Illustrator, cartoonist, and Duckman creator Everett Peck has died. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Peck passed away on Tuesday in Solana Beach, California, following a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Peck’s passing was confirmed by his wife, Helen, and a post on his Instagram account notes that “Mr. Peck has left the studio.” He was 71 years old.
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“I have just sadly learned of the passing of Everett Peck, the genius animator and cartoonist who brought Duckman to life,” Duckman star Jason Alexander said in a tweet after hearing about the news. “It was an honor to voice his beloved creation and a joy to have known Everett. He was one of a glorious kind. My best to his family & friends.”
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Everett Peck was born on Oct. 9, 1950. An artist and cartoonist, Peck is well known for creating the comic book Duckman for Dark Horse in 1990. The comic was later developed into an adult animated series for USA Network with Alexander leading the voice cast. Developed for television by Peck, the series ran for four seasons from 1994 to 1997 and was nominated for four Emmy Awards. It followed Eric Tiberius Duckman (Alexander), an anthropomorphic duck who works as a private detective while simultaneously balancing his family life as a widowed father.
Duckman Was Critically Acclaimed
Duckman is still fondly remembered by fans and frequently shows up in lists remembering some of the best animated shows of that time, serving as one of his most popular works. He had done a lot more on the small screen as Peck also worked as a writer for other animated shows of the era, including Rugrats and The Critic. He also designed characters for the cartoon shows Jumanji, Extreme Ghostbusters, Men in Black: The Series, and Godzilla: The Series.
Peck also created another animated series about a decade after Duckman went off the air. He created the cartoon Squirrel Boy for Cartoon Network which ran from 2006 to 2008 over the course of two seasons. While it was much more family friendly than Duckman, it featured an art style reminiscent of Peck’s work. Following an anthropomorphic squirrel who’s always looking for inventive ways to get rich quick, the cartoon featured the voices of Richard Steven Horvitz, Pamela Adlon, Carlos Alazraqui, Kurtwood Smith, Billy West, Nancy Sullivan, and Tom Kenny.
Peck’s survivors include his wife, Helen; children, Emily and Spencer; stepdaughter Paloma; and granddaughter Sidley. Our condolences go out to them at this painful time. Rest in peace, Everett Peck, as your legacy continues to live on.
