pruneface

the ritual

"Spidey saves the day!"

from Amazing Spider-Man #40, by John Romita

Patrick Welch

Pat was one of my comics professors at Savannah College of Art and Design in the mid-90's, and I only recently learned that he passed away last year. He was a great teacher and inspired me to focus and work harder...what I consider to be my first "legitimate" comic stories were all done for his class.

He was gracious enough to include one of those stories in his comic anthology Thurn & Taxis, and his wife Carrie even referenced me in an article in The Stranger, Seattle's famed alternative newspaper. They certainly didn't need to do any of that, and I have always been touched by the kindness and enthusiasm they showed a lanky, insecure twenty year old kid from Arkansas who didn't seem to talk very much.

Pat was the first Anglo-citizen of the world to ever refer to me as "mate", which was a special thrill. He also introduced me to the Stanley Bostitch saddle-stitch stapler, which remains an invaluable companion.

I'll always remember the day boxes of Thurn & Taxis #2 arrived from the printers...the Sequential Art office was awash with the wonderful smell of freshly-printed ink, and Pat held up a copy, smiling broadly, and exclaimed "Product!"

Broad strokes as well as significant details about Pat's life can be found here.

3am sketchings

Ahlrid

October. Finally.