omer333 ([info]omer333) wrote in [info]poisonelves,
@ 2007-03-23 20:22:00
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Drew Hayes, R.I.P.
I just got this e-mail sent out by Robb Horan of Sirius Comics, the company that's been publishing POISON ELVES.

Bad news.

Many of you have written to us asking about the well-being of Drew Hayes.


I am saddened to report that Drew Hayes, the maverick creator of POISON ELVES, has died in his hometown of Bellingham, Washington. Drew had a heart attack while suffering from pneumonia. He is survived by his daughter, Mary and his mother, Sharon.

Drew had been hospitalized more than once over the last several years, but his return to good health had seemed imminent, so the suddenness of his passing was an unexpected shock to myself and others that knew him. Drew was 37 years old.


I last spoke to Drew in January, when he was arranging to submit his original cover for POISON ELVES Volume 11. Drew remained sincerely comitted to creating his best work ever in the years ahead. He had proposed re-launching the series with issue #80 and returning to a quarterly schedule in 2007. He was clear that that was his goal and his intention.

He was a loyal and genuine friend to me, my family and the family of creators at Sirius Entertainment. He is sorely missed.


If you would like to share your thoughts with Drew's family, please send your e-mails to info@CosmicTherapy.com

Robb Horan, publisher
Sirius Entertainment
&
Sales Director
Cosmic Therapy.com

This is the most fucked up thing since Joey Ramone or Dimebag Darrell died. I'm sitting here at work typing this when I should be doing something else, and I'm really upest by this because this guy was my hero. This guy was telling the baddest story on the planet and he was this awesome motherfucker that I felt like I knew like a best friend.

Now he's gone.

I don't know what else to say.

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[info]shadowalchemy
2007-03-24 04:05 am UTC (link)
I am at a loss of words. Drew, you will be sadly miss my friend

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[info]drdeadringer
2007-03-24 06:56 am UTC (link)
Crow.

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[info]gwendahl
2007-03-24 10:31 am UTC (link)
I don't know what to say.. Why!? Like Horan said, he was getting better. So why did it go like this!??

Guess I'll go and burn a candle for him while crying my eyes out.

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[info]vladazhael
2007-03-24 04:18 pm UTC (link)
*sigh* Why always the good ones?

See you on the other side, friend.

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[info]fuseblues
2007-03-26 08:09 am UTC (link)
Fuck. This sucks so hard. If nothing else, the Poison Elves tattoo on my shoulder tells me Drew got to touch a few people all across the world in the short time he got.

The man should've had more years.

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[info]khaman
2007-03-26 04:57 pm UTC (link)
I just read this on Newsarama today. Poison Elves was one of the first things to get me into comics. I was really looking forward to its return, and now I'm just all fucked up.

This is such shit news. I am so sorry for his family.

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poison elves Drew Hayes
(Anonymous)
2007-03-26 07:03 pm UTC (link)
I would like to add a few notes coming from someone who knew Drew Hayes well. Rob Horan of Serius Entertainment you should be ashamed of yourself. Drew had to beg you for rent money. This went on for years. Drew's rent was $350.00 dollars a month. His daughter Mary had to go live with her mother because Drew could not afford to feed her. He would live on peanutbutter and crackers that would come in a package for a dollar. The apartment he lived in in Ferndale, Washington a couple of years ago, had recently been condemed and torn down because it was not fit for a cockroach to live in. Friends and family were feeding Drew when we learned what Robb was doing. When Drew first got sick he did not have medical could not afford it and went on medical through Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (Welfare). Which you have to be poor to receive. Drew never received Royalty checks for all of the products manufactured under the Poison Elves name. His last apartment he lived in was approximately the size of 12' x 12'. Yes, Robb you are right he was a loyal and good friend to bad we who knew Drew could not say the same about you. Robb exploited Drew when Drew first got sick and all the while he was starving and begging for money. There were times he would be behind in rent. How pathetic to be used and abused. I have to wonder Robb, while Drew was suffering and starving did you have a clear concience snuggling up to your at that time new wife and baby, fancy home, and fancy cars? I hope his family drags your slithering behind into the Legal Arena. We who knew Drew will miss him because we truely knew the man behind the comic. We have been blessed to have known Drew Hayes.

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Re: poison elves Drew Hayes
(Anonymous)
2007-03-29 09:48 pm UTC (link)
Before anyone starts blasting Robb, remember it was Sirius that introduced so many people to Drew. And don't be starting shit about him not showing his face. If you think he's not shaken up over this, you're dead fucking wrong.

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[info]methuss
2007-03-26 08:01 pm UTC (link)
Although I didn't know how badly Sirius was screwing over Drew, I had my suspicions. My wife is the real fan, but I got the opportunity to meet him at Wizard World a few years back. At least I had the privilege of covering his dinner tab when he was visiting here in Chicago ... which is more than his publisher would do.

Frankly, after reading the anon comment above, Rob would do best not to show his face in Chicago for Wizard World ever again. I, and about 10 others I can think of, may be tempted to spend a few nights in jail to let him know how we feel about his treatment of Drew.

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[info]swingsyren
2007-03-26 08:31 pm UTC (link)
Dear Anonymous,

I’m very sorry that you lost a friend. I’ve lost a friend, too. It’s easy, when you are grieving, to lash out at other people in anger, but please remember that blaming other people for his death is not only not true, it also doesn’t bring Drew back.

I knew both Drew and Robb. While I worked for Drew as his assistant about 5 years ago, I cashed all of Drew’s checks (including several royalty checks), paid his bills, a negotiated with creditors all so Mary could have a roof over her head, lunch money, and clean socks. Robb would often give Drew advances on two, sometimes three issues. How many bosses do you know would give someone their salary three months in advance? How many do you know would continue to give those advances even when the previous ones hadn’t been paid off?

Though it’s been several years since I’ve seen or spoken to either of them, I have a hard time believing much has changed. Drew was a very talented artist, and at times, a great friend. I have many fond memories of days spend hanging with him and playing with his daughter, and I am saddened that he is no longer with us. But he wasn’t a perfect man. He made many choices that lead him down his path- choices that Robb 3,000 miles away could not have been responsible for, but many times tried to help resolve. I won’t go into detail because that was between Robb and Drew, but let me just say it was extensive.

Let us remember, instead, the man Drew was and hoped to be. Let us celebrate what he gave to this world instead of aimlessly focusing our anger on someone who tried many times to help Drew. Let us comfort his daughter and help her continue in her life. We all grieve for his loss.

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[info]madscott
2007-03-26 10:34 pm UTC (link)
Just adding my own RIP
I haven't been a regular reader over the last few years but I do have a print hanging over my desk. I'll miss Drew

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drew died???? =(
[info]pele23
2007-03-27 02:10 am UTC (link)
as someone who has faithfully collected every issue of poison elves i could,
for well over ten years....

i feel saddened and lost like an old freind has past on..


poison elves made me laugh my ass off..
or
sometimes feel almost like crying, whereever the story line
may have been going at the time..

one of the main reason i loved poison elves.
drew was a damn good story teller and i could never
wait to see what happened next..
and
drew's diary-like comments , at the begining and ending of ea. comic
made me feel like i knew him..
i envy those of you who got to meet him.
in ten years. never met him at a comic con
now i wish i had..

peace..

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[info]vmisery
2007-03-28 01:36 am UTC (link)
Shit. I am so sorry to hear this...the world is a little darker for the loss of another brilliantly creative mind. :(

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[info]nottagoth
2007-03-28 02:02 am UTC (link)
I never did read Poison Elves, I just hung out with Drew on occasion in Ferndale and Bellingham. I remember two of the occasions especially. The first was the Halloween Party in 1999. Drew was there chillin' and drinkin' and got involved in a Talk Like Yoda battle. The second thing I remember was visiting him at his apartment in Ferndale sometime later. He had Cramps posters all ove his walls and his ceiling. In the corner there was an artificial Christmas tree and it was well after Christmas. I found out later that he would leave it up all year. He left it up because that is what Mary wanted. Drew had a smile and a laugh that were infectious. You never quite knew where the joke was going to come from, but it was hard to keep a straight face once Drew started laughing.

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[info]swingsyren
2007-03-28 03:53 am UTC (link)
I totally forgot about the Cramps posters and Christmas tree until you mentioned it. I do remember playing My Little Pony with Mary. I also remember the big black arm chair in his living room that I used to sit in while he was drawing. (He drew all his work while sitting on his living room floor). Occasionally, when he was under deadline, I'd threaten him with my combat boots if he didn't get his issue in on time- which is pretty hilarious given that I'm a 5'7" buck 25 girl with size 7 feet, and he was probably three times my size.

Thanks for the memory sparks. It's good to remember the good stuff.

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[info]ladydove7
2007-03-28 10:21 pm UTC (link)
There's nothing that can be said to mourn the passing of a man who was an inspiration and friend to many. I wish I had known him personally. I wish I could've had a laugh with him. He always gave me one with his pointed sarcasm and unique ability to quell intellectual philosophy out of his own individual, oftentimes dark yet humorous, vision. Poison Elves led me to Drew and I am greatly saddened to hear his stories and his dreams end here.

Drew, you were an inspiration. I had planned many times to meet you at Dragon Con and personally give you an image I had worked years on, but it seems I never will. I hope I can perhaps mail it to his family or some other who might appreciate it if anyone can provide me with contact info?

I may not have known him as a person, but I knew him enough through his art to be inspired. Here's to you, Drew.

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[info]pele23
2007-03-28 11:08 pm UTC (link)

thanks for the inside info..
made me smile.. =)

am i crazy or did drew at some point have a contest where he was trying to
get everyone to send him a dollar ?
maybe he was kidding i thought i read that..
dang i want my dollar back =p jk
hehehe

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[info]ladyisabella
2007-04-12 02:37 pm UTC (link)
I'm so behind the times here. I can't believe Drew is gone. I just found out, having had my gallbladder removed during the time of his death and just being caught up in my own shit since. I came here, hoping, that this was like that Sinbad story, some false statement made on Wikipedia. I keep hoping that, somewhere in these posts, I'll see the "IT'S NOT TRUE" headline.

Rest in peace Drew. Lord knows you deserve it.

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