Comic-book artist Turner dead at 37

LOS ANGELES, July 4 (UPI) -- Comic-book artist Michael Turner has died at the age of 37 in a Santa Monica, Calif., hospital of complications related to cancer, his publishing company said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that through Aspen MLT, the publishing company he founded in 2003, the Tennessee native created online comic adaptations for the TV series "Heroes" and published his own titles, including "Fathom," a deep-sea tale featuring a female superhero protagonist. He also co-created "Witchblade," a Top Cow Productions comic series about a woman detective.

"He was definitely one of the most popular and influential comic-book artists working right now," Andrew Farago, curator of San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum, told the Times. "He was very, very much in demand as a cover artist on high-profile projects."

"He was doing just the covers for the biggest and best projects -- 'Justice League' for DC or 'Civil War' for Marvel," added Ryan Liebowitz, general manager of the Golden Apple Comics store in Los Angeles.

Turner also regularly drew covers for DC Comics like "Superman/Batman," "The Flash" and "Supergirl," and created alternate covers for Marvel Comics publications featuring iconic characters such as the Incredible Hulk and the X-Men, The Times said.

Turner is survived by his mother, Grace Crick; his brother, Jake Turner; and his fiancee, Kelly Carmichael.