SETH FISHER FUNERAL DETAILS AND UPCOMING WORK

[MattBrady]

by Chris Arrant

As the news of Seth Fisher’s very untimely death continues to reverberate throughout the comics community, word of the outpouring of both grief over his death and support for his family has reached his family.

The following open e-mail has been sent to Fisher’s friends from his relative, April Fisher. It reads:

Dear Friends of Seth,

I've just hung up the phone from talking with Vicki (Seth's mother) in Japan. She is with family and friends at the wake. She was overwhelmed when I told her so many people are talking about him online, in blogs and forums. She thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers. It seems Seth fell seven stories off the roof of a club in Osaka. The autopsy revealed massive internal bleeding and suggests that he died instantly.

The funeral in Japan is on Saturday. Condolences may be sent to Hisako (his wife) at:

Hisako Sugiyama
Miyoshi Building 3C
2-13-8 Matsubara
Naka-ku Nagoya-shi
Aichi-ken 460-0017
Japan

There will be a service at Sacred Heart in Coronado (San Diego) when his mother returns from Japan (at least a week from now). The church will have the details (http://www.sacredheartcor.org/):

Sacred Heart Parish
655 C Avenue
Coronado, CA 92118
619-435-3167

Additionally, Newsarama has learned of at least one of Fisher’s completed projects which will soon see release. Fisher recently provided illustrations for a children's non-fiction "book plus" with Washington-based book producer becker&mayer!. becker&mayer!'s "book plus" format are books that come with some sort of device that compliments the contents of the book.

"The book I was working with Seth on for Scholastic Book Clubs & BookFairs is a Backpack Alarm: a little device the kids can put together and then attach to the zippers of their backpack to warn them when someone tries to open the backpack. Seth was doing the illustrations inside of various wacky burglaries and security devices," said Andrew Hess, Art Director for becker&mayer!. Fisher had just turned in his illustrations, several weeks before his deadline according to Hess.

"Personally, I'm stunned and saddened greatly at the loss to the professional community," said Hess. "Looking at Seth's growth over the past few years I felt that he was really about to take off, and that we were going to see a lot of great things come from him. And I feel that the work he has been doing - with Flash, Green Lantern, Doom Patrol, FF/Iron Man, et al, was just amazing, but still the tip of the ice berg of what we could expect."

Illustrations (C) 2006 becker&mayer!"

[EmeraldGuy32]

Terrible, just terrible. At least he didn't suffer. Condolences to all that knew him..

[Zemo13]

"It seems Seth fell seven stories off the roof of a club in Osaka. "

Now that is pretty messed up right there.

[NightRiver]

Man, that is tragic.

[nietoperz]

When a young man dies one's sympathies and thoughts are always with those who loved him. Seth Fisher's family has our condolences and our best wishes.

[kingofcities]

I hope NR posts info about the release of the children's book when it becomes available.

[no1knowsme]

It is a true shame that people as talented and as cared for as Seth Fisher have to die so young. And I doubt falling from the seventh story of a building is how anybody wants to go. Truely tragic. RIP.

[Araqnidm2]

What a terrible way to die, and a terrible death for his family to picture. On the brightside I have discovered Seth Fisher's art and since it's right up my exact alley I intend to find/collect as much of it as I can. God this sucks. I'm not sure what to say that doesn't sound insincere, or like a formality. I guess just all my love goes to his mother, wife, and children.

[TheJoeShowLive]

I think this guy might actually have been a genius.


“Art is really just problem solving in action.”

Artist Seth Fisher, Colarado College ’94 could have been an art major at CC, but he figured it would be difficult to meet the foreign language requirement. After he received a “C” in Japanese, he switched to math.

Ironically, Fisher headed to Japan right after graduation, determined to force something foreign into his brain. “I figured I would go for a year, teach English, and start my career as an artist.” As it turned out, his art needed more refining and his students needed more help with pronunciation, so he ended up staying in Tokyo, where he and his Japanese wife Hisako live today.

While math didn’t always come easily to Fisher, he doesn’t think it unusual for a math major to turn to artistic endeavors. “Art is really just problem solving in action. You start with a few lines, then you try to balance those lines with other lines compositionally, then you balance that with trying to explain a certain space or emotion.”

In fact, Fisher considers art and comics, his passion, to be mathematical sciences. “Perspective, composition, timing, and color theory are technical skills. You have a problem, and you have this toolbox full of techniques that you use to paint a totally unique bridge from an assumption to its implications.”

Fisher uses his toolbox well. He was nominated last year for an Eisner Award, one of the biggest comic industry awards, for best penciler/inker for his work on several comic books, including one about Tokyo.

Fisher often applies himself as though he is still on the Block Plan. “A deadline comes in, and I charge my chi energy and attack my work like Godzilla, after Mothra keyed his Lexus. The Block Plan prepared me for that kind of intensity. I work hard, then I play hard. Even a small amount of time combined with a focused effort yields powerful results.”

So what advice does this former math major turned illustration artist have for current CC students? “Three things sell an artist: art, personality, and work ethic,” says Fisher. “Learn your kung fu from artists with mad skills. Cultivate your relationships as if each person might one day save your life. Never use the word ‘work’ to describe what you do with your day.”

Fisher says it took a long time to get to the point where he really adored his own work. But he always believed in himself: “It was always clear to me that I was an artist waiting to happen.”

[sequart]

Goodbye Seth... we hardly knew you!

[Stormbreaker]

This is horribly tragic news. My condolences to Mr. Fisher's family and friends. Whenever someone in our industry passes, it's a heartbreaking loss, but when we lose someone so young, that only compunds the tragedy.

[khuxford]

Originally posted by Zemo13
"It seems Seth fell seven stories off the roof of a club in Osaka. "

Now that is pretty messed up right there.

That's the second gut punch I've had from the passign of Seth. Yesterday was the cold flash at the news...now this bit just twisted my gut.

[Dman]

The only thing I can think to say is Tragic

R.I.P.

[sebzero11]

I don't even have the words...

[JustAnothaSucka]

Originally posted by MattBrady


And I feel that the work he has been doing - with Flash, Green Lantern, Doom Patrol, FF/Iron Man, et al, was just amazing, but still the tip of the ice berg of what we could expect."

anybody help me out with what he did for Doom Patrol???

[kingofcities]

Originally posted by JustAnothaSucka
anybody help me out with what he did for Doom Patrol???

I think it came out in 01', but Seth worked on the previous DP series written by John Arcudi. He pencilled issues 13 and 14. Both were fantastic. I definitely recommend picking them up if you can find them.

[OCM]

I was morbidly curious as to how a man could die so young. Least, there was no lingering sufferring. Was there no rails or anything on that club roof? How do patrons get access to it anyway?

You know what would be really cool? If DC did a tribute trade paperback or hardcover ala the Alan Moore one. Perhaps, with a portion of proceeds helping family or going to a charitable cause that Mr. Fisher might have loved.

There was the 2 part Doom Patrol story/5 part Batman story/GL Will World/Flash Time Flies. IIRC the GL book was like 3 comics worth and the Flash a 2 comic equivalent. That's only about 12 comic's worth of stuff. I left out the VertigoPop stuff because I thought it should be a book for all ages! They could put the Tokyo VertigoPop stuff in a seperate book.

TOO small of a legacy! But one of the best!!!!!!!!!!

[khuxford]

Originally posted by Araqnidm2
What a terrible way to die, and a terrible death for his family to picture. On the brightside I have discovered Seth Fisher's art and since it's right up my exact alley I intend to find/collect as much of it as I can. God this sucks. I'm not sure what to say that doesn't sound insincere, or like a formality. I guess just all my love goes to his mother, wife, and children.

For what its worth, I think you did a fine job with this post.

[little kon-el]

Originally posted by OCM
I was morbidly curious as to how a man could die so young. Least, there was no lingering sufferring. Was there no rails or anything on that club roof? How do patrons get access to it anyway?

You know what would be really cool? If DC did a tribute trade paperback or hardcover ala the Alan Moore one. Perhaps, with a portion of proceeds helping family or going to a charitable cause that Mr. Fisher might have loved.

There was the 2 part Doom Patrol story/5 part Batman story/GL Will World/Flash Time Flies. IIRC the GL book was like 3 comics worth and the Flash a 2 comic equivalent. That's only about 12 comic's worth of stuff. I left out the VertigoPop stuff because I thought it should be a book for all ages! They could put the Tokyo VertigoPop stuff in a seperate book.

TOO small of a legacy! But one of the best!!!!!!!!!!

I'd rather they dedicate a "Solo" issue to Seth. Wasn't he going to be in a Solo issue sometime soon? Do they have any work they could print as a dedication to such a talented artist? Maybe there's still some inventory stories that haven't been published.

- little kon-el

[LazarusMan]

The best part about all of this is how sincere everyone has been. No one has come out and said "eh, I never liked his artwork," or "blah blah blah he wasn't that great."

And you know why? Because he was different. His art was vibrant, kinetic, it gave the old Light Blue and Gray Batman a different look in his recent Dark Knight storyline. It made Iron Man's newest armor look really fantastic, and his Thing was all kinds of cool.

The man could draw, paint, he could do it all. It's just too bad that he had to go now, as opposed to old and having been in the business for a good long time. His work will be solely missed. All I can hope is that people actually buy his work now for the beautiful artwork, not for any other reason. Go check out his Flash book. His Doom Patrol art was great (I have that whole John Arcudi series, and everyone should pick it up anyways), and I would have loved to see more mainstream work from him. It's a very sad day.

[JusticeLeaguer]

From my previous post on the subject of Seth's passing :

Truly sad news. I always enjoy artists that stretch the boundaries of the mind and the imagination, and Seth truly did both. Let's hope Joe Quesada steps up and donates proceeds from a trade or hardcover collection of the FF/Iron Man book that Seth just finished to his wife and daughter. It would be the right thing to do....

Rob Zedic
Myths, Legends & Heroes
Ottawa,Canada

www.mythslegendsandheroes.com

Just thought it might be worth repeating if it can help his family out after his tragic passing...I know I would order extra copies for my shop if I knew it was helping them in some way

[Kolimar]

I'd like a few more details about the way he died. Somehow, it doesn't sound right.

Originally posted by OCM
I was morbidly curious as to how a man could die so young. Least, there was no lingering sufferring. Was there no rails or anything on that club roof? How do patrons get access to it anyway?

I'm under the impresion the club is on the roof.

[npitarra]

A DC Hard Cover would be incredible... Absolute Seth Fisher. He has done atleast 12 issues of work for DC. His work is wonderful and would look amazing on that scale. Some one also mentioned a fund for his family...if there is or will be one please post it.

[BrotherI]

I am so sorry for your loss.

[Fugu]

Once again; my condolences. What a horrible way to die. I keep picturing Mr. Fisher's last moments. It's frightening.