Earl Norem, an illustrator known for producing painted covers for comic magazines, gaming books, and men's adventure magazines, as well as art for trading cards and movie posters, passed away on June 19, according to posts by his family on his Facebook fan page. He was 91.

Norem was born in 1924, and served in the military during World War II.  After being injured and returning to the U.S., he began a career in illustration.

Norem worked extensively for men’s adventure magazines throughout the 1950s and 60s producing covers and interior art, and for titles like Reader’s Digest and Field and Stream.  He did the cover (based on a Kirby version) for Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's 1978 Silver Surfer OGN, and did covers for Marvel magazines such as Savage Sword of Conan, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (see “'Masters of the Universe' Art Book”), Planet of the Apes and Rampaging Hulk. Norem also produced work for Marvel’s Transformers Big Looker storybooks in the 1980s, and Marvel Books' Advanced Dungeons & Dragons coloring books and storybooks.

In the trading card space, Norem produced illustrations for Topps’ Mars Attacks trading cards and comics, and the more recent Mars Attacks: Invasion card set.  He was producing art for the new Mars Attacks: Occupation card set at the time of his death (see “Topps Plans 'Kickstarter' for 'Mars Attacks' Sequel”).