John Hicklenton 1967 - 2010

The comic artist John Hicklenton, who has fought a courageous battle against multiple sclerosis for ten years, has died aged 42.

Amongst other things John worked on Nemesis the Warlock for 2000AD with writer Pat Mills, and the two became good friends. Pat has written an excellent tribute to John, which will appear in the next issue of Judge Dredd Megazine, but you can already read it online here:
http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/2010/here%E2%80%99s-johnny-pat-mills-remembers-his-friend-john-hicklenton/

Diagnosed with MS in 2000, John wanted to make people more aware of the condition and appeared in an award winning documentary film entitled Here's Johnny dealing with the illness. This highly respected film has brought a better understanding of MS to the public to help its sufferers fight for better treatment and research into the condition.


John's artwork was an acquired taste for many but love it or hate it one cannot deny its visceral power. I started out disliking it but soon grew to appreciate the strength of John's work and admire the fact that here was a true horror comics artist with a powerful imagination. This was art being everything it should be: memorable, unique, and never boring.

Not allowing MS to play the final hand, John chose assisted suicide as his manner of death and traveled to the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland with family and friends where he passed away on March 19th.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/sussex/8590231.stm

http://www.comicartfans.com/galleryroom.asp?gsub=8173

Here's Johnny preview:
http://www.animalmonday.co.uk/heres_johnny.html