Comments on: A little about Rory

by: B o n e v i l l e » Pleasant journey, Rory Root

Fri, 30 May 2008 03:00:49 +0000

[…] There are numerous memories of Rory and his store Comic Relief in Berkely, CA all over the web. You can see some on the Beat, and over on The Comics Reporter. (the photos in this entry are from those two sites) […]

by: B o n e v i l l e » Pleasant journey, Rory Root

Fri, 30 May 2008 03:00:35 +0000

by: Blog@Newsarama » Comics community remembers Rory Root

Sat, 24 May 2008 02:19:24 +0000

[…] Heidi McDonald: Everyone will have tons of Rory stories, but he was such a fixture everywhere — standing outside with his hat, and the stainless steel coffee mug seemingly grafted to his hand, always with good advice for those who wished to follow it. Like another retailer sadly taken too soon, Bill Liebowitz, Rory exemplified the comics retailer who made a difference. People pick on retailers as a group, but men like Bill and Rory showed how important and vital this end of the business is. That they were so boundlessly generous with their time and knowledge was their real gift and legacy. […]

by: Jo Olson

Thu, 22 May 2008 04:34:12 +0000

A prince among men. Always had a terrific word of advice for an aspiring independent publisher, and an awesome, warm bear hug for me at every San Diego Comicon. I will miss him terribly.

by: Beau Smith

Wed, 21 May 2008 13:42:44 +0000

For Immediate Release
Contact Beau Smith 304-453-6565
beau@flyingfistranch.com

In Memory Of Rory Root
Busted Knuckles Memorial Toast To A Friend And Retailer

Ceredo, WV. (May 21, 2008)—This past week the comic book business lost a friend and innovative retailer in Rory Root, owner of Comic Relief in Berkley, California. In memory of Rory, I am dedicating this week’s Busted Knuckles to him and the friendship that we shared over the last twenty plus years.

Just click on the link below and join me.

http://www.comicsbulletin.com/busted/121134133134885.htm

by: David Lasky

Wed, 21 May 2008 05:50:08 +0000

You said it very well, Heidi. He seemed like the kind of guy who had always been around, and would always be around. It’s only in his absence that I’m realizing what an influence he and his store had on me and everyone else who loves comics.

Rory, if they have Internet where you are, I just want to tell you thanks.

by: gianco

Wed, 21 May 2008 03:52:55 +0000

Was he really 50? I’m afraid he looks much older to me. Sounds like he was a great guy. My prayers go to his family.

by: Cary Coatney

Tue, 20 May 2008 23:08:01 +0000

It was a yearly tradition for me to share a smoke break outside with Rory during San Diego - and he always had nice things to say about me and had immeasurable advice to dish out when I was involved in retailing - and then when I told him of intentions of leaving retail to self-publish my own book after spending a year overseeing the convention’s small press area - he was one of the first to wish me luck and to make I saved a copy for him.

Even on the rare instance that I’d went up to Wonder Con earlier this year, he caught me wandering the halls and asked when I was going to get around to printing a new one up - because it had been a while since he’d seen one- and I showed him the artwork for it and he said “good for you”.

Sadly, I never had the pleasure to visit his store - to check if he had ‘actually’ sold my copies of my first few Deposit Man books ( nor have I ever stepped in Berkeley before) or if he was pulling my leg. I have no doubt, with a captain of industry such as Rory at the helm: it’s reputation was and is still is legendary.

Coat

by: BradyDale

Tue, 20 May 2008 21:29:29 +0000

I was only there once, but I remember meeting him on that one occassion. Somewhere around 2000 or 2001. I hardly remember anything about the store except this overwhelming sense that I was in the best comic book store that I’d ever been in and I could hardly take it in or even figure out all the things about it that were so good. It was too good.

by: STWALLSKULL » Interesting Links: May 20th, 2008

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:26:34 +0000

[…] A little about Rory from THE BEAT […]

by: Blog : A Distant Soil

Tue, 20 May 2008 16:01:46 +0000

[…] Dear, funny, sweet, smart, supportive, kind, motivated, forward-thinking comics retailer Rory Root passed away last night. […]

by: Christopher Moonlight @ Moo and Mer Magazine

Tue, 20 May 2008 13:47:41 +0000

I didn’t know Rory, but seeing this photo of him I realize that he had been part of my convention landscape for years. There are those people who are always there (or almost always, no one can be at every con) every time you go. They are the ones who’s presence, even if you never talk to them, make you aware that you have arrived back at that home we all know as the comic convention. You see them around and they see you and that’s good enough, because we’re all there for the same reason. We share in the love of comics. I appreciated that he was there, and now that I know he never will be again, I am profoundly sad. My heart goes out to his family and all who new him.

by: Torsten Adair

Tue, 20 May 2008 13:26:17 +0000

Damn. The only time I met Rory Root was years ago, during the Book Expo / Lulu Con in Los Angeles. We hadn’t met, but he was open and friendly to me, an industry hopeful back then when only a handful of comicbook publishers were exhibiting at Book Expo, and I was doing my damndest to sell graphic novels in a mainstream bookstore.

When I attended APE in San Jose almost as many years ago, I spent the Monday after driving up to San Francisco, and taking the BART to Berkeley, just so I could see his store. I can’t remember what I bought, but I do remember the store, because it was what a store COULD and SHOULD be.