Cayman Islands (MyFoxBoston.com) -- A Massachusetts comic book artist has been missing in the Cayman Islands since Thursday. 
 
 At about 11:21 a.m., officers were alerted of a missing snorkeler off the East End, according to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. Norman Lee, a middle-aged visitor from Weymouth, was snorkeling with his wife near their resort when the pair was separated about 250 yards off shore. The woman was able to return safely to the beach and the search for her husband began. 
 
 "RCIPS Joint Marine Unit with 2 vessels responded to the report along 3 vessels from the Department of Environment, Marine Enforcement Unit, Cayman Helicopter, divers and other water sport operators in the area, are assisting with Wave Runners," RCIPS said in a release. 
 
 
 
 Search crews and volunteers have been scoping the area where Lee was last seen since Thursday, however, there have been no signs of him, his clothes or his gear. He was last seen shirtless, wearing white beach shorts, black and blue fins as well as clear goggles. 
 
 
 
 Lee is a successful comic book artist and spent a lot of time in Quincy at New England Comics. The people who know him there cannot believe he went missing. 
 
 "I feel really, really bad, you know, because it is someone you know, it's your friend," Doreen Greeley said. 
 
 He was well known in the comic book world as he works at Marvel and DC Comics. His Facebook page was filled Saturday with posts from family and friends talking about his talent and what a nice guy he was. 
 
 "I think he just loved cartoons and comics, he just had that feel for it. Some of them make it successfully and some of them don't," Greeley said. 
 
 
 
 Search crews in the Cayman Islands say the currents where Lee was last seen are extremely strong and that was likely a factor in his disappearance. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ||||| A talented artist for Marvel Comics who disappeared while snorkeling in the Cayman Islands is now presumed dead, authorities said. 
 
 Police have called off the search for Norman Lee, a 47-year-old artist who worked for Marvel Comics on blockbuster titles such as “X-Men” and the “Avengers.” 
 
 Lee and his wife were snorkeling on Thursday about 250 yards off the eastern coast of Grand Cayman when they were separated in the water, authorities said. 
 
 Norman Lee went missing on Thursday. (facebook) 
 
 His wife returned to shore, but Lee hasn’t been seen since. 
 
 Royal Caribbean Police Services led a massive search, scouring the sea with rescue divers, boats and helicopters. 
 
 Dive teams, rescue boats and helicopters all deployed in search of missing comic book artist Norman Lee but couldn’t find him. (WMUR) Bob Shaw, longtime friend of missing comic book artist Norman Lee, held out hope that the powerfully built 47-year-old had survived a snorkeling mishap. (WMUR) Comic book artist Norman Lee went missing on Thursday while snorkeling in the Cayman Islands. (WMUR) 
 
 Searchers had given up hope of finding Lee alive by Saturday, and officials now say even finding a body is improbable. 
 
 The powerful currents make it “unlikely that we will make any recovery at this stage,” Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks said. 
 
 Lee, who lived in Weymouth, Mass., with wife Jan Lee, joined Marvel nearly two decades ago and started out working on Wolverine panels. 
 
 He had also worked for DC Comics on the “Supergirl” and “Starman.” 
 
 It was his job to ink in the final lines on the iconic characters. 
 
 Lee was also a powerfully built former college fencer at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth — something that gave friends and family hope he had somehow survived. 
 
 Missing artist Norman Lee began nearly 20 years ago with Marvel Comics. (Marvel Comics) Norman Lee also did work for DC Comics. (DC Comics) Missing artist Norman Lee had worked for Marvel and DC Comic during his impressive career. 
 
 “He's a very strong man,” longtime friend Bob Shaw told WMUR TV. “If anyone can survive it, it’s Norman. So I hold out hope at the moment." 
 
 Friends and fans filled his Facebook page with heartbreaking remembrances, pictures and calls for prayers throughout the search. 
 
 “He was a great guy, and I really pray that by some miracle he’s alive somewhere somehow,” one wrote. “Either way, Godspeed Norman.” 
 
 With News Wire Services 
 
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 Sign up for BREAKING NEWS Emails privacy policy Thanks for subscribing! ||||| Police in the Cayman Islands searched on Saturday for a popular Marvel and DC Comics artist from Weymouth, Massachusetts, who disappeared while snorkeling with his wife. (Published Saturday, March 7, 2015) 
 
 A Massachusetts man and noted comic book artist went missing while snorkeling with his wife in the Cayman Islands during a vacation. 
 
 According to police in the Grand Cayman, Norman Lee of Weymouth was snorkeling with his wife, Jan, when he vanished Thursday morning. 
 
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 Journalist Joe Avary with Cayman 27 tells NECN authorities have stopped their active search and that Jan has now left the island. Boaters have been advised to keep an eye out on the waters. 
 
 Lee, 47, is well known in the comic book world and works primarily as an inker. He has worked on such publications as "The Avengers" and "X-Men." 
 
 "He's worked on some of the best stuff in the country, on some of the best artists," said Mike Alexandropoulos, a friend of Lee. "Great person, fantastic friend." 
 
 Investigators in Grand Cayman say Jan made it back to the beach, but Norman did not. 
 
 Volunteer divers have been searching in strong currents near the Reef Resort hotel, but so far, they have turned up no sign. 
 
 Much of Lee's art can be seen inside comic books on sale at comic book shops everywhere. 
 
 "He's contributed quite a bit," said Jake Johnston, who works at The Hall of Comics in Southborough. 
 
 Lee's agent, Bob Shaw, tells NECN he believes this was Lee's first vacation in 10 years. 
 
 Avary says Jan has given her final statement to police and has left the island. ||||| The search for a well-known comic artist from Weymouth who disappeared Thursday while snorkeling in the Cayman Islands is now being called a recovery mission, though authorities said his body would likely not be found. 
 
 Watch the report 
 
 
 
 Authorities said that Norman Lee was swimming near the eastern coast of Grand Cayman when he became separated from his wife late Thursday morning. 
 
 Officer Mark Miller said in a phone interview that authorities were planning to resume their search for Lee after not finding any trace of him for the past two days. Volunteer divers have been helping with the search amid heavy currents. 
 
 "The currents in that area are strong and it is unlikely that we will make any recovery at this stage," Chief Inspector Brad Ebanks said. 
 
 "I didn't sleep much last night at all," said Lee's longtime friend, Bob Shaw. "He's a very strong man. If anyone can survive it, it's Norman. So I hold out hope at the moment." 
 
 
 
 Police said Lee was last seen still snorkeling about 250 yards from the coast. 
 
 
 
 Lee's Facebook page was filled with dozens of message from friends, and fans hoping for his return and noting that he is a strong athlete. 
 
 Lee was on the fencing team at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. 
 
 
 
 He began working on the Wolverine Annual for Marvel Comics in the late 1990s and most recently worked on other titles including "Avengers" and "X-Men." 
 
 He also illustrated works including "Supergirl" and "Starman" for DC Comics. 
 
 
 
 "Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time," DC Entertainment spokeswoman Courtney Simmons said in an email.
– A comic book artist who has worked on the likes of X-Men and the Avengers has gone missing in the Cayman Islands after swimming near Grand Cayman's east coast. While snorkeling about 250 yards from shore on Thursday morning, Norman Lee and his wife got separated, MyFoxBoston reports. Though his wife made it back to shore, Lee did not. Crews launched a search that has been fruitless, MyFoxBoston notes, and WMUR reports that it's now considered a rescue mission—even as officials doubt they'll find Lee's body. "The currents in that area are strong, and it is unlikely that we will make any recovery at this stage," an official tells WMUR. Lee, 47, has worked at both Marvel and DC comics and has established a strong reputation in the industry, MyFoxBoston reports. He began at Marvel some 20 years ago, contributing to the character Wolverine, the New York Daily News reports. His main job has been as an inker, NECN reports; that means he finalizes the lines that create the characters, the Daily News notes. "He's worked on some of the best stuff in the country, on some of the best artists," a friend tells NECN, which notes that his work can be found at many comic stores. Despite authorities' bleak outlook, a friend is still hopeful, he tells WMUR. "He's a very strong man. If anyone can survive it, it's Norman. So I hold out hope at the moment." (Last year was a big one for Marvel, including the introduction of a female Thor.)