Cartoonist Jeff Smith, beloved for his popular indie comic book epic “Bone,” suffered a heart attack this past Sunday and has canceled his book tour for the remainder of this year. The news about Smith, 63, was first shared by representatives from Smith’s own Cartoon Books publishing company, including Smith’s wife.
“Jeff Smith is recuperating from a cardiac arrest, which he suffered on Sunday. There will be a long road to recovery, so regrettably we must cancel the remainder of his book tour this year,” Cartoon Books production manager Kathleen Glosan shared on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
In another message, Glosan continued, “We hope this is just a bump in the road & that Jeff will see you all next year. Thank you for your support & understanding at this time.”
“Bone” was a hugely successful comic in the 1990s and 2000s, with adaptations set up at major studios over the years, though none have been produced to date. The most recent was an animated series at Netflix, but the project was canceled in 2022 amid upheaval at the streamer, particularly in its animation division.
There was an immediate outpouring of support from both fans and other comic creators on social media, including notables such as Gail Simone, Jimmy Palmiotti and Christos Gage.
“Bone” was published both independently and released in various editions by Image Comics, Disney and Scholastic. It’s remained in print, been colorized and persisted as a hit with both kid and adult audiences.
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