Official "Blake Bell" Facebook Page up w/ exclusive content!

Okay, there's so many things going on this year that I need to get my collective "Blake Bell Awareness" act together and start acting like a writer! To help facilitate that, I've debuted the official "Blake Bell - Writer" page on Facebook. You can "like" it here: https://www.facebook.com/blakebellwriter.

Today, I've just added a series of images for my "Steve Ditko Archives" series, which also includes exclusive commentary on the volumes. (This includes the cover for the upcoming volume five in the series, well into production now!)

Last night, I added the same for my four main books, and we'll continue in this vein, as well as offer glimpses into past, current and upcoming projects, so see you there at https://www.facebook.com/blakebellwriter.

Memories of Dick Ayers

90 years is a good life. And so is being able to make a living at what you love to do for most of that life.

Dick Ayers, the artist most famous for his contributions to the Silver Age of Marvel Comics (inking Jack Kirby, and a 10-year run penciling Nick Fury), passed away yesterday. (Read more about his career here.)

We've lost not just a member of our community, and an important ambassador for the medium's history, but we also lost a gentleman and, more importantly, a husband and life partner to his lovely wife, Lindy.

Lindy is the source from which my personal association with Dick was fostered. My first book, I Have To Live With This Guy!, told the tales of the spouses/partners of comic-book greats and, given Dick's long and multifaceted career, I was ecstatic when Lindy and Dick agreed to be part of the process.

Thanks to my Secret History Of Marvel Comics co-author, Dr. Michael J. Vassallo, I had the pleasure of visiting the Ayers' home on two occasions in late 2001/2002. They lived near by Doc V. and the first visit (in Nov '01) was really a visit to Dick and his home studio...

 

One of the memories of this visit that is seared into my brain is something you don't see in this picture. Just before you walk into this room, on the wall to the left, is a letter from DC Comics to Dick. It was a formal acknowledgement of his role in the creation of the character, Scalphunter, who first appeared in the 1977 comic book, Weird Western Tales #39.