NEWS WATCH: Jason Pearson, Dark Horse BODY BAGS Creator , Iconic Artist & Controversial Artist Passes Away at Age of 52

Yesterday, the family of iconoclastic and sometimes controversial artist Jason Pearson, had passed away from natural causes on December 19, 2022, according to the announcement made on his Facebook page:

It is with immeasurable sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Jason Trent Pearson, who died last month from natural causes, at the age of 52.

Jason leaves behind a legacy of work that will be cherished by readers for decades to come. His hyper-kinetic style and breathless pace will be studied by both aspiring artists and seasoned professionals as long as the comic book medium exists. While sometimes a controversial figure, no one could ever question his commitment to the craft or the quality of work he produced as both a writer and artist.

Jason secured his name on thousands of bookshelves through his original creation, Body Bags. Debuting in 1996 from Dark Horse Comics and Blanc Noir (the imprint shared with his studio mates from Atlanta’s famed Gaijin Studios), Body Bags instantly sold out and shot to the top of the ‘Wizard Top-10’ List (the most influential ranking of valuable comics throughout the ‘90s). Created, written, and drawn by Jason, the bombastic series told the story of Mack and Panda, a father/daughter bounty hunting team wreaking havoc in the near future. The title overflowed with dark comedy, drama, explosive action, and provocative scenes, inviting equal

condemnation and praise. But the quality of Jason’s potent creation has kept Body Bags in the minds and hearts of comic fans to this day.

Without question, Jason confirmed his legacy as a creative force, hinting at the years ahead when his pencil would grace the biggest properties at the biggest publishers.

These comics include Spider-Man, Deadpool, X-Men, Batman, The Punisher, and countless others. While his creative abilities were unquestioned, those abilities were only constrained by his personal quest for perfection. To his fans, he achieved that perfection over and over again, although he was rarely satisfied.

Jason is survived by his loving mother, family, and friends who all miss him dearly, and would give anything to hear his laugh one more time.

As Jason once wrote when another prominent creator passed away:

“D.I.P. (Draw in Peace)

At least in Heaven, there are no erasers or deadlines.”

Pearson, who worked for both Marvel and DC Comics, was best known for creating Body Bags, part of Dark Horse’s Blanc Noir imprint of Pearson’s longtime art studio, Gaijin Studios.

Pearson broke into the industry with his work on Keith Giffen’s Legion of Super-Heroes in its final year in 1992. His subsequent assignment was with Marvel Comics on the Uncanny X-Men Annual in 1993 with Scott Lobdell. 

Pearson moved on to Image Comics, where his Gaijin Studios colleagues pitched the anthology series Ground Zero, which never materialized but led to work on titles such as Supreme with Rob Liefeld and a Savage Dragon miniseries. 

In 1997, Pierson launched Body Bags through Dark Horse, which told the story of a father and daughter bounty hunter team. He would then go on to do covers for various titles for companies with seminal runs on Robin, Deadpool, and Amazing Spider-Man.

Pierson began dealing with health issues and focusing on creator-owned work, such as an attempt to relaunch his Body Bags project. In the time leading up to his death, Pierson made some controversial and aggressive social media posts, in turn casting a shadow on his work, industry connections, and his legacy as a creator. 

Comic Watch offers its sincere condolences to his family and friends in this time of loss.