Happy New Year!!

Welcome to 2014! The Catacombs hopes that this year proves to be worth the wait for each and every one of you. Before we proceed, let's shake off the effects of too much boozing last night, and remember a few dear friends who left us during calendar year 2013:

Mad magazine artist Bob Clarke passed away on March 31, 2013 at the age of ninety-one. He had worked as an uncredited assistant on the "Ripley's Believe It or Not" comic strip while still a teenager and the label of the Cutty Sark whiskey bottle is his design. Clarke illustrated over 600 features for MAD.

DC, Aspen, and Wildstorm artist Scott Clark passed away on February 21, 2013. His work appeared in features like Justice League, Brightest Day, Grifter and Deathstroke.

Golden age artist Nick Cardy passed away on November 3, 2013 at the age of ninety-three. His most popular work for DC was on Tomahawk, Teen Titans, Bat Lash, and Aquaman. Cardy was the publishers primary cover artist in the 1970s.

Golden age artist Carmine Infantino passed away on April 4, 2013 at the age of eighty-seven. He helped kick off the Silver Age of Comics by drawing the introduction of Barry Allen version of The Flash (1956] and the landmark story "Flash of Two Worlds" in 1961. Infantino co-created Elongated Man, Barbara "Batgirl" Gordon and Deadman, and he also served as editor for a time.

Golden age artist Al Plastino passed away on November 25, 2013 at the age of ninety-one. Although Plastino also worked as a writer, editor, letterer and colorist, he was primarily one of the most prolific Superman artists of the 1950s. He co-created the DC characters Supergirl and Brainiac, as well as the teenage team the Legion of Super-Heroes. At the time of his death, a scandal had just been resolved involving Superman artwork that he had specifically intended to be donated to the John F. Kennedy museum following the late Presidents death, but which had recently turned up for auction from a private collector.

These talented folks are just some of the notables who left us last year, but their fine work is timeless and will entertain us for years to come. See you soon!