Item the First: Alan Grant has died at 73. Grant was never the biggest writer in comics, but he knew how to write comics very well, and he wrote quite a few that many people consider “classics” without, perhaps, knowing that he wrote them (not you erudite guys, of course, because you’re so erudite!). Everyone has their favorite Alan Grant comic, of course, but unless you think “The Mud Pack” in Detective Comics #604-607 is the best one, you’re wrong. YOU KNOW WHY!!!!!
Grant did a wonderful job expanding Batman’s villain stable and he made Lobo the popular dude he is today (he “Claremontized” him, in other words), for which we might not forgive him, but man, that first Lobo mini-series with Bisley was hella fun. I never had any interactions with him, but people have been sharing all day on the socials, so if you have a nice Alan Grant story, feel free to share. Raise a glass to the co-creator of the Ratcatcher!
Item the Second: In news that might hit a bit closer to home, one of the blog’s founding members, John Trumbull, is in a bit of trouble. He might be evicted very soon, and he’s asking for help. Here’s the link, if you’re so inclined to donate a bit. I don’t know John personally, but I know enough about him to know he’s a good dude. He would never ask anyone here to help, because, as he notes on the fundraiser page, it’s embarrassing. I don’t think it is, though, because life sucks sometimes, and far too many people are far too close to a situation like he’s in, and everyone could use a little help occasionally. If you can donate, please do. If you can’t, that’s fine, too. Man, life, am I right?
Have a good day, everyone. I hope you’re doing well!
Man ’22 is becomming a bad year for the comics community: Adams, Perez, Sale and now Grant. Damn.
I really liked his Batman stories but for me he is THE Judge Dredd writer. I’ve got the complete Titan Books black and white serie of Dredd and most stories are his.
And Ron Goulart, Brian Augustyn, Ian Kennedy, Tom Veitch, Garry Leach, Jean-Claude Mézières, Julio Radilović, Everett Peck, R.C. Harvey… there’s been 52 creators who have died this year so far internationally, as well as another 16 well known comics historians. So we’re at 68 deaths in the field already. So “Becoming a bad year”? More like surpassed “bad” and entering “WTF?” territory, because we only lost 59 creators in all of 2021.
Unfortunately, this trend is only going to increase in the forthcoming years, as all the creators you all loved and grew up with are in the 65-85 year old range and their time is coming sooner rather than later.
I’m glad John is asking for help; I understand that it may be tough to ask for help sometimes but it’s much worse when you need help and nobody knows. Hoping he gets on his feet again. Thanks for sharing the Go Fund Me.