Mickey Spillane, dead at 88
While not exactlly a fantasy or science-fiction writer, he was still one of the great ones. Famous for his Mike Hammer books and his rough-and-tumble pose style, Spillane was one of the more successful writers of his day. And, according to his obituary on MSN, that’s how he thought of himself, as a writer who sold his work. It was a job to him, a way to make money, not high art. I can respect that attitude. Get it written and get it sold. Interestingly enough, Spillane got his fiction-writing start in comics writing for Batman and Superman, but then World War II broke out and his plans changed. After the war, he turned to full-length fiction to earn money.
Mickey Spillane died yesterday, Monday, July 17th, at the age of 88. He was married three times and the father of four children.