I've known Rob Maisch for about 4 years. He was a frequent visitor to the shop and a good friend. We traveled to quite a few area comic conventions together and had plans to hit the San Diego Con this year to top it all off.
A few months ago, he began to doubt his ability to travel to San Diego, but I remained stupidly optimistic.
The news of his passing was very sudden. I had spoken to him only a few days before. He had just been released from the hospital and he sounded very upbeat. When I hung up I never imagined it would be my last conversation with him. Ever.
His love for his friends and family and his heartbreak over his wife's death a few years ago always shamed me into reflecting on how I treat my friends and family. Tormenting me like that brought him great joy.
Rob was the ultimate cool nerd, before being a cool nerd was cool. Read all about it in, "Confessions of a Cereal Eater." You will see I am not kidding. He hadn't written much lately and I was always hounding him about writing more comic stories featuring the more (ahem) mature Rob Maisch, but he never moved much on it. Too bad, because he had a ton of stories left. I think he just prefered to vocalize them. Endlessly.
I still can't believe I'm not going to hear them one more time. I searched and searched and I don't even have a picture to put on this page.
Wait. Yes, I do.
Last year I received a call from Rob.
"Do you have the May 2007 issue of of Alter Ego?" I did have a copy.
"Look on page 28." I turned to the page.
"See the guy in the picture with the suit and glasses? That's me!"
It was indeed. Geekus Maximus caught in its natural habitat, a comic convention in 1969.
A few months later I received another call. He asked if I had a copy of a tribute book for a certain artist; I believe it was Al Williamson (but I could be wrong). I did not have that one, which caused him much dismay because his picture was in that one also. Exact same convention, different parts of the show, different publications, 40 years later; and HE FOUND THEM BOTH! That my friends, is Uber-Geek.
Sleep peacefully, Blind Johnny Mystery. Tell Kris and Wally Wood I said, "Hi."
Oh by the way, you'd get a kick out of who is saying what about you now that you're gone. Who knew you were so loved?
Oh yeah, I guess I'm out the 20 bucks you owe me for that book. Damn.
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