Christopher Fowler: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror. Volume 10

Children’s illustrator Lillian Hoban, who began her career in the 1960s illustrating the Frances books written by her husband Russell Hoban, died of a heart attack on July 17th, aged 73.

Screenwriter John Hopkins, who co-wrote the Bond film Thunderball and scripted Murder by Decree, died on July 23rd, aged 67.

French author, translator and editor Alain Doremieuxdied in his sleep on July 26th, aged 64. A former editor of the French editions of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (aka Ficcion) and Galaxy, between 1991–96 he edited nine volumes of the horror anthology series Territoires de I’lnquietude, and in 1993 he was responsible for Steve Rasnic Tem’s only collection to date, Ombres sur la Route.

Science fiction cover artist Paul Lehrdied on July 27th, aged 67, six weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He received the Merit Award from the Society of Illustrators in 1980 and served as a judge for the L. Ron Hubbard Illustrators of Future contest since its inception.

Author and bookseller Noel Lloyddied on August 3rd, aged 73. With his partner Geoffrey Palmer he collaborated on thirty books, including the juvenile ghost story collections Ghosts Go Haunting, Ghost Stories Round the World and The Obstinate Ghost and Other Ghostly Tales. They also wrote the biography E. F. Benson as He Was (1988) and published a number of limited edition booklets by the author.

American author and playwright Sigmund Miller, who scripted the radio show Inner Sanctum in the 1940s, died of complications from pneumonia on August 5th, aged 87. He was blacklisted during the McCarthy era and moved to London, where he wrote movie scripts under a pseudonym.

Scriptwriter and producer Arthur Rowedied after a lengthy illness on August 6th, aged 74. He wrote the 1976 horror film The Devil’s Men (aka Land of the Minotaur ) starring Donald Pleasence and Peter Cushing, and episodes of The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Fantasy Island, The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Mission Impossible and Kolchak: The Night Stalker.

Lyricist Marshall Barerdied of cancer on August 25th, aged 75. Better known for his Broadway musicals, he also wrote the Mighty Mouse theme song, “Here I Come to Save the Day”, in the back of a taxicab.

Scriptwriter and novelist Catherine Turneydied on September 9th, aged 91. A contract writer for MGM and Warner Bros, she wrote several episodes of TV’s One Step Beyond and adapted her 1952 novel The Other One for the screen as Back from the Dead (1957).

Scriptwriter Sam Locke, whose career included the radio show Inner Sanctum, died on September 18th, aged 81. He also wrote scripts for TV shows and beach movies, as well as sketches for comedians Red Buttons and Ed Wynn.

TV scriptwriter and composer Jeffrey Moss, who created the Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch and other characters for Jim Henson’s Sesame Street, died of cancer on September 24th, aged 56.

Illustrator Julian Allen, who collaborated with Bruce Wagner on the comic-strip Wild Palms, which became a TV mini-series produced by Oliver Stone, died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on September 28th, aged 55. In 1994 he was commissioned by the American Postal Service to create a series of stamps featuring blues singers.

A former newspaper reporter turned Edgar Award-winning TV scriptwriter, Adrian Spiesdied during open heart surgery on October 2nd, aged 78. He scripted the 1966 Star Trek episode “Miri”, which was banned for many years in Britain.

Chinese painter and sculptor Chang Chong-Jen, who inspired Belgium artist Hergé(Georges Remi) to create the character of Chang in the Tintin books, died on October 8th at a retirement home outside Paris. He was 93.

British thriller writer Eric Amblerdied on October 22nd, aged 89. His books include The Mask of Dimitrios and Journey Into Fear (both filmed). In 1953 he was nominated for an Academy Award for the screenplay adaptation of Nicholas Monserrat’s novel The Cruel Sea, he was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 1975, and received the O.B.E. in 1981.

Walter Kendrick, professor of English at Fordham University and an authority on Victorian literature, died of pancreatic cancer on October 25th, aged 51. His books include the 1991 study The Thrill of Fear: 250 Years of Scary Entertainment.

Two weeks after receiving the Order of Merit from the Queen, Britain’s Poet Laureate Ted Hughes(Edward James Hughes) died from cancer on October 28th, aged 68. His books include Tales of the Early World and Ffangs the Vampire Bat and the Kiss of Truth. He had been married to two poets — Sylvia Plath and Assia Wevill — both of whom committed suicide.

American screenwriter, novelist and playwright James Goldmandied of a heart attack the same day, aged 71. His credits include The Lion in Winter, They Might Be Giants, Stephen Sondheim’s Follies and Robin and Marian.

Comics artist Bob Kane, who created caped crimefighter Batman with Bill Finger when he was just 24 years old, died on November 3rd, aged 83. Inspired by Zorro, The Shadow and the 1930 movie The Bat Whispers, the character made his debut in the May 1939 issue of Detective Comics No.27, and later became a billion-dollar industry that encompassed numerous films and television series. Although his name appeared on the strip until 1964, much of the work was done by other artists whom Kane called his “ghosts”.

British author Rumer Godden, whose books include Black Narcissus and The River (both filmed), died in Scotland on November 8th, aged 91. She also published a number of children’s books and collections of poetry.

Canadian novelist and teacher Wayland Drewdied on December 3rd after a lengthy illness suffering from Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He was 66. Drew’s first novel was published in 1973, and although best known for the post-apocalyptic “Erthring Cycle”, he was also the author of such movie novelizations as Dragon-slayer, Willow and * Batteries Not Included.

Novelist and playwright Robert Marasco, whose first book was the haunted house novel Burnt Offerings (filmed in 1976), died of lung cancer on December 5th, aged 62. His surprise Broadway hit Child’s Play (it ran for 343 performances) was filmed in 1972 by Sidney Lumet.

American comics illustrator George Wilson, whose work appeared in Turok Son of Stone, Space Family Robinson and The Phantom, died on December 7th, aged 77.

British book cover and comic-strip illustrator Ron Turnerdied on December 19th, aged 76. During the 1950s and 60s he worked on such strips as Rick Random — Space Detective, The Daleks and Star Trek, and more recently produced a series of covers for Gryphon Books.

American comics artist Joe Orlando, whose credits include Tales from the Crypt, House of Mystery, Swamp Thing, Little Orphan Annie and Mad magazine, died on December 23rd, aged 71.

68-year-old French writer and comic-strip artist Jean-Claude Forest, who created sexy 41st-century spacewoman Barbarella in 1962, died on December 30th from a respiratory illness. He acted as design consultant on the 1967 movie in which Jane Fonda portrayed his seductive character. In 1984 he was awarded the Grand Prize at the annual Angouleme comic strip festival.