YouTuber Ben Potter has tragically died at the age of 40, his wife has confirmed.
The American online content creator was best known as Comicstorian, and ran a YouTube channel on which he shared opinions, reviews, and analyses of comic book and superhero products, as well as Marvel and DC films.
He launched his channel in 2014 and gained over 3 million subscribers, sharing his final video - titled 'Why DC's reboots beat Marvel' - one day before his death.
His wife Nathalie shared the news of his unexpected death on Monday (June 10), revealing that Ben had died due to an "unfortunate accident".
Taking to Ben's Twitter (now known as X) account, she told his followers: "Two days ago, on June 8th, my husband, Ben Potter, passed away in an unfortunate accident.
"To many of you, he was Comicstorian, voicing stories from across multiple different mediums. To his loved ones, he was one of the best and most supportive individuals anyone could ask for.
"As a husband, a son, a brother, a friend, or even just a stranger, Ben was loving and genuine. He was someone who would listen and make time for his loved ones. He would do his best to make everyone laugh and make sure they were okay. He was our rock and he'd reassure his loved ones whenever they needed it."
She added: "He was my world and I need time to be with friends and family. I have so many things I need to figure out but firstly, I need to grieve.
"I ask that you respect my privacy as well as everyone else's. Right now my priority is preserving everything he's built and I don't have any plans beyond that."
Nathalie described Ben's channel as "one of his greatest accomplishments", adding that she knows he "wouldn't want it to end like this" after having curated it for over a decade.
She explained: "The team and I want to keep that going. To honor him by continuing to tell great stories by great people, as well as to keep the memory of our very own superhero alive. We supported each other on everything we wanted to do and I'm not about to stop now."
Currently, no further details have been shared on how Ben died.
Several fans shared their condolences, writing: "Incredibly heart breaking, Comicstorian was an absolutely incredible YouTuber that pioneered so much and got so many people into reading comics. Devastating news. Rest in peace."
Others added: "He did so much for so many. I am absolutely gutted to hear this. Rest in peace, Ben" and: "I’m sorry for your loss. Ben was a huge inspiration to me. This is truly heartbreaking."
Our thoughts remain with Nathalie and the rest of Ben's family and fans at this heartbreaking time.
