Stan Tychinski of Collectible Dreams in Selinsgrove, Pa. has been watching the recent dialogue on in our Talk Back section on Marvel and wanted to send us a positive story about the lengths to which a creator went to make a difference in his store.

 

I'd like to briefly report to everyone on a positive industry story, for once completely unrelated to the weekly lunacy spilling forth from the Mighty Jemas.

 

A few weeks ago, we had a book signing in our shop, featuring an up-and-coming creator named Chuck Regan.  Chuck has a new comic out called Nether, the Age of Magic -- issue #3 was just solicited in Previews last month.

 

Chuck contacted me through our web page promoting his book, and I invited him to come out to our Halloween Party.

 

For the next few weeks I received once or twice a week e-mail updates and messages letting me know he was looking forward to coming out.  To anyone not familar with Central Pennsylvania, 'coming out' is not driving across town -- this trip requires MapQuest and more than one stop for directions, directions that usually involve looking for a local landmark or building instead of a street address... so coming out is no little thing!

 

Despite a major personal loss that week, as well as a 2 hour nighttime drive (each way) in the cold Pennsylvania rain, Chuck came through, bringing his full art display.  He graciously sat for four hours, talking to my customers -- not just about the book but also about their lives and interests; he reviewed a few portfolios for aspiring local artists, and even hung out with the Lord of the Rings gamers having a tournament that night in our gaming shop.  In fact, Chuck's book had very strong appeal to my gaming crowd, dealing as it does with magic and demons, and a number of gamers who do not regularly buy comics purchased copies of the book from Chuck and ordered the future issues from me!

 

And along the way, Chuck even found time to do a commission sketch for me (in color!).  He was just generally a great guy, very professional!

 

In these times when we hear so much about retailer and fan mistreatment by some members of the industry, it was refreshing to meet someone who was just the opposite.

 

Chuck's book Nether and his art can be seen at his website, Maelstrom Graphics, at the following link: www.maelstromgrafx.com