R.I.P. Tom Spurgeon

It's been a bad year as far as the mortality of comics people. Now comes word of the unexpected passing of Tom Spurgeon. If the name sounds familiar but you can't quite place it, it may be because of the quote I've had from Tom over on the upper right of this blog for a decade now. Tom was one of the earliest supporters of my blogging and later my books. When he started wishing me a Happy Birthday from his COMICS REPORTER site every year, I really felt like I had become a part of the comics community.

He had also been a comic strip writer, a COMICS JOURNAL editor, and since 2014 he was the Executive Director of Cartoons Crossroads Columbus. That's only 100 miles north of me and I kept hoping I'd get there one year to meet him, but no.

Tom was one of the best friends the comic book industry ever had.

Too many good people dying lately.

R.I.P.

(Portrait of Tom Spurgeon by Michael Netzer, another major early supporter of my blogging.)