The words are hard to believe. How can a man whose work embodied life die? How can a man whose entire career spoke of majesty, power, energy, excitement, no longer be with us? It’s a cruel world. Bad things happen. Heroes get cancer. Heroes die. Heroes like Gil.

I never met Gil. I will always regret I never did. Over the last few weeks, as I’ve read more about Gil and his life, I’ve come to realize the great impact he had on people. He was a profoundly elegant man, one whose life reflected his work. He was intelligent, articulate, graceful. He was powerful in his way. Heroic in his daily life. Superhuman in the very ways that make us human.

Gil Kane is dead. The world is a worse place without Gil. We fans will never see his graceful line illustrate Hal Jordan’s adventures. He will never do another comic based on an opera, as he did so memorably. We will never see him create any new work. Gil was one of an increasingly small number of artists who cared about more than just the latest fad, or large-breasted women carrying large guns, or any of the other trends of the day. Gil found a style that fit his personality in a unique way.

Gil Kane was unique. Gil Kane was singular. There will never be another man like him. And I very, very deeply mourn his loss.

Gil Kane is dead. And the world is much worse without him.