My Pal Steve

Article by Professor Elemental

‘Death is powerless against you, if you leave a good legacy behind.’

Batman, JLA 72

I wasn’t one of Steve’s best mates. In fact, although we chatted every week, I only met him in person a handful of times. But that’s sort of the point here — Steve made you feel like you were one of his best mates. He did this immediately and without hesitation. As soon as he met you, he gave his whole self: unashamedly geeky, enthusiastic, funny, warm and incredibly generous. He was — and I don’t say this lightly — a great man.  

The first time he came to one of my shows, knowing that I loved comics, he brought me a bunch of new DC titles. Almost immediately, the show became a slight inconvenience to what I really wanted to do that evening — chat to Steve and his equally brilliant son about comics. And Steve knew it all. His knowledge of Batman was unparalleled and he was bursting with enthusiasm about the details and the minutiae of each run of the caped crusader. But he never wielded that knowledge like a weapon or lorded over anyone who knew less. Steve used what he knew to introduce others to different runs of the character, or to unsung artists or writers that he felt passionately about. There is something magical about a person who has that much love and just wants to share it with the world. They naturally attract others who feel the same way — and Steve did exactly that. Working with an incredibly talented bunch of writers on the fantastic Universes blog and on his podcasts, Steve nurtured new talent and promoted creators that he loved.

Of course, this wasn’t just limited to comics. He has championed my silly music since the moment we met. He’s written articles and reviewed albums, and he even let me jump on a podcast and waffle on about Plastic Man for an hour. Which shows he had patience as well as kindness.

He, Adam and I had a magical day out in London last year. We hung out at his house while I tried not to drool on his wonderful comic book collection, wandered aimlessly through London visiting comic shops and eating nice food, and then spent time at a show in the evening. I’ll treasure that day and wish there were more ahead, like we had assumed. He was always supposed to get up and rap with me on stage. I’m gutted we never made that happen. The man had untapped skills as a performer.

All throughout this year, while he’s been undergoing treatment, Steve was more like his fictional hero than anyone had a right to be. Not the brooding, skulking Batman, but the Batman who knows what’s right, what needs to be done and will fight like hell to make that happen. Like the Dark Knight, he never wavered for a moment in our messages to each other. They were always filled with positivity and strength. Steve took on challenging treatments and painful days and punched them in the face like they were henchmen thrown at him by an arch nemesis. He had no doubt that he would win. And while it might seem for a moment that he was seen off unexpectedly on the final page by a laughing villain, the truth is Steve is more like Batman than any of us knew. Because, between the family, friends and creative legacy he has left behind — just like Batman, Steve will live forever.