American Fantasy and Science Fiction writer Victor Milan passed away after a battle with cancer. Probably known best for his Cybernetic Samurai science fiction series, Milan also wrote novels set in the Battletech, Mechwarrior and Forgotten Realms settings. He also wrote a number of Deathlands and Outlanders novels under the company pen name of James Axler for the adventure fiction imprint published by Harlequin Press' Gold Eagle Books.
Milan was also a gamer who was a fan of Call of Cthulhu and Superworld from the original Chaosium. Author George R.R. Martin credits Milan as the impetus behind the eventual creation of the Wild Cards setting, because he originally gave Martin a copy of the Superworld game that would spark the genesis of the world's creation. "Vic was an integral part of the series right from the very start, and the characters he created were among our most popular. Among them were the Russian ace Molniya, the Harlem Hammer, the twisted German psychopath Mackie Messer, Dr. Pretorius, Ice Blue Sibyl, Flipper, Dust, the Darkness... and above all, Mark Meadows, aka Cap'n Trips, and his 'friends' Jumpin' Jack Flash, Starshine, Moonchild, Aquarius, Cosmic Traveller, Monster... and the Radical. The long saga of Mark Meadows began in volume one, and was brought to a close in volume twenty, SUICIDE KINGS. It was a long strange trip indeed, and every step of it was exciting, thanks to Vic."
Milan was also a gamer who was a fan of Call of Cthulhu and Superworld from the original Chaosium. Author George R.R. Martin credits Milan as the impetus behind the eventual creation of the Wild Cards setting, because he originally gave Martin a copy of the Superworld game that would spark the genesis of the world's creation. "Vic was an integral part of the series right from the very start, and the characters he created were among our most popular. Among them were the Russian ace Molniya, the Harlem Hammer, the twisted German psychopath Mackie Messer, Dr. Pretorius, Ice Blue Sibyl, Flipper, Dust, the Darkness... and above all, Mark Meadows, aka Cap'n Trips, and his 'friends' Jumpin' Jack Flash, Starshine, Moonchild, Aquarius, Cosmic Traveller, Monster... and the Radical. The long saga of Mark Meadows began in volume one, and was brought to a close in volume twenty, SUICIDE KINGS. It was a long strange trip indeed, and every step of it was exciting, thanks to Vic."