Mike Sterling Wants to Rifle Through My CDs
All I can say is, he better like James Kochalka superstar, Tool and Green Day. Seriously, Mike was very nice to thank me for naming him as one of my favourite comics bloggers on that Five for Friday thing all the kids love so much at The Spurgeon. Mike's wondering if he'll ever meet any other comics bloggers got me thinking, which ones have I met? (Hey, could this be the birth of a new meme?)

I've met Mick Martin, who was a fellow Earthworld Comics customer when I left some flyers there years ago looking for contributors to Comic Book Galaxy. Me and Mick and our respective significant others eventually went out for dinner 'n a movie and hit it off pretty well, and have gotten together occasionally since then. I also recommended Mick for the terrible, grueling overnight job he currently holds at an Albany radio station, a debt Mick can only ever repay by continuing to contribute to Comic Book Galaxy FOREVER (moo hoo hoo bwah ha ha!).

I met Larry Young at, I think, the first (maybe second?) birthday party for the excellent Northampton, Massachusetts comic shop Modern Myths, whose owner Jim Crocker kinda-sorta blogs on the store's site as well. Larry was very laid back, having a ball talking about the comics, and Jim is a terrific guy as well. I believe I met one other blogger that night as well, I vaguely remember Jim introducing me to someone who might have been Kevin Church, or that other guy, the one with the yo-yos. I apologize for being stupid.

Joe Rybandt doesn't seem to currently be blogging, but that's probably because he was wrapped up in his election campaign. I'm genuinely sorry to see he didn't win, because anyone as nice and decent as Joe is should be able to get elected. I'd have voted for ya, Joe. Joe and I and our mutual families went out for Thai food here in Glens Falls last year when the Rybandts were vacationing in our area. Joe's an incredibly bright guy who knows a lot about comics and is a blast to talk to.

My family spent four fantastic days with Jason Marcy and his family earlier this year. With November almost over, it's safe to say our trip to the Toronto area was the highlight of the year for our family, not least because the Marcys are wonderful, generous people who were a joy to spend time with.

Also on that trip, I got to meet and break (loaded garlic) bread with Christopher Butcher. Chris is one of the brightest guys in comics, knows more about retailing than almost anyone I know, and is one of the few people whose tastes I have learned to trust without question (the other two being Rob Vollmar and Chris Allen, each of whom I have not met, yet, but hope to someday).

I met Roger Green probably a hundred times or more when he worked at the late, much-lamented FantaCo comics shop in Albany, but I am sure he doesn't remember selling me comics. That's all right, the word "blog" was two decades away from being thought up the last time we physically saw each other. We've had some fun e-mail exchanges since he started blogging, though.

I saw Jason Cooley last year when he played guitar during a performance by James Kochalka Superstar, but I was way too intimidated to introduce myself. Stupid me. He still let me interview him, though. Maybe I'll get to meet him now that he's moving back to Vermont, which is much easier for me to make it to than New York City.

I think that's just about everyone; and since it's that time of year, let me say that I am thankful, indeed, to have met such a diverse and talented group of people. It's humbling to be able to spend time, even just a little, with so many people that I respect and admire so very much.