comicon.com: r.i.p. ibooks byron preiss
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topic: r.i.p. ibooks byron preiss
jennifer m. contino
moderator
member # 9885
posted 07-10-2005 11:10 am
comics loses one of its major visionaries: byron preissby jim sterankoaround noon on july 9, 2005, writer-editor-developer-publisher byron preiss was involved in a fatal auto accident as he drove to his synagogue in long island, new york-and american popular culture lost one of its most productive and visionary champions. for more than three decades, he spearheaded a multiplicity of mediaforms, from comics and ebooks to electronic games and cd-roms, that fused words and images like few other individuals would achieve in the entertainment arts. as an author, he generated dozens of books, from hard science and history volumes to profusely-illustrated children's literature. as a packager, he produced a stream of quality fiction and nonfiction titles for almost every primary publishing house, including harpercollins, penguin putnam, simon & schuster, random house, rizzoli, scholastic, and oxford university press, in addition to developing projects with numerous institutions, including microsoft, forbes/american heritage, fox interactive, comedy central, msnbc, imax, scientific american, the grand ole opry, and yahoo!. born in brooklyn in 1953, he subsequently attended the university of pennsylvania (graduating magne cum laude) and received his master’s degree from the stanford film school. i met him in1969 at a manhattan convention, a tall, handsome kid with perfect teeth and thick, black hair who radiated enthusiasm like a human atomic reactor. he recounted his publishing dream so convincingly that i agreed to create some art for his first venture, a fan calendar, just to give his budding career a jump start. neither of us realized that our connection was the beginning of a friendship that would grow, ferment, agitate, evolve, bluster, and ultimately endure for the next 35 years. he was my best friend and confidant for more than half my lifetime—and his presence had a profound impact on me, professionally and personally.one of our earliest projects involved an anti-drug comicbook that he conceived for near-illiterate grade school students (he was teaching at a philadelphia elementary facility at the time). on a zero budget, we produced the block, the tale of two inner-city brothers who choose to walk different paths, which was distributed citywide and met with exceptional success with both educators and students (some classes colored the panels, others read it aloud, and one even transformed the story into a rock opera). preiss promoted it from new york city to atlanta, achieving solid student acceptance and continual praise from all who saw and used it, right up to the majors at sesame street. the comic premiered in the summer of 1970, a year before the much-heralded spider-man and green lantern-green arrow drug mags.over the next few years, we spoke often about the future of comics, discussion which became the architectural foundation of his initial 1974 publishing venture, byron preiss visual publications (and recently ibooks), and a series of books that were the first to use the terms “visual novel” and “graphic novel”). my hardboiled detective thriller red tide was one of his offerings. preiss was the first to regularly and continuously publish adult, book-length comic-panel novels by the field’s top creators. his recent effort, joe kubert’s nazi concentration camp epic yossel stands as positive tribute to preiss’ unyielding vision and belief in the form, as does his 2005 harvey awards win for best american edition of foreign material for blacksad 2. preiss was also a business partner of komikwerks, llc.the company eventually published an extensive range of material, including many authored and co-authored by preiss, such as: 1973 the electric company joke book1973 the silent “e”’s from outer space 1976 one year affair1977 weird heroes (several volumes of pulp-related stories illustrated by top comics artists) 1977 son of sherlock holmes1979 dragonworld 1979 the beach boys1981 the art of leo and diane dillon 1981 the dinosaurs 1982 the first crazy word book1983 not in webster's dictionary1984 the bat family1985 the planets 1987 paul revere and the boston tea party 1987 the universe 1990 first contact: the search for extraterrestrial intelligence—with ben bova1991 the ultimate dracula1991 the ultimate frankenstein1991 the ultimate werewolf1992 the vampire state building1993 the ultimate zombie, the1993 the ultimate witch1994 instant american history1995 the ultimate alien 1996 best children's books in the world, the 1997 the rhino history of rock ‘n roll: the ‘70s with eric lefcowitz1999 are we alone in the cosmos? 2000 the new dinosaurs2003 the ultimate dragon 2003 the ultimate frankenstein2003 the little blue brontosaurusadditionally, he edited hundreds of others.always on the leading edge of trends, he moved into interactive books, cd-roms, virtual comics, and online entertainment, generating a staggering volume of product, including many marvel-related items. his audiobook the words of gandhi snared a grammy award in 1985.often working under severe licensing, financial, deadline, and distribution constraints, preiss had an uncanny knack of believing in his product and his collaborative talent. he had a hands-on approach to every stage of production, a staggering juggling feat that blossomed into an operation so large it eventually filled two floors of a mid-manhattan skyscraper. nonetheless, hardly a week went by that we didn’t connect in person or on the phone, often recalling the early days when i’d crash at his apartment for a couple days and we’d strategize our futures at all-night skull sessions at the silver star diner on 3rd avenue. during the next few decades, we alternated between practical jokes and serious soul searching. and somewhere along the way, we became brothers. we worked together constantly on a myriad of projects, many of which were highly experimental in nature, not to mention risky—and, in this case, the risk was with his money. but he loved to break new ground, even if it took a few layers of skin off his hide. i still recall his shock when i insisted i’d only work on the illustrated harlan ellison if the story was printed in 3d (he purchased thousands of glasses and had them bound into the volumes) or the captain america book cover i wanted produced without any type because, i explained, my painted figure of cap said it all in every language (the volume had a phenomenal 89% sell-through) or the wild cards series title i recommended be run upside down in gloss varnish (it could only be read when angled toward the light, but was a knockout visual surprise).he backed them all and many others, some of which required him to go toe-to-toe with printers, publishers, and distributors. preiss took a sensible, cool, controlled approach to his proceedings, but i like to think i taught him a few things about fighting dirty to get the job done. we broke a few rules along the way and perhaps set a couple precedents, too. unlike many publishers who only talk the talk, preiss walked the walk. although our evenings ultimately migrated to the friar’s club, his dedication to the work—to the comics form and its creators—not only remained steadfast, but relentless. he cited me as his mentor for graphic design and narrative technique, and, in similar fashion, passed the torch along to others by discovering new talent and giving them the opportunity to breakout with showcase projects, in addition to supporting his favorite vets with ongoing assignments. he redefined the term loyalty.his recent line of celebrity-created children’s books includes contributions from billy crystal, jerry seinfeld, leann rimes, stephen ambrose, carl reiner, jane goodall, philip caputo, jay leno, and stan lee. several months ago, i pitched a fantasy series in a revolutionary, new format to him and immediately received the green light. now, that light has dimmed.he married and had two beautiful daughters, who became the pride of his life. and somewhere along the way, i became part of the family (i always thought i’d adopted him, which only proves how clever he was at making me believe that certain things were my ideas).preiss was a subtle, yet seminal force in contemporary popular culture and specifically in the evolution of narrative illustration. his vision will continue to inspire all those who knew him—and those who found something special in his work. he is survived by his wife, sandi, and daughters karah and blaire.jim steranko
posts: 19044 | from: pa | registered: aug 2002
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greg mcelhatton
member
member # 188
posted 07-10-2005 11:24 am
oh my god. how horrible... i'm stunned. --------------------website * marathon * read about comics
posts: 674 | from: vienna, va | registered: dec 1998
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jennifer m. contino
moderator
member # 9885
posted 07-10-2005 11:39 am
i'm stunned too. it was very hard to post this.--------------------make with the clicky click ...find me on comicspacecheck out myspaceone tart in the bake!my amazon wish list
posts: 19044 | from: pa | registered: aug 2002
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edhopper
member
member # 5247
posted 07-10-2005 11:41 am
this is such a tragedy. he was one of the truly great innovators in the field.
posts: 117 | registered: dec 2001
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scott christian sava
member
member # 8571
posted 07-10-2005 11:55 am
this is so shocking.my wife and i can't believe he's gone.byron published our first children's book, teddy bear dreams, years ago. and he was such nice guy and honest person.he gave us such a great experience with publishing.our prayers go out to his family.scott and donna sava--------------------scott christian savawww.thedreamlandchronicles.com
posts: 65 | registered: may 2002
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elliot kane
member
member # 3866
posted 07-10-2005 12:04 pm
very sad my deepest condolences go to his family and friends.--------------------the chaos cascade
posts: 1735 | from: london, england | registered: aug 2001
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spideymike
junior member
member # 3040
posted 07-10-2005 12:08 pm
i got to meet him this past november and seemed like such a nice and good-hearted man. i remember reading his william stout dinosaur book when i was in 2nd grade and he's always been a one of the best-known industry heroes because of that book. may his memory be eternal.
posts: 26 | from: cleveland, ohio usa | registered: jun 2001
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cylversaber
member
member # 6405
posted 07-10-2005 12:21 pm
quote: comics loses one of its major visionaries: byron preissby jim sterankoaround noon on july 9, 2005, writer-editor-developer-publisher byron preiss was involved in a fatal auto accident as he drove to his synagogue in long island, new york-and american popular culture lost one of its most productive and visionary champions.wow. i had heard this name many times from the various commercial endeavors it was associated with, but i never knew the man behind it. thank you jim steranko, for letting us know about this man and his accomplishments. truly tragic.
posts: 221 | registered: jan 2002
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fawstin
member
member # 6796
posted 07-10-2005 12:56 pm
man, this hits hard. i didn't really know him, but i've always heard of him and then i got to meet him last year at mocca and we had a simple, nice exchange.
posts: 71 | from: usa | registered: feb 2002
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john platt
junior member
member # 3887
posted 07-10-2005 12:57 pm
what a devestating loss. i wish the best for his family and employees.thank you, jim steranko, for this heartfelt appreciation.
posts: 7 | from: nj | registered: aug 2001
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tony isabella
member
member # 564
posted 07-10-2005 01:14 pm
i'm stunned. what a loss to our community. tony isabella
posts: 1291 | from: medina, oh, usa | registered: jun 1999
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robert ullman
member
member # 1536
posted 07-10-2005 01:15 pm
we spoke at mocca just a few weeks ago...i'd never met him before, but he took the time to chat a bit, asked me what my work was all about...i really enjoyed talking with him. this is just unbelievable. my deepest sympathies are with his family and friends.
posts: 75 | from: richmond, va | registered: jun 2000
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michael wm kaluta
junior member
member # 16802
posted 07-10-2005 01:28 pm
i worked for and with byron preiss from my early days until recently and who knows what the future would have held. during that time i did some of the fun things in my career: like the covers and illustrations for harry harrison's bill, the galactic hero and its sequels, the grand adventure, by phillip jose farmer, katherine kurtz's the legacy of lehr, and the 4 young adult mysteries under the series name my name is paris, all under the guiding hand of byron preiss. the world has lost an original.
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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marv
junior member
member # 1462
posted 07-10-2005 01:31 pm
this is terrible, tragic news. i've known byron since the early 70s when he was still a young teenager and we've been friends ever since. even at that age he was creating ideas for dc dealing with educational comics. in the mid-late 70s, he commissioned me to write my very first novel, the oz encounter. we'd been friends ever since. two years ago we signed the deal for the crisis on infinite earths novel and we were just starting to work on another project together. in fact, i sent him an email yesterday about getting together at comicon. he probably never saw it.as a business visionary, byron pushed comics into new fields unlike anyone else has ever tried. as a person, he was someone i enjoyed getting together with, gossiping with, and simply talking with. he was one of the good guys. he will be missed for the work he did but more for the person he was. i am so sad. but please, let us know about his family. were they in the car with him? how are they? -marv--------------------visit my website at http://www.primenet.com/~marvw
posts: 4 | from: tarzana, ca usa | registered: may 2000
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neil kleid
member
member # 2851
posted 07-10-2005 01:44 pm
i'm in shock. most of us in the ny area just saw him at mocca and he was typical byron: warm, friendly, shaking hands and someone you just wanted to talk to for hours... i didnt know him as well as others, but this last year i did get to know him a great deal... and this hits hard. condolences to his family and everyone close to him.boruch dayan emet
posts: 304 | registered: jun 2001
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aaron sowd
junior member
member # 16530
posted 07-10-2005 01:59 pm
oh my god.i was looking forward to seeing him in three days at sdcc like i do every year. we had been talking about working together. i can't believe he's gone. he was a great guy and truly loved this art form. what a tragic loss. my heart goes out to his family.--------------------best,aaron http://www.aaronsowd.com/ http://www.masterminds.us/
posts: 20 | registered: may 2005
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jackieestrada
member
member # 218
posted 07-10-2005 02:07 pm
i met byron back in the 1970s. i'm sure david scroggy introduced us, telling me this was a guy who was doing very exciting things with the comics medium--using comics storytelling for great science fiction stories, using top artists, and putting everything out in book format. at that time he published graphic novels of stuff by roger zelazny, harlan ellison, and alfred bester (and a couple of decades later, ray bradbury, through topps). he of course went on to engage in all sorts of publishing ventures, all of them geared to getting graphic storytelling out into the real world, for a variety of audiences in a variety of genres, including kids' comics.i remember that we both got inkpot awards in san diego in 1977--i didn't realize he was only 24 at the time!i just saw byron at book expo in new york and before that at the will eisner memorial. he was his usual friendly and engaging self, looking forward to coming to san diego.what a shock . . . and what a loss. my heart goes out to his family and to all his "work family" at ibooks and byron preiss visual prod.it's going to be a weird week . . .jackie estrada
posts: 515 | from: san diego, ca 92115 | registered: dec 1998
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j. cheves
member
member # 14228
posted 07-10-2005 02:09 pm
i'm ashamed to say the name of byron preiss wasn't familiar to me, although i certainly knew -- and enjoyed -- some of the books listed by jim steranko and the others.it's sad to say, but with a terrific book like the illustrated harlan ellison (and i still have the 3-d glasses), you admire ellison and the great artists. you never think about the guy who put it together. he's invisible, although it wouldn't happen without him.i hate to see the industry lose someone who sounds like such a renaissance man.
posts: 450 | from: lexington, ky. | registered: apr 2004
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rich b.
junior member
member # 13109
posted 07-10-2005 02:16 pm
oh my god! i can't believe this. this is terrible news for the comic industry. byron was one of the nicest guys out there. he was one of the first to take me seriously as a creator and in fact i was in his office last week and about to sign a deal with him to re-publish my books. anyone who knows him knows how enthusiastic he was about comics and what a positive force he was in the industry.i'm truely sadden by this news and wish his family and friends my condolences. you'll be missed byron!-rich b.--------------------www.sentinelsonline.com
posts: 4 | from: nyc | registered: sep 2003
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michael reaves
junior member
member # 16805
posted 07-10-2005 02:24 pm
this is a hell of a thing to wake up to. i haven't spoken with byron much in the past few years, but back in the 1970s we worked together quite a bit, including writing a novel together.damn. i'm sorry to hear this.
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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robertmorales
junior member
member # 16806
posted 07-10-2005 02:52 pm
byron was one of the most likable people in publishing; a guy who was a genuine visionary in comics when i met him in 1977. my sympathies to his family and co-workers.
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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bobby nash
member
member # 16480
posted 07-10-2005 03:06 pm
sad news. my condolences to his family.--------------------http://www.bobbynash.com http://www.myspace.com/bobbynash http://www.comicspace.com/bobbynash
posts: 37 | registered: may 2005
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atkokmen
member
member # 1508
posted 07-10-2005 03:41 pm
i'm shocked and saddened. byron preiss was one of those legendary figures in comics and publishing. for years, i'd wanted to screw up my courage to actually talk to him about, well, anything, but never did--this year i missed chances at book expo and at the mocca art festival to try again.so if i've failed to tell him, i hope his family knows what an impression he's made and what an inspiration he's been, to myself and so many others...--------------------"[t]hough goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous, and that both united form the noblest character, and lay the surest foundation of usefulness to mankind." --john phillips
posts: 1168 | from: new york, ny | registered: may 2000
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jwasserman
member
member # 1002
posted 07-10-2005 04:37 pm
a terrible shame. i never met the guy but i always knew that the bpvp icon on a publication meant that it was going to be a good read.---------------------jeffrey h. wassermanvisitors to my website are always welcome!http://www.homestead.com/jachspake/jachspake.html
posts: 43 | from: brooklyn, originally | registered: dec 1999
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the_poet
member
member # 3903
posted 07-10-2005 04:47 pm
my condolences to his family. i work for komikwerks, the sister company to ibooks, and had been talking to him about publishing a book. i'm really shocked.
posts: 70 | registered: aug 2001
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bengrimm
junior member
member # 11940
posted 07-10-2005 05:00 pm
shannon denton and i have been working very closely with byron at komikwerks over the last few years, and found him to be an honest, dear, and very smart man, not to mention a devoted family man and good friend. byron has been a huge supporter of ours, a mentor, and a fellow comic geek, with more knowledge of comics minutia than i could fathom.we were looking forward to spending this week with byron and the other members of ibooks at the sdcc this week, and we're in absolute shock of this news.mr. steranko's tribute was moving and insightful, and i'd like to thank him for sharing it with us all. our hearts go out to all of byron's friends and family.--patrickpatrick coyleco-founder, komikwerks
posts: 8 | registered: may 2003
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pitzerboy
member
member # 694
posted 07-10-2005 05:00 pm
like most have said already... i'm stunned. i only had a chance to meet byron a few times, both at the mocca art festival. having been a fan of his work for quite some time, i was taken with how warm and personable he was. i feel this is a big loss for the medium, since he was still making headways with his current projects. my thoughts go out to his family, and know that he and his work will be remembered.
posts: 144 | from: va | registered: dec 1998
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howard simpson
junior member
member # 2168
posted 07-10-2005 05:19 pm
i'm shocked!howard zimmerman hired me to do some work for byron very early in my career. i talked to byron a few times and found him to be a very engaging, nice and intelligent guy.what a loss for us.--------------------howardhttp://www.abbadabba.com/
posts: 5 | from: maplewood,nj usa | registered: jan 2001
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jennifer m. contino
moderator
member # 9885
posted 07-10-2005 05:21 pm
i asked jim if anyone were in the car with byron. he said, "sandi and the girls were not in the accident and are doing their best to survive the greatest loss that could happen in their lives."i'm sure they appreciate your thoughts and sharing of memories of byron.--------------------make with the clicky click ...find me on comicspacecheck out myspaceone tart in the bake!my amazon wish list
posts: 19044 | from: pa | registered: aug 2002
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kevin andrew murphy
junior member
member # 16808
posted 07-10-2005 05:33 pm
damn.we were getting together at comicon this friday, and was talking about him with madeleine robins just yesterday at our writers meeting.damn.poor byron.
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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wil radcliffe
member
member # 6223
posted 07-10-2005 05:49 pm
this is very sad news. i exchanged a few e-mails with mr. preiss a few years ago. he was very cordial and friendly. while i never had the chance to work with him or get to know him, i know some folks who did and they say he was a class act all the way. my condolences to his family and friends.--------------------noggle stones"in the tradition of tolkien and rowling, wil carves out his own territory in the fantasy genre with noggle stones." ~ ernie colon"it's great fun!" ~ barry cunningham, the chicken house http://www.nogglestones.com
posts: 458 | from: fremont, in | registered: jan 2002
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tom_orzechowski
junior member
member # 16811
posted 07-10-2005 07:47 pm
i would have had a career without byron's help. but, the encouragement and career insight he offered to scruffy17-year-old me reinforced my determination. this meant even more because he was also 17 at the time. the guy was acting as talent scout, packager and publisher while the rest of us were still doing zines. in his quiet, confident way he was one of the players that helped bring comics culture into mass market entertainment. he was a great chum and an amazing individual.tom orzechowski
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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william stout
junior member
member # 16810
posted 07-10-2005 07:56 pm
i am devastated by the news of the death of my dear friend byron preiss. i expected to be seeing him within a week. we always had dinner together the friday evening of comic-con at the panda inn in horton plaza. byron always picked up the tab. this year i planned to surprise him and pay for him and his crew, just to see the expression on his face.byron preiss has been a part of my family since the late 1970s. byron shared my triumphs in this funny business; i shared his. together we celebrated the mainstream success of our 1981 book the dinosaurs - a fantastic new view of a lost era. while i produced the content for that book, byron was the glue that held it together, the engine running the machine. we met and mutually (and wholeheartedly) approved of each other's future spouses. when we became parents we were both as proud of each other's kids as we were of our own. whenever byron phoned me he greeted me, calling me "uncle bill". in reality, byron was more like a brother to me than an uncle. we took turns at being each other's older and younger brothers. like brothers we had disagreements --- but these were always business disagreements, differences of aesthetics or production --- rarely anything major. and even though i was usually the hothead in these disagreements not for once did i ever let that color or diminish our personal relationship or the love i felt for him and his family.we shared many common loves. despite (or maybe because of) being a new yorker, byron was a huge beach boys fan. one of our first projects together was the authorized beach boys biography. through byron i was able to meet the beach boys i hadn’t met (i had already met brian and dennis wilson) and together we watched them perform at the hollywood bowl. we also loved and were close friends to harvey (and adele) kurtzman and worked on harvey kurtzman’s strange adventures together.i loved that byron was always experimental, constantly trying new forms to break comics into the mainstream. despite occasional failures and spurred on because of his many successes, he never relented in his efforts to have comics reach everyone so that the world could understand and share his love of and passion for this great genre.byron’s publications opened the eyes of many people who were not in the comics industry to the potential of using comics creators. my own entry into the film business was facilitated by the fact that john milius, the director of conan the barbarian, had seen my story from byron’s the illustrated harlan ellison (“shattered like a glass goblin”) in heavy metal and had loved it.i received copies of our new book, the emerald wand of oz, the first of a series we were doing of three new oz books, just two days ago. i was looking forward to unveiling the cover of our second oz book, trouble under oz, at comic-con this wednesday mostly because, despite being in the business as long as he had been, byron had never lost his fan enthusiasm for good new work.i thought i would be working with byron off and on forever. he always had a knack of approaching me with just the dream project i had always wanted to do. i am still numb from the news. i can’t believe it. my brother byron has passed on much too early, leaving a large hole in my life. my warmest sympathies go out to sandi and the girls.william stout
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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randy
member
member # 1485
posted 07-10-2005 08:28 pm
this is shocking news to say the least. in all my years as reader i have never written a fan letter to a book editor, publisher, or packager. byron preiss was and is the the exception. he even took the time to send a gracious reply which i still have filed away somewhere. starting with the "weird heroes" series in 1977 i've been following this man and his mission to bring comics and illustrated books to the masses. i probably have at least a shelf or two full of preiss books that i've bought and enjoyed over the years. from "the illustrated harlan ellison" to "dragonworld" to "chandler" to "fiction illustrated" to howard chaykin's adaptations of "the stars my destination" and "empire" to many, many others. his imprint was usually a guarantee that you were getting a book with a lot of thought and craft put into it. while i may not have liked everything he published i can say without hesitation that he helped to make the comics scene during the 70's and 80's a very invigorating place. he will definatly be missed.
posts: 1591 | from: u.s.a. | registered: may 2000
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henrik rehr
junior member
member # 11559
posted 07-10-2005 08:32 pm
i'm shocked!i got to know byron over the last six months or so, working with ibooks, and just found him to be a great guy.my deepest sympathies go out to his family.
posts: 4 | from: new york city | registered: feb 2003
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wishlish
member
member # 2866
posted 07-10-2005 08:53 pm
i never met the man, but i've bought quite a few books he produced. you knew one of his books would be something you couldn't get anywhere else, and it would be amazing. my thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and children.
posts: 151 | registered: jun 2001
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john t. cullen
junior member
member # 16812
posted 07-10-2005 10:03 pm
i was shocked and saddened to hear of byron's death. i wish his wife and daughters my condolences, as well as to his staff of whom he was very supportive. i had the fortune to work with byron on two books, and i liked him very much. he was a person people instinctively liked and trusted. i was moved by his youthful passing (age 52) to remember this line from blade runner, spoken by roy batty--as best i remember the line--this is where roy is dying: "the light that shines twice as bright, shines half as long." i couldn't find the exact quote, but i also found this quote from the same scene: "i've seen things you peple wouldn't believe. attack ships on fire off the shoulder of orion. i watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the tanhauser gate. all those...moments will be lost...in time. like...tears...in rain. time...to die." i think we had a lot more to see of byron's vision, that is now lost.--------------------http://www.nitework.net
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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jm lofficier
member
member # 1604
posted 07-11-2005 02:16 am
byron was a friend and randy and i are really saddened by this.jml
posts: 289 | from: resea, ca, usa | registered: jun 2000
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noppie
member
member # 2668
posted 07-11-2005 06:26 am
i never know what to say. i wish the family well in dealing with death of byron.for many years i sat next to steve roman (one of byron employees and a friend) at spx. steve often spoken fondly of byron adventures and mis-adventures in comic book publishing. last year at mocca i had an interview with byron about possible illustrating a book for ibooks. things did not work out, but everyone was very nice. when i attended mocca again this year byron came by my table to talk. i just assumed i would be seeing he again at various convention for many years to come.as cartoonist, artists, editors, employees and publishers in the comic book industry you expect 99.9% of to die of old age and have a long career. angry dog presssteven noppenbergernoppie@angrydogpress.nethttp://www.angrydogpress.net
posts: 84 | from: westminster, maryland usa | registered: may 2001
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christophe malgrain
junior member
member # 16813
posted 07-11-2005 07:34 am
thank you for your kindness,byron!
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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rick veitch
administrator
member # 439
posted 07-11-2005 07:44 am
this morning's new york times published this obituary of byron: quote:byron preiss, 52, digital publishing pioneer, diesby the new york timesbyron c. preiss, an author and a publisher who specialized in illustrated books by celebrities, graphic novels and science fiction, died in a traffic accident on saturday in east hampton, n.y. he was 52 and lived in manhattan.mr. preiss was the president of byron preiss visual publications and ibooks, and was recognized as a pioneer in digital publishing. he was among the first publishers to release cd-rom's and electronic books, said barbara marcus, the executive vice president of the publishing company scholastic.born in brooklyn, mr. preiss graduated magna cum laude from the university of pennsylvania in 1972 and earned a master's degree in communications from stanford university. he produced "the words of gandhi," an audio book that won a grammy award in 1985. he was also the co-author of "dragonworld," a novel published by bantam books in 1979. mr. preiss published works by celebrity authors including jane goodall, billy crystal, jerry seinfeld, leann rimes and jay leno. he was active in local charities, and was co-chairman of uja-federation of new york's publishing committee.mr. preiss is survived by his wife, sandi mendelson, and two daughters, karah and blaire. --------------------shiny beasts! a mindbending collection of short stories by rick veitch (with alan moore and s.r. bissette) from king hell press. in february previews for april ship.
posts: 3472 | from: vermont, usa | registered: nov 1998
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jennifer m. contino
moderator
member # 9885
posted 07-11-2005 11:00 am
thanks for posting that, rick.--------------------make with the clicky click ...find me on comicspacecheck out myspaceone tart in the bake!my amazon wish list
posts: 19044 | from: pa | registered: aug 2002
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michael netzer
member
member # 13522
posted 07-11-2005 11:30 am
it is a sad day for the comics, the creators and the professionals who knew byron, a breed apart in the publishing world. byron preiss almost single handedly led the comics industry into independent publishing long before the phrase was coined. his vision for the visual storytelling medium was decades ahead of its time and his contribution remains beyond measure.i've known byron since my first days in new york, in the mid seventies, and was always enriched in his company. a man of grace and goodwill which reflected in everything he touched. the comics world salutes you, byron preiss, and mourns the loss of a giant who walked softly amongst us. your legacy lives on and the many works you've produced shall inspire many more to come.may your family be comforted in this difficult hour as the mourners of jerusalem are.have peace our friend.--------------------michael netzer: revolution
posts: 47 | from: israel | registered: dec 2003
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ian feller
junior member
member # 4409
posted 07-11-2005 12:13 pm
this is a truly terrible day. i'm saddened to hear the news. byron was indeed a visionary and his vision will be sorely missed.--------------------ian feller813 services & solutionswww.813sands.com
posts: 20 | from: tampa, fl | registered: sep 2001
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clydene nee
junior member
member # 16816
posted 07-11-2005 12:54 pm
several artists have approached me about doing something at comic con for byron preiss. the convention has made room 22 available for us to hold a remembrance for byron preiss, sunday, july 17th, starting at 11:30 am. if you would like to participate in this remembrance please contact clydenenee@yahoo.com or i will be in the artists' alley/art auction area during the convention.--------------------i don't use my aol address much
posts: 1 | registered: jul 2005
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alias
member
member # 13
posted 07-11-2005 03:35 pm
back in the day when comic buyers guide was the prime source for locating new work of merit the name byron preiss in an ad was always a sign of quality. his legacy will surely live on. god comfort his loved ones in this time of sorrow.
posts: 997 | from: las vegas nevada usa | registered: jan 1999
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michael c lorah
member
member # 4093
posted 07-11-2005 07:38 pm
my deepest condolences to byron's family. his voice will be very hard to replace in the world of publishing, and i feel much poorer for never having met him and thanked him for his efforts.
posts: 239 | from: metuchen, nj usa | registered: sep 2001
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dscroggy
junior member
member # 7742
posted 07-11-2005 08:17 pm
i was fortunate to meet byron early in both of our careers. during my days at pacific comics we would discuss the future of graphic novels with great excitement. i even interviewed him back then for my column in comic buyer's guide, and he foreshadowed a lot of developments that have since transpired.later, as i was starting out as an artist's agent, byron was very supportive. he awarded me several assignments for my then-clients rick geary and john pound, which really helped us get started. he remained loyal to both, particularly rick, using them in a number of publications and projects.he also did a lot of uncredited work behind the scenes, such as helping artist alex nino when he was having some terrible immigration problems and was facing deportation.i am glad that byron got the chance to see the success of graphic novels in bookstores and libraries. he worked hard to help achieve this for many years, and when i hear him described as "visionary" cannot help but agree. he not only pushed the envelope with an editor's eye for superior content, but also in anticipating and following through with innovative strategies on the sales and marketing side.he was always happy to talk about these things when we would see each other, and it was always a worthwhile discussion (at least for me). the last time i saw byron was in april at will eisner's memorial service in new york, where he spoke eloquently and from the heart.always charming, sophisticated and the best dresser in the room, i'll miss him.
posts: 2 | from: dark horse comics | registered: mar 2002
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jimmygownley
junior member
member # 2296
posted 07-12-2005 01:09 pm
in my life, and the life of my comic "amelia rules," byron preiss appeared at just the right time. i owe him a lot.my heart aches for his family as they work their way though this tragedy.
posts: 5 | from: harrisburg, pa 17109 | registered: apr 2001
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paul chadwick
junior member
member # 2171
posted 07-12-2005 04:54 pm
my dealings with byron were always pleasant, and his books always looked great. taste, design sense, and the energy of a swarm of bees in that man. so long, byron...we'll really miss you.
posts: 4 | from: friday harbor, wa usa | registered: jan 2001
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