Our Daily Dead

Steve Gerber, the comic book writer and creator whose signature character was the alienated, cigar-chomping Howard the Duck, has died at the young age of 60. Gerber, who also co-created Marvel’s “Omega the Unknown” and created the 1980s animated series “Thundarr the Barbarian,” suffered from pulmonary fibrosis.

He died Sunday in a Las Vegas hospital from complications related to the disease, said Mary Skrenes, a friend and writing partner on “Omega” and other comics.

The “Howard the Duck” series became a fast hit after its January 1976 debut on Marvel and remains a cult favorite. Its lead, a disgruntled duck from another universe with a bombshell sidekick named Beverly “Thunder-Thighs” Switzler, was hailed as both smart and subversive.

Smart and subversive. Perfect.

You might want to read the Howard the Duck movie review over at BadMovies.org. (Hint - they rate the movie a sure fire must see.) We aren’t sure if its Back to the Future Lea Thompson in her underwear at the 42 minute mark or the line “Hey, if I had some place to go I certainly wouldn’t be in Cleve-Land”, but something just screams RENT ME about this flick. Or you could buy it below of course. Nudge, nudge…

~~The ODDones for OurDailyDead.com

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