---Stan Lee, Comics Legend, and Co-Creator of Spider-Man

If you're a fan of the Golden Age Justice Society characters, check out apiece of artwork I did depicting the Golden Age Flash and Green Lantern that is up for auction at the Heritage Comics website. Click HERE to see the auction. You'll have to join the Heritage website to bid, but it's free and only takes a few minutes. This is a very large piece, 14" x 17", and I think it came out pretty nicely. I am planning to do four separate pieces with two characters each that will add up to the original eight members of the Justice Society. I get most of the money generated by this auction, so if you like my artwork, feel free to bid!

ORIGINAL ON-LINE COMIC IS HERE!

After some unavoidable delays, the on-line feature debuts on Friday, March 1, 2002. The first story arc is called "Sibling Rivalry," and will be approximately the length of a single-issue comic book, presented in three weekly installments, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Just click above to see the first installment, and if you're new to the site, don't forget to browse around and see everything there is to see in COMPLEX CITY!

Every since the re-launch of this website in September, I've been anxious to get some original online-only stories running on the site. Well, kids, it's about to happen -- we're ramping up to launch the first COMPLEX CITY online story, debuting February 1, 2002. (I was shooting for Jan. 1, but our esteemed webmaster will be on his honeymoon for most of January, and asked that we push the debut back a 

FANDOM PIONEER RONN FOSS SUCCUMBS AT 62. ...more link

Just got word from Bill Schelly that our mutual friend, Ronn Foss, has passed away. Here is the obit Bill has prepared for the comics press:

Ronn Foss, ubiquitous artist and publisher who became a fan favorite in the early 1960s, died of natural causes in his home in the Missouri Ozarks on or about September 14th. Born Ronald Eugene Foss in Defiance, Ohio on July 14th, 1939, Ronn (a spelling he never legally adopted) became active in comic fandom in 1961, and succeeded Jerry Bails as editor and publisher of the fanzines Alter Ego and The Comicollector in 1962. His artwork, which was characterized by a casual, sophisticated quality, graced many fanzines throughout the following years, including such prominent publications as Rocket's Blast-Comicollector, Star-Studded Comics, Fantasy Illustrated, Comic Art and Sense of Wonder.

His most famous amateur hero, The Eclipse (co-created with writer Drury Moroz) debuted in Alter Ego, and won an Alley Award in 1963. Other well-known Foss costumed heroes were The Fox, The Viper and Excel. He continued to publish various fanzines through 1985, including Dateline: Comicdom, Pandora, Issues, The Stripper and Your Times X-Press, a sort of Mother Earth News for the counter culture community in the Missouri Ozarks where he and his wife Coreen moved in 1975.

Many felt Foss was destined for greatness as an artist at DC or Marvel, but he consciously did not pursue work with the two comics giants, preferring to work for smaller, independent publishers like Fantagraphics/Eros and Last Gasp. In recent years, he had devoted his energies to the ongoing adventures of Destiny, Vampire Mermaid, his co-created with editor Dennis Druktenis, in Scary Monsters magazine.

Ronn never regretted moving to his country cabin on twenty acres near Birch Tree, Missouri, despite living without a phone or running water. He was able to support himself by his art and writing for over twenty-five years, with only one or two spates of working for Russ Cochran in nearby West Plains doing art touch-ups on the EC reprint books. He was an enthusiastic, inveterate letter writer with correspondents far and wide, and a free spirit who lived his life the way he chose.

The difficulties of rural life, compounded by a lifetime of cigarette smoking, eventually took their toll. Foss was always thin, and in recent years had gradually lost weight and become increasingly frail. Finally, it seems, his body gave out. His last artwork was for Scary Monsters magazine, and his last letters were written to long-time friend and correspondent Richard "Grass" Green.

Ronn Foss was twice married, first to Myra at age 19 (no children), then in 1965 to Coreen Casey, with whom he had two children. Ronn and Coreen where divorced in the late 1970s. He is survived by two sisters, Beverly and Shirley, and his two grown children, Scott and Alexandra. Memorials should be to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Of course, the BIG news is the complete and utter revamp of the website!

Here is my opening splash page to "Injury to the EYE!"

PAST CONVENTIONS