One of the best cover illustrators. Fly high on your dragon, sir.
The Joker’s “Godfather” is no more.
Dustin Hengst, drummer for the band Damone, is dead at 39.
Author Russell Hoban dead at 86
Comic book legend Joe Simon (the Simon of Simon & Kirby) has passed away at the ripe old age of 98. At least he finally got to see probably his most famous creation (Captain America) treated with respect on the screen.
Goodbye, Hitch. These are points I didn’t really want to get. 
Damn, I just put him on next year’s list. Now I need another near death celeb.
I also fell sorry to see him go, but he got me 38 points.
Well, Christopher Hitchens has died. I think he was on my list, but ow, this makes me sad.
ETA: Ops, sorry for redundant post
I was kinda hoping Hitchens’ would last until Easter Sunday, then die. then it would funny.
Sad for the loss, yay for the points.
Shoot! I had him for next year. Wow.
With Hitch buying the farm, I finally get some points on the board.
Darn, I was hoping to post that Hitch had met his maker (hehe … come join me in my handbasket … it is very comfy!)
Since we are so close to the end of the year I had to do the calculations … I firmed up my hold on 2nd … but still over 100 points behind Critical Mass. And **Amarone **jumped into 3rd place, making a banned winner even less likely. I don’t see any other top 10 changes.
No, funny would be him dying on Good Friday, then COMING BACK on Easter Sunday going “oops, guess I blew that whole God thing, huh?”
Bandwagon alert.
Etta James – famous for her incredible rendition of “At Last” – is “terminally ill” … so says her live-in doctor … who is now asking fans to pray for the 73-year-old singer.Bandwagon alert -
Dammit, I like her.
Her fate is sealed. 
I’m not keeping my own database, so I can’t be sure. But I think Hitch propels me into the top 10, thus bumping somebody.
Hm. Primarily known for singing a song entitled “At Last.”
I wonder… when she does die, how will people making the announcement in the death pool thread construct their puns? I’m sure we’ll see a huge outpouring of creativity.
Sorry **Randy **… I only looked at the top 10, so I missed your vaulting into our lofty realms. Which is why I thank **Amarone **and **Baker **for all the hard work they do/will do!
While I would be thrilled to have a pun made at my expense (I would feel like I had really arrived) I hope that particular pun is a long time in coming. (well, at least until after January 1st).
As we are exactly half way through the final month, here is an interim update following the demise of Christopher Hitchens.
Name Points Number #unique Youngest
1 Critical Mass 339 7 1 39
2 Registered at Last 230 5 0 39
3 amarone 215 5 2 52
4 gonzomax 190 4 1 27
5 phungi 171 4 0 51
6 Tamex 166 4 0 27
7 Captain Lance Murdoch 161 4 0 51
8 Captain Klutz 159 3 0 27
9 Randy Seltzer 158 4 1 56
10 Borborygmi 155 4 0 27
11 carnivorousplant 152 4 1 39
12 Wheelz 151 4 1 51
13= NurseCarmen 148 4 0 54
13= GIGObuster 148 3 0 27
15 Walkabout 147 3 0 39
16= Boyo Jim 145 4 1 54
16= Ambihelical Hexnut 145 3 0 27
18 Drain Bead 137 3 0 27
19 Fear Itself 133 3 0 39
20 MsWhatsit 129 4 1 52
21 Anne Elk 120 3 0 27
22 Duckster 119 2 0 27
23= imthjckaz 117 2 0 27
23= pohjonen 117 2 0 27
25 Monstera Deliciosa 115 3 0 27
26 VanLandry 113 2 0 27
27 a35362 111 2 0 27
28 Ann Onimous 109 5 1 27
29= 42fish 99 3 0 56
29= Invisible Chimp 99 2 0 39
31 cadolphin 97 4 0 54
32 Duke 95 2 0 51
33= Mona Lott 94 2 0 27
33= racer72 94 2 0 27
35 notfrommensa 90 3 0 54
36 Eleanor of Aquitaine 88 2 0 27
37 Andrew 21 86 3 1 52
38= iamnotbatman 82 2 0 56
38= Superbia-acedia 82 2 0 39
40= Hal Briston 77 3 0 58
40= Mustardseed 77 2 0 54
40= Wallet* 77 2 0 54
43 swampbear 74 3 0 54
44= kunilou 73 3 0 60
44= tarragon918 73 3 0 60
44= 5 time champ 73 1 0 27
44= BoilerUp1975 73 1 0 27
44= Diogenes the Cynic 73 1 0 27
44= fubbleskag 73 1 0 27
44= garygnu 73 1 0 27
44= Little Nemo 73 1 0 27
44= meghan 73 1 0 27
44= pkdeez1 73 1 0 27
44= The Blue-Sighted Shadow 73 1 0 27
55 missred 69 3 0 56
56 Gleena 67 3 0 62
57 Omniscient 66 2 0 60
58= Only Mostly Dead 65 3 0 60
58= Jack Batty 65 2 0 56
60= bowler girl 64 2 0 62
60= Shirley Ujest 64 2 0 62
62 appleciders 63 2 0 54
63 SpazCat 62 3 1 56
64= Hockey Monkey 61 1 0 39
64= VunderBob 61 1 0 39
66= CowPatty 59 2 1 58
66= Orange Skinner 59 2 0 62
68 KennerTheGreat 56 2 1 60
69 Sigmagirl 53 2 0 54
70 Spiff 49 1 0 51
71= Carlos Spicy Weiner 46 1 0 54
71= HeyHomie 46 1 0 54
71= Long Time First Time 46 1 0 54
74= ErinPuff 44 2 1 62
74= arnesw 44 1 0 56
74= Jeep's Phoenix 44 1 0 56
77= amarinth 42 2 0 62
77= zoog 42 1 0 58
79= Rico 40 1 0 60
79= The Vorlon 40 1 0 60
81= Mahaloth 38 1 0 62
81= Maus Magill 38 1 0 62
81= Mehitabel 38 1 0 62
84 Dung Beetle 37 1 0 63
85 Paul in Qatar 36 3 0 79
86= lexi 29 2 0 79
86= vivalostwages 29 2 0 79
88= Kitten Mitten 26 1 0 74
88= Kolak of Twilo 26 1 0 74
88= MadTheSwine 26 1 0 74
91= Cazzle 21 1 0 79
91= J-P L 21 1 0 79
91= malkavia 21 1 0 79
91= Mudshark 21 1 0 79
91= SpoilerVirgin 21 1 0 79
96= dwc1970 19 2 1 89
96= Ms Box 19 2 0 89
98 BACI 17 1 0 83
99= gwendee 15 2 0 89
99= anyrose* 15 1 1 85
101 audit1 12 1 0 88
102= Dolores Reborn 8 1 0 92
102= fruitbat* 8 1 1 92
104= Annie-Xmas* 7 1 0 93
104= lel 7 1 0 93
104= Raza 7 1 0 93
107 ataraxy22 6 1 1 94
108= Happy Lendervedder 4 1 0 96
108= Stink Fish Pot 4 1 0 96
108= Wallflower 4 1 0 96
111= Alice The Goon 0 0 0
111= Antigen* 0 0 0
111= anya marie 0 0 0
111= Baker 0 0 0
111= Bewildebeest 0 0 0
111= BobLibDem 0 0 0
111= chizzuk 0 0 0
111= Clothahump 0 0 0
111= critter42* 0 0 0
111= Cunctator 0 0 0
111= Dinah Steeler 0 0 0
111= Edward The Head 0 0 0
111= El Perro Fumando* 0 0 0
111= Emily Litella 0 0 0
111= FlikTheBlue 0 0 0
111= glowacks* 0 0 0
111= Idle Thoughts* 0 0 0
111= JessMagic* 0 0 0
111= labtrash 0 0 0
111= Loach 0 0 0
111= Lsura 0 0 0
111= Mean Mr. Mustard 0 0 0
111= Meeko* 0 0 0
111= Moirai 0 0 0
111= NoiseBomb 0 0 0
111= Oakminster 0 0 0
111= Qin Shi Huangdi 0 0 0
111= Quarter Lane 0 0 0
111= Quasimodem 0 0 0
111= rucciface 0 0 0
111= SkyBlueKayak 0 0 0
111= smithsb* 0 0 0
111= Squonk 0 0 0
111= Stephe96* 0 0 0
111= Sternvogel* 0 0 0
111= stockton 0 0 0
111= Tom Scud 0 0 0
111= Tristan 0 0 0
111= twickster* 0 0 0
111= tygre 0 0 0
111= Uncle Goat* 0 0 0
111= wolf meister 0 0 0
111= zamboniracer* 0 0 0
Hey, I have points - all in December. In putting together next year’s list, I’d completely forgotten who had been on this year’s list.