New Year, new round of influential figures leaving our world.
Celebrity Death Thread 2026
- Thread starter Steevy Maximus
- Start date
A pair of influential industry figures passed over the past couple weeks:
First off is Albert Panello. Passing of cancer, he was a former marketing executive who worked at Microsoft on various iterations of the Xbox, including launching the original Xbox. Among collectors, he is famous for his MASK page, one of the original great resources for the 80s toyline. Prior to his death, he was partnering with others to kickstart a 12" deluxe version of the main mecha from 80s cult Classic The Mighty Orbots.
news.instant-gaming.com
On Christmas, we lost David Rosen, the American entrepreneur who co-founded Sega
www.theguardian.com
And after getting its funding gutted by the Trump Administration, The Corporation of Public Broadcasting has opted to dissolve itself:
apnews.com
First off is Albert Panello. Passing of cancer, he was a former marketing executive who worked at Microsoft on various iterations of the Xbox, including launching the original Xbox. Among collectors, he is famous for his MASK page, one of the original great resources for the 80s toyline. Prior to his death, he was partnering with others to kickstart a 12" deluxe version of the main mecha from 80s cult Classic The Mighty Orbots.
Albert Penello, one of the key figures at Xbox, has passed away - IG News
Another death has struck the video game industry at the very end of December. We have learned of the passing of Albert Penello following a battle with…
news.instant-gaming.com
On Christmas, we lost David Rosen, the American entrepreneur who co-founded Sega
Sega co-founder David Rosen dies aged 95
Rosen, who led Sega from the 1960s into the 90s and who died on Christmas Day, was a hugely important figure in the history of arcade and home gaming
www.theguardian.com
And after getting its funding gutted by the Trump Administration, The Corporation of Public Broadcasting has opted to dissolve itself:
Corporation for Public Broadcasting votes itself out of existence
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting's directors voted the organization out of business Monday. The private agency, which has distributed federal funding to PBS, NPR and hundreds of local television and radio stations across the country for more than a half-century, saw its appropriations from Co
apnews.com
Aww man, that one gets me in the feels. I was too young to have ever seen the Grateful Dead, but I got to see The Dead with all the surviving members on a co-bill with Bob Dylan. Incredible musicians.
At least he's with Jerry now in the great gig in the sky.
Apparently prostate cancer.
Even in Death, he is promoting his books. I once emailed him in the late 90s about his Dilbert strip. I told him that his comic would be better with storylines or at least a bit of continuity between them. At that point the longest storyline he had was like 2 weeks and that was for the death of Dilbert story he did. He actually responded to me, probably because I had read most of his work, thanked me for my interest in the comic.
Sad to see this new. RIP, and thanks for the laughs.
Sad to see this new. RIP, and thanks for the laughs.
He was always easy to reach. He ran out of personal workplace stories a long time ago, so Dilbert had to borrow a lot from stories his readers sent him.
Imagine devoting decades of your life to a cause, only to spend a portion of every day reading about how nothing is getting better. Anyone would end up bitter.
Imagine devoting decades of your life to a cause, only to spend a portion of every day reading about how nothing is getting better. Anyone would end up bitter.
Passed away Jan 16, 2026.
Was looking him up and he wrote a bunch of TV eps, including two Megaman Ruby Spears episodes The Beginning and Brain Bot.
Disney and animation Veteran Roger Allers has passed at age 76. His body of work stretches from Sesame Street and Electric Company, to Nelvana’s cult Rock and Rule, to TMS’s Little Nemo. His most notable works were as storyboard artist (among numerous other roles) at Disney, including Tron, Oliver and Company, Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast (where he served as story lead). His most famous works was co-directing 1994’s The Lion King, which has become one of the most celebrated films in animation. He would later direct Sony Pictures Animation’s first feature film, Open Season.
Jean Rabe, D&D author and editor passed away. I really enjoyed several of her books.
www.enworld.org
D&D General - TSR Alum and Fantasy Author Jean Rabe Passes Away
TSR writer, editor, and journalist Jean Rabe has passed away at the age of 68. A fantasy novelist for TSR, and writer for game lines such as Greyhawk, Dragonlance, Star Wars, and BattleTech, she worked as a journalist before joining TSR in 1987, initially as a coordinator for the RPGA network...
www.enworld.org
Comic book legend Sal Buscema passed last Friday at age 89.
comicbookclublive.com
He was a prolific Marvel artist during the late 70s and through the 80s, noted for his extensive runs on Incredible Hulk and Spectacular Spider-Man
Sal Buscema, Comic Book Legend, Dead At 89 | Comic Book Club
Sal Buscema, a comic artist best known for legendary runs on Marvel's Incredible Hulk and Spectacular Spider-Man, passed away last Friday, just short of his 90th birthday.
comicbookclublive.com
He was a prolific Marvel artist during the late 70s and through the 80s, noted for his extensive runs on Incredible Hulk and Spectacular Spider-Man
Oh dang. I wasn't into the JM Demattias Spectacular Spider-Man run (too angular with the inker) but he was very consistent.
Man, she was iconic in Home Alone. R.I.P.
Guess she now has her own copy of "The Handbook for the Recently Deceased".