Dwayne McDuffie R.I.P.

Several websites are reporting that Dwayne McDuffie passed away due to complications from a surgical procedure he underwent Monday evening. A prolific writer, Dwayne was best known for his work on Fantastic Four, Deathlok and Damage Control (for Marvel Comics), Firestorm and Justice League of America (for DC Comics), as well as animated cartoons like Ben 10, Justice League Unlimited and All-Star Superman. He helped found Milestone, which focused on expanding the role of minorities in comics, and during that time created Static Shock. I had the pleasure of signing and chatting with Dwayne at several cons over the years. He was a gracious, friendly and smart guy who liked to challenge not only his readers and fellow creators, but himself as well.