dalek

Comic book artist and historian Trina Robbins has died. https://www.forbes.com/sites/robsalkowitz/2024/04/10/trailblazing-comics-icon-trina-robbins-dies-at-age-85/?sh=78863a912a66 I've got a complete run of Wimmen's Comix and a numb er of other underground comics she worked on. And a piece of original art from her brief run on wonder Woman in 1986 (she was the first woman to draw Wonder Woman for DC. In 1986!)

Comic book artist Ramona Fradon has died. She was 97 and had only just retired. I knew her best from her years drawing the Brenda Starr newspaper comic strip, but she did a lot of work for DC Comics. https://bleedingcool.com/comics/comic-book-creator-ramona-fradon-has-died-aged-97/

Author Steve Miller, who wrote the Liaden Universe space opera novels with his wife Sharon Lee, died yesterday. Probably from a heart attack, according to Sharon Lee on her facebook page. https://locusmag.com/2024/02/steve-miller-1950-2023/

Actor Gary Graham has died. I was a big fan of Alien Nation back in the day. https://deadline.com/2024/01/gary-graham-dead-1235802196/

SF/F author Howard Waldrop has died. His story "Night of the Cooters" was turned into a short film. https://www.lawrenceperson.com/?p=23015&fbclid=IwAR2MDasNPr35tNiDmNs1SHvHgTY1IQ9wF56rTLmgx4qTfLp3aA_XX23RxKg Hw was a very funny man and a popular guest at science fiction conventions. Here's video of Howard Waldrop, Gardner Dozois, and George R.R. Martin at my local SF/F convention talking about their (mis)adventures: https://youtu.be/nvdsmhQYTyc?si=RrvlKwuYAYiKfBeX

Author Terry Bisson has died. https://locusmag.com/2024/01/terry-bisson-1942-2024/ I'm a big fan of his story "Bears Discover Fire." His story "They're Made of Meat" got turned into a short film. Pretty sure it got shown on the SYFY channel back when it was still the SciFi Channel and had a regular short film program. Or possibly I'm misremembering where I saw it.

I really enjoyed Round and Round. Hallmark has made enough Hanukkah movies now that my expectations have gone from "just don't completely fuck up Chanukah" to "should actually have a decent plot and good acting." And I like a good time loop movie or tv show (Stargate SG1's Window of Opportunity is one of my favorites) Wasn't a huge fan of this year's crop of movies. Liked Holiday Road, Friends and Family Christmas, Mystery of Mistletoe Lane, and To All a Good Night, thought The Santa Summit was decent, and enjoyed Catch Me If You Claus. Was happy Hallmark Drama had a couple Hallmark Hall of Fame movie marathons, so I got to see Naughty or Nice twice this year, Hitched for the Holidays, and Season of Miracles, one of my all time favorites. Mostly when I was watching Hallmark I was trying to watch movies I'd enjoyed from previous years, like A Godwink Christmas: Made for Love, my favorite of that series.

RIP Keith Giffen. My favorite of his creations was Ambush Bug. I also really liked his run on Justice League International. Here's another decent obit and career overview: https://screencrush.com/keith-giffen-dies/

Comic book artist Joe Matt has died. It looks like he died of a heart attack while at work at his drawing board. Back in the day, when i had a ridiculously expensive comic book habit, Peepshow was one of the Drawn & Quarterly books I read regularly. https://www.comicsbeat.com/rip-joe-matt/

Sheldon Harnick, lyricist for Fiddler on the Roof and other musicals has died at 99. Huge fan of Fiddler. I've seen several productions, but have not yet had the opportunity to see the Yiddish language version. In his long career, Harnick racked up 3 Tonys and a Pulitzer Prize. https://www.washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2023/06/23/sheldon-harnick-fiddler-dead/

Actor Paxton Whitehead has died. I had no idea he was living ehre in the DC area. He was always hilarious when he was playing stuffy British guys. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/20/arts/television/paxton-whitehead-dead.html Teresa Taylor, one of the drummers for the Butthole Surfers, and who was known for her memorable part in the movie Slackers has died. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/arts/music/teresa-taylor-dead.html

It's a bad week for Canadian music. Tim Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive has died. https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/tim-bachman-dead-guitarist-co-founder-bachman-turner-overdrive-dies-1235318770/ I listened to Taking Care of Business a lot back in the day.

Mad Magazine cartoonist Al Jaffee has died at 102. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/al-jaffe-dead-mad-magazine-1235370593/ I loved Mad Magazine as a kid.

Rachel Pollack, award winning fantasy writer, tarot expert, and writer of a great run on Doom Patrol has died. https://www.cbr.com/rachel-pollack-doom-patrol-obituary/

Klaus Teuber, creator of Settlers of Catan, my favorite boardgame, has died. https://gizmodo.com/settlers-of-catan-klaus-teuber-death-catan-studios-1850297952