Swamp Thing co-creator Bernie Wrightson dies

Filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro is leading the tributes to famed comic book artist Bernie Wrightson following his death on Sunday (19Mar17).
The illustrator, known for co-creating Swamp Thing, lost his battle with brain cancer at the age of 68.
His wife Liz broke the news to fans online on Sunday, writing, “It is with great sorrow that I must announce the passing of my beloved husband, Bernie. We thank you for all the years of love and support.”
Del Toro was among the first to remember Wrightson on social media, telling fans, “As it comes to all of us, the end came for the greatest that ever lived: Bernie Wrightson. My North dark star of youth. A master.”
“R.I.P. to the great Bernie Wrightson, a star by which other pencillers chart their course. Raise a glass,” wrote The Avengers filmmaker Joss Whedon, while Star Wars actor Mark Hamill tweeted, “Deeply saddened by the loss of Bernie Wrightson-1 of the all-time greats whose superb artistry will live on forever! My condolences to Liz.”
Maryland native Wrightson began his career as an artist for The Baltimore Sun newspaper in 1966, before landing freelance work at DC Comics.
In 1971, he and writer Len Wein teamed up to create Swamp Thing of DC, which went on to become the subject of filmmaker Wes Craven’s 1982 cult horror Swamp Thing.
Wrightson helped to create the character Destiny, which was made famous in author Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman series, and also worked on Batman. He later collaborated with Marvel Comics on Spider-Man, and The Punisher.
In addition, he served as a conceptual artist, working on movies like Ghostbusters, Galaxy Quest, Spider-Man, and George Romero’s Land of the Dead.