Celebrated Comic Artist Martin Emond Dies

Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Reviewer: Darren Schroeder

The news that the comic creator Martin Emond is reported to have died yesterday in Los Angeles has stunned the New Zealand and international comics communities.

Known as a prolific creator who worked to support up and coming artists and never let success go to his head, Emond came to international prominence when he worked with Gordon Rennie to produce White Trash for Tundra. The comic was hot at a time when hot meant hot, and Martin went on to several high-profile assignments in the comics business; he co-created Accident Man with Pat Mills for Toxic, worked on several Lobo titles with Alan Grant, had work published in Heavy Metal, and did one 48-page issue of The Punisher with Gordon Rennie, which remains unpublished.

After starting every comic creators' dream career he changed tack, shifting from comics to illustration work, painting covers for Glenn Danzig / Verotik. He was also heavily involved with the New Zealand clothing label Illicit, which has almost become the unofficial street-wear uniform in New Zealand, and had sell-out shows in LA.

Splitting his time between living in the US and New Zealand, his illustrations could often be seen in several gig guide and magazines in New Zealand. His Rolling Red Knuckles strip gained huge cult following in Japan, and several of his creations were reported to have been in the process of being adapted as an animated series by companies such as Piratenet and Fox.

We would like to express condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.