I visited the UK for the first time back in August and carved out time in my schedule for a day trip out to Oxford. Visiting Tolkien's grave to pay my respects was a high priority.
Back in early August, I took a much needed holiday to the UK. During that period I took a day trip out to Oxford.
I knew that Mr. Grahame was buried here. It took a while to find the entrance to Holywell Cemetery, but eventually, I did. And as I sat on the bench near his resting place, there was an overwhelming sense of peace and calm that flowed through me. As if...for just a moment, time stood still.
I owe this dear man so much. The Wind in the Willows has been one of my favorite books ever since I was small. And the chance to pay my respects to the man responsible for Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad, is a debt that can be repaid. All that can be done is ensure future generations never forget this marvelous story.
While I was in London back in August for a much needed holiday, I made a point to visit the Sherlock Holmes Museum at Baker Street. Needless to say it was quite an enjoyable experience and even though no doubt photos have been posted from there before, I wanted to share a few with my fellow Sherlockians.
While on a holiday to the UK back in early August, I made a day trip out to Oxford, which included making a stop to Holy Trinity Church, Headington Quarry, to pay my respects to C.S. Lewis.
While standing there gazing at his and Warren's stone, I was struck by an overwhelming sense of peace and calm. This was further compounded by my being able to go into the church itself.
I won't drag it out, but I did spend some time sitting, praying, and pondering all that God had done to get me to that particular moment. Needless to say, it was a very moving experience.
I posted about this some time ago, but I finally can say with absolute certainty that I had the best time at this year's International Discworld Convention.
Everyone was so polite and friendly and welcoming. And believe me, while I've been a fan since I was small, I know what Terry and the Discworld mean to the UK.
The whole convention was an absolute blast, and I made so many new friends and even got to meet Stephen Briggs and Rhianna Pratchett!
Hopefully (fingers crossed), I'll be returning for the 2028 convention.
A few weeks ago, I was in the UK for a much needed vacation. Earlier this year, before he passed away, Len Strazewski had posted on his Facebook about how Hachette Partworks had republished his and Mike Parobeck's JSA series in a lovely hardcover edition.
Thinking ahead, I purchased a copy and had it shipped to the hotel I was staying at for my part of my trip.
The electric thrill I had as I opened this volume for the first time, seeing Mike's artwork and reading Len's scripts is indescribable.
It now sits in a place of honor in my bookcase.
New podcast episode, honoring Len Strazewski. Consists of two interviews. The first is from 2014, and Len, plus myself and my co-host Kevin, talk at length about his work in comics, especially his time writing the JSA.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0QTPwEfxaq7X6I608Hd7uE?si=ESgqi2mIS8q9vZLIeGSSUQ
Hey there, faithful Spidey fans. Today's episode of my podcast is a tribute to Gerry Conway, consisting of the two interviews he granted me over the years of our acquaintance.
For anyone who was a big comic book reader in the 1990s or studied journalism at Columbia College Chicago, you will remember who Len was.
Teacher, mentor, gifted storyteller, and one of the many in the comic book industry who made Chicago and the suburbs home.
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/len-strazewski-creator-of-prime-and-jesse-quick-has-died-aged-71/
With the passing of Len Strazewski on Monday, my mind has been filled with remembrances of when he was my professor at Columbia College Chicago.
I found something in my collection that I wanted to share with you all. It is a hardcover volume of the first four issues of Prime, published while Len was writing the series, numbered and signed by Len, Gerard Jones, and Norm Breyfogle.
I originally found it during my senior year at Columbia College Chicago in a discount bin at Graham Cracker Comics on the Loop. I remember immediately bringing it to show Len, and he was absolutely elated to see it.
Anyone who is a fan of the JSA will remember the series Len wrote for DC about the JSA during the 90s, not the least of which because Len and Mike Parobeck were the creators of Jesse Quick.
But Len was more than that to me. He was a friend. And one of my professors in college. His office was small, but he had framed prints of some of his works on the walls, and one of them was a decent sized blowup of Jesse Quick, drawn by Mike Parobeck.
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/len-strazewski-creator-of-prime-and-jesse-quick-has-died-aged-71/
It's a rough week for us comics fans. First, Gerry Conway passes on, and now Len Strazewski went in his sleep last night (per Bleeding Cool).
The loss of Gerry Conway hurts, but...Len was one of my professors in college and a good friend and a creative mentor, too.
Hope everyone is holding up okay in the wake of both their passings.
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/len-strazewski-creator-of-prime-and-jesse-quick-has-died-aged-71/