not come in handy when working with Marvel.
“What I love about comics is that you still have that modesty,” he said. “You still fade to black.”
To check out Dickey's contribution to the Marvel comics, click HERE.
"We are saddened to hear of Eric Jerome Dickey's passing," Marvel said in a statement. Eric was a world-class storyteller & writer, and his voice brought a definitive new chapter to Storm & Black Panther's story. We are honored to be a part of his legacy. Our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones."
