Bryan Higby's Blog - Posts Tagged "neil-gaiman"
Neil Gaiman
My chance came, finally. Neil Gaiman, one of my favorite authors since I was eighteen, arrived on stage in Saratoga Springs NY. It was one of 16 cities throughout the United States that Mr. Gaiman chose for his last US hurray! He announced that he would not be signing formally again in the United States. We all knew that tis was something special. Over 1500 attendees sat spell bound as the M.C. announced the man's name. A name that, I'm sure am not alone, in saying was an inspiration to me and opened the gates to the world of the imagination. How did it begin?
Twenty years ago I wandered into a local comics shop. I was not a regular visitor but I did stop in from time to time in order to purchase my new issue of Sam Keith's brilliant existential comic - The Maxx. On this occasion I noticed this disturbing book with a small insane looking punch doll on the cover. This was of course Neil Gaiman's Mr. Punch. I rifled through the pocket of my jeans to find not enough to buy this creepy book, so I wandered further - with Mr. Gaiman's name itched into my consciousness. I found a comic. Sandman? What was this? I new the old song - "Mr. Sandman bring me a dream…". I have never heard of this comic. I had never seen a cover like this one on a comic. I discovered later the brilliant work of artist Dave McKean. What is my point? Simple. That day when I walked out of the comic shop with my issue of The Maxx it had a companion. After reading Sandman I never looked back.
Speed ahead twenty years. Now I've read almost everything that Neil Gaiman has published. I see on Facebook that Mr. Gaiman is coming to Saratoga Springs for a final book tour. I am thrilled. My wife, who doesn't just indulge my flights of Fantasy, but embraces them, had the tickets purchased. We spent several hours at the theater. We listened to Neil Gaiman speak, what a wonderful. We heard him tell jokes, a joke, a dirty joke. We lined up for two hours to get his signature, and all this time I stood thinking that the man I am about to meet authored my career. Brilliant. Our time came. He signed our books. He drew a small ghost in mine and wished me the best. It was quick, it was formal, but it was Gaiman. Brilliant!!
Twenty years ago I wandered into a local comics shop. I was not a regular visitor but I did stop in from time to time in order to purchase my new issue of Sam Keith's brilliant existential comic - The Maxx. On this occasion I noticed this disturbing book with a small insane looking punch doll on the cover. This was of course Neil Gaiman's Mr. Punch. I rifled through the pocket of my jeans to find not enough to buy this creepy book, so I wandered further - with Mr. Gaiman's name itched into my consciousness. I found a comic. Sandman? What was this? I new the old song - "Mr. Sandman bring me a dream…". I have never heard of this comic. I had never seen a cover like this one on a comic. I discovered later the brilliant work of artist Dave McKean. What is my point? Simple. That day when I walked out of the comic shop with my issue of The Maxx it had a companion. After reading Sandman I never looked back.
Speed ahead twenty years. Now I've read almost everything that Neil Gaiman has published. I see on Facebook that Mr. Gaiman is coming to Saratoga Springs for a final book tour. I am thrilled. My wife, who doesn't just indulge my flights of Fantasy, but embraces them, had the tickets purchased. We spent several hours at the theater. We listened to Neil Gaiman speak, what a wonderful. We heard him tell jokes, a joke, a dirty joke. We lined up for two hours to get his signature, and all this time I stood thinking that the man I am about to meet authored my career. Brilliant. Our time came. He signed our books. He drew a small ghost in mine and wished me the best. It was quick, it was formal, but it was Gaiman. Brilliant!!
