Jason Marcy

So, we had Alan David Doane and family here this past weekend. I took Friday off to allow us a decent part of an extra day to hang out. Let me say first, they were truly awesome to meet, from wife Lora down to kids Kira and Aaron. Anyway, we hung about the house for a few hours, getting used to meeting in the flesh as opposed to emails. It was all very comfortable, as these things often inexplicably are. Later that evening, Alan and I took off to Toronto's world famous The Beguiling comic shop.
When we got there, I was a little worried that maybe I'd hyped the place a tad too much. I needn't have been concerned. I figure I obviously take the place for granted now, judging by Alan's utter amazement at the store and it's stock of comic goodies. We both loaded up (him much more than me-at last-someone who spent more than I did!!!...), spent some time talking to Chris Butcher, and then were back to the 'Shwa, where Kris and Lora were partaking of chick flick night. We ended up watching some Henry Rollins spoken word, and called it a night.
Saturday, after a big ol' breakfast, it was two cars off to downtown Toronto. Alan and I buzzed the record stores on Yonge Street (and visited the comic store The Hairy Tarantula, a dingy cramped tome filled place, where the owner accosted us while we were talking about Dave Sim, and things got a little nutty...) whilst the women and children wandered The Eaton Centre (which should now be called "The Sears Centre", as Sears is now the large tenant of the place, but anyway...). After some miscommunication and some problems with the Doane family car, we were back home, talking comics and Alan's adventures with Barry Windsor Smith( real interesting stuff, though it eventually put the wives to sleep...).
Sunday, knowing we were to meet Chris Butcher later for dinner and drinks, we hung around Durham Region, taking the kids to Toys R Us, having lunch at Licks, checking out the mansion where they filmed a lot of the first X-Men movie exteriors. Then it was off to The Beguiling again to meet up with Butcher, though of course we got a little more shopping in.
After some miscommunication with him on the planned time, we finally ended up at a pub,eating and talking in a converted bank vault, tearing apart the creators and comics in the latest PREVIEWS. I learned a little amazing dirt on some upcoming Summer projects not yet announced by some of the companies, got to have a few laughs, and yeah, it was fun to hang out with guys who were of a similar mindset when it came to the comics world.
Sunday night was a work night, so we ended up back at the house by 9:15pm. We had a great talk about family, my comics, comics in general on the way home, and I was moved many a time by just how passionate the conversation was, especially when relating my fears about Kris' early pregnancy troubles with the Xan-man.
It was up and at em Monday morning, and poor Kira, Alan's daughter, ended up being sick (on our living room floor, unfortunately, but these things happen with kids, right?). They were off back to Glens Falls New York by 8:30am.
I just want to thank the Doanes for making the trek to Oshawa to hang with me and mine. I was truly gratetful to meet the man who gave me my first reviews, my first interview, and a ton of passionate support for my work. I was also grateful to meet his family, of whom I'd heard so much about through Alan and mine's emails over the years. It's always awesome to put a human face to the names met in comics, and it's always been my favorite part of the comic experience. I also want to to thank Kira Doane, for saying to her Dad,"How do you know all these famous people?" (as she had previously met Jmaes Kochalka and the aforementioned Barry Windsor Smith, and somehow, I was lumped into the famous category they occupy, her having read my books as well...). That comment really made my day.Thanks again for coming up, gang!! Let's do it again!! I'm thinking Summer, myself...