Rory Root, a pioneering comic book retailer and owner of Berkeley’s Comic Relief, has passed away at age 50 from complications related to surgery for a ruptured hernia.
Tom Spurgeon has a great write-up on Rory on The Comics Reporter and a memorial for him has been setup on the Comic Relief website.
Here’s a photo I shot of Rory running the Comic Relief booth at WonderCon 2007.
More Coverage:
- Tom Spurgeon (The Comics Reporter)
- Neil Gaiman
- Warren Ellis
- Mark Evanier
- Hi Fructose
- Brian Hibbs
- Kali (Possibly Irrelevant Information)
via Warren Ellis
photo by Scott Beale
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Neil Gaiman wrote a sweet tribute to Rory on his blog last night.
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/search/label/Rory%20Root
Rory will be missed. For the 4+ years of being involved with the Bay Area comics scene (through the Cartoonist Conspiracy), Rory was the own store owner who really reached out and embraced the community. The first time I met him was at the 24 Hour Comic Day at Comic Relief. He was an awesome host, and through his hospitality I have made long lasting friends with other cartoonists at the event.
No!
I just saw him recently at the shop. We were having a discussion about Basil Wolverton & Wally Wood “Plop” comic covers.
I’ve been patronizing Comic Relief since 1985 & always enjoyed our conversations about various artists…
…since 1987. I could swear that place was around in 85.