RIP Gahan Wilson
Posted on November 22, 2019 Posted by John Scalzi 10 Comments
Family and friends of Gahan Wilson are reporting that the master illustrator passed on yesterday. I can’t claim to have known him, but I was a fan of his since I was a child and one of the great highlights of my career was when Subterranean Press hired him to do the cover for the “Judge Sn Goes Golfing” chapbook. The knowledge that my words got to be paired with his sublime and grotesque (in the best sense) pictures made my day, for a whole month. I am honored and humbled to have had our professional lives intersect, even briefly. All condolences, sympathy and good will to those who knew and loved him.
I had a big paperback collection of his cartoons, years ago. Never got tired of paging through it. A brilliant artist.
I feel so fortunate to have had the chance to hear him speak, meet him, and get a few autographs when he was GoH at a MileHiCon some years ago.
His combination of artistic talent and delightfully twisted humor brightened our world.
How have I never heard of “Judge Sn Goes Golfing”?!
Gahan Wilson was not only a uniquely gifted cartoonist, but a damn good short story writer. I highly recommend his collection “The Cleft and Other Odd Tales”.
He was one of the writers and artists who’ve been part of my mental landscape since about 50 years ago. Very few of those left.
People will be laughing at Gahan Wilson cartoons many years from now.
He was a cartoonist like no other. See “Eddy Deco’s Last Caper: An Illustrated Mystery.” It’s a wonder and a marvel!
I was just thinking of “Judge Sn Goes Golfing” yesterday when I played a game called duffleboard. It’s a cross between mini-gold and shuffleboard, so one can see where the connection comes from.
My only other exposure to Gahan Wilson are his delightful illustrations in Roger Zelazny’s ” A night in the lonesome October”, which has a full illustration for each of the 31 chapters.
I will have to look up more of his work.
Very sad. I’ve been a fan since I was a tween. RIP and thank you for all the twisted laughs.
Were you able to get the original artwork for the cover?
Oh, man, this is such bad news. Is Nothing sacred?
We need more with a (good) twisted sense of reality.
Lost a good one.