Saturday, May 24, 2008

R.I.P. Robert Asprin

http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=47897&cat=14

Off-Turtle-Topic

Skeeve and Aahz are lost to me forever now.

Robert Asprin died the other day. I found out while at usagiyojimbo.com, and it floored me.

Robert A. was the reason I went to my first-ever San Diego Comic-Con. That was way back in the day (1987 I believe) when it was still at the old convention center, and you could actually buy comics there, and panels were not in rooms that could seat 100,000. He didn't attend, I found out, because his father had had a heart attack. I ended up, however, meeting the likes of Stan Sakai, Sergio Aragones, Larry Marder, Joshua Quagmire, Donna Barr, Barb Rausch...

The NEXT year he was able to attend, and I got to speak with him between panels one on one with NO crowds or "security people" or such that surround authors like him nowadays. It was the coolest thing in the world.

I loved the Myth Series, as well as the first few Phule stories, and was sad when he had stopped writing for a time. I knew little of his problems. I had a bit of trouble reading the co-authored stories, but I was glad to see that he'd started writing again (and now I understand the reason for having a co-author).

He was supposed to be attending a convention when he died.

Gad, it's been a smidge over 20 years since I first met him.

:(

*goes to find copy of "Myth Directions", arguably the best of the series*

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I see that your last update seems to have been quite awhile ago, so I don't know if you're still monitoring or maintaining your homepage. I wanted to leave a comment anyway. One of my favorite of all series is the "Myth" series, and I hadn't known that R. Asprin had died until I just now saw it posted on your site. I'm blown over. RIP, Mr. Asprin. Also, the reason I visited your site to begin with was to praise your fics on FF.net! I love the turtles! I've read every one of your fics up to now and I'm ready for more(well, almost all. I'm in the middle of Ghosts, but it's the last one). I have to admit, though- in some areas I'm a little lost, because here it is, 2009, and I've only just begun to watch the 2003 series. I've wanted to from the moment the first episode came out, but circumstances were against it, unfortunately (i.e.- no cable, no spare money for DVDs, etc., lol). I now have up to season three downloaded on my computer that I'm working my way through. But I haven't let my ignorance of the series stop me from enjoying the fics. You are one of my fave writers. I write some as well, though I've only recently begun posting a non-turtles fic for the first time (Moonlight, if you're curious ;).But my turtles fics kind of incorporate a mix of the past toons and movies, since I know little of the current series. I have every intention of getting the rest of the series as quick as I can, though. Anyway.... love your fics and I hope you continue writing for a very long time. Thanks!

Splinter's Iroonna said...

I didn't think it'd been that long-- real life pretty much did a number on me in the past bunch of months.

I'm sorry about not being around--

And thanks! You're just the kick in the ass I need to get this blog (such as it is) moving again.