R.I.P. Jerry Bails

[Aaron Kashtan]

According to Mark Evanier (http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2006_11_23.html#012470), Dr. Jerry Bails, the Father of Comic Book Fandom, died of an apparent heart attack last night. He was 73.

This is very sad news. May he rest in peace.

[Cei-U!]

I never met Dr. Bails but I did correspond with him earlier this year. Considering he was dealing with a total stranger, he was amazingly polite, patient and informative. I hoped I'd meet him face to face someday. Now I never will. Rest easy, Jerry, and thank you.

Cei-U!

[MichikoS]

I've admired Dr. Bails' curiosity, scholarship and love for the comics medium since I first learned about him in the 1970s. A college professor who read comic books! Wow. He was someone who shared his passion for comics with intelligence and enthusiasm, and served as a beacon for all the rest of us. I wish I had met the man in person. Thanks, Jerry, wherever you are now.

Michi

[Lone Ranger]

Wow, I was pretty shocked to read this.

It was always a treat to read anything he'd written.

I'd always wanted to thank him for his role in bringing the Ray Palmer Atom into the DCU

RIP

[Captain Jim]

Very sad news. Jerry was pretty directly responsible for my initial exposure to comics fandom. When I was in fifth grade, I learned about Alter Ego from a letter in the JLA lettercolumn. I sent a letter asking for more information, and he sent me a copy of his one-page newsletter, "On the Drawing Board," later to be renamed The Comic Reader. In these days of the internet, it's hard to remember how cherished even a slight trickle of news was back in those days. Anyway, OTDB also contained information on Alter Ego, so I promptly sent Jerry back my fifty cents for which he sent me a copy of Alter Ego #3, the last issue to be run off on a spirit duplicator. He was also publishing The Comic Collector back then, which at the time was strictly ads and want lists. Anyway, that was my introduction to comics collecting and I was never again the same. RIP, Jerry, and thank you so much for everything.

[Greg Hatcher]

Pretty much any of us who are interested in comics history owe him for SOMETHING. I am so, so sorry to hear that he's gone. I hope he knew how much he contributed to comics scholarship -- especially, well, INVENTING it.

[Brian Cronin]

A terrible loss to comic fandom.

-Brian

[Rob Allen]

Sad news indeed. I've been fortunate enough to be on Jerry's private mailing list, the Global Village, as well as reading his frequent contributions to the GCD lists in the last five years. He was passionate, humane, and inspiring to the end. His presence in my life was like a favorite uncle who I'd never met in person.

[Slam_Bradley]

One of the greats of fandom and comics scholarship/history.

R.I.P.

[hondobrode]

The Father of Comics Fandom is now gone.

I e-mailed him once telling how much I loved his works and passion.

I read this news after coming back from Thanksgiving late at night and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I SO was not expecting him to die, despite his age.

Hopefully someone will continue to publish his work.

The man was a true scholar and gentleman. I too am sorry I never got the opportunity to meet him and tell him what his contributions meant to me and comics historians everywhere.

[Kan-Man]

I'd always wanted to thank him for his role in bringing the Ray Palmer Atom into the DCU



I'm only learning about the man now, could you point me towards more information about this?

[Rob Allen]

Hopefully someone will continue to publish his work.

The Who's Who will remain online at www.bailsprojects.com, and some people are batting around the idea of an annual Jerry Bails Memorial Award for comics fan/historians.

[hondobrode]

That's a great idea. I can't think of a more appropriate award !

I'm glad to hear his website will remain up.