RIP Jeremy Dale

You have to understand that convention seating in Artist Alley can be a serious crap shoot. Your neighbors are the people you have to deal with for the length of the convention. We have had pretty good luck over all with our fellow artists and the conventions tend to seat us next to people we know.

It was a DragonCon a number of years ago when we found ourselves next to the Dales. They were promoting Jeremy's comic Skyward and Caroline became enamored of the Kirby the Dog stuffed animals that Kelly had made. By the end of the long weekend, we had become friends and kept up with each other at various conventions and on Facebook and the like.

Jeremy believed that comics should be for all ages and he worked hard to make his work reflect that. He wanted to produce work that anyone could pick up and either read or have read to them without having to worry about content. He loved it when he knew that children were reading his work. I remember that Caroline and Jeremy had a long discussion at some convention about the story he was doing while Kelly and I talked about fabric and making stuffed animals.

We saw each other at NYCC back in October. We caught up on news and the like. Caroline went to visit them at their table. It was nice. We figured out the next couple of conventions that we might both be at next year. Saying if nothing else we would see each other at Dragon Con.

I was shocked to learn of his passing.

We lost a kind soul with a wonderful art style who believed in comics for all ages. We lost a friend and fellow artist whose career was on a serious upswing.

He will be missed.

My heart goes out to his wife Kelly and his family and friends. My prayers and sympathies are with them.

I am grateful that I knew Jeremy Dale.