Odd Happenings on the Comic Book Scene, 2016

One of the strangest things to happen, this year, was the complete disappearance of the web site, of Stuart Immonen and his wife Kathryn.

Not only did 'Maison Immonen' disappear but there wasn't a comment to be found, anywhere on the Web, about the disappearance!

Does anyone know what happened?

Incidentally, if you haven't tried the new, limited series, Empress, by Mark Millar and Stuart Immonen, 

then you are missing out on a great read.

It is only a seven issue series and six of them are already out but for some odd reason, the last one will ship very late and it won't appear until the middle of November!

Another event in the local comic book scene, that went almost completely unremarked, was the changing of the guard at the venerable Toronto comic book shop,

The Silver Snail.

George Zotti, who has been the owner, at least in partnership, of the store, since the original owner, Ron Van Leeuwen retired, in 2011, has sold out his interest in the store and moved on!

It is truly, the end of an era.  George had worked at the store, except for a break of about five years (after a falling out with Ron), when he worked for a mainstream "real" business and excelled at it, since he was about 13 years old.  It feels strange, that such a monumental shift has sunk beneath the waves and left not a ripple in it's wake.

Farewell George, you lasted a long time and I wish you well, in whatever you are going to do next.

Of course, the BIGGEST change, in the local comic book retail scene, is coming in December, when The Beguiling has to close and hopefully move, to a new location.

We live in interesting times.

Summer is Over, time to Fall into Winter!

It has been an interesting season.

I got to a visit from a very old friend, Nigel, who I

last saw in 1981!  We used to be fellow comic collectors, frequenting the same stores and conventions, back in England, in the Seventies

Somewhere along the line, we changed places, he became the responsible, dependable career guy and I turned into the California dude, laid back and unconcerned; life teaches us lessons and some of them are unexpected.

I have spoken before, about my life long interest in cartooning and Nigel, back then, shared that interest but he transformed himself, over time, into a really spectacular representational artist.

There is no way, that I could do what he does and I am amazed at his talent, not to mention his speed of production... and he only paints for a hobby!

Nigel Whittaker

Artist and Business Tycoon!

http://www.nigelwhittakerart.com

Follow the Link to see more of Nigel's paintings.

While he was here, in Toronto, we talked up a storm, about just about every topic you could imagine and probably a few you couldn't!  Somehow, we never really talked about Art or the fun and techniques of making it, which is a shame because that is where my interest lies.

Truthfully, after a break of 35 years, it often felt as though we had never been apart and we both experienced "Timewarp" moments!

It was an amazing thing, that he would travel so far, at such an expense, for such a short time, just to see me again.  I am humbled by his gift.