James Vance, a former Tulsa World writer, as well as an award-winning graphic novelist and playwright, died June 5.

He was 64.

A private service was held Thursday. Rose Hill Funeral Home handled arrangements.

A longtime Tulsa resident, Vance was perhaps best known outside of Oklahoma for his graphic novels, including the Depression-era “Kings in Disguise” and its sequel “On the Ropes,” both based on plays he had written.

“Kings,” published in 1988, is considered a landmark of the genre. Vance teamed with artist Dan Burr on both novels.

Other deaths in the month of June 2017: Comic Book Creators Who Died in 2017

• 
  

  Anita Pallenberg, from wordpress.com
  [13 Jun 2017] Anita Pallenberg (Italian actress on Barbarella), 73, theguardian.com
  
• [12 Jun 2017] Jim Galton (CEO of Marvel Entertainment Group), 92, saved Marvel Comics in 1970s
  
• [10 Jun 2017] Malang aka Mauro Santos (Filipino artist, cartoonist for Kosme, the Cop, Retired and Tikoy), 89, lingering illness
  
• [09 Jun 2017] Adam West (American actor famous for portraying 1960's Batman, played Mayor West on Family Guy), 88, leukemia
• [05 Jun 2017] James Vance (American writer on Kings in Disguise from Kitchen Sink Comics), 65, tulsaworld.com
• [02 Jun 2017] Peter Sallis (English actor of Wallace and Gromit), 96