Longtime ICv2 columnist Steve Bennett, who wrote Confessions of a Comic Book Guy for this site for almost two decades, passed away between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at home, likely due to cardiac issues.  He reported a week-long hospital stay earlier in December for a variety of ailments on his Facebook, but continued to post on topics of interest (his last was on Jonny Quest) through December 22.

Bennett first contributed to ICv2 from his role at Mary Alice Wilson’s Dark Star Books in Yellow Springs, Ohio as a Talk Back commenter.  He began his column, Confessions of a Comic Book Guy in 2005, talking about his background, the store, and an experience he had with a customer (see "You’ll Never Know What You’ll Need to Know").  Over time, he moved his base to Super-Fly Comics and Games, also in Yellow Springs.  In his last column, in June of 2023, he laid out his recommendations for webtoon collections during one of our Webtoon Week events (see "Once Again It’s Webtoon Week").  Between the two, he wrote around 1000 columns at ICv2.com.  Bennett had health struggles in his later years and cut back his writing, but continued to contribute when he could.

"Steve was an astute observer of modern culture, particularly of comics, animation, film and TV, and brought his refined taste to his columns."  ICv2 CEO Milton Griepp said of Bennett’s time at ICv2.  "He promoted a positive vision of the media he covered and the stores where pop culture is sold.  Most importantly, he was a kind and thoughtful person, and a pleasure to know."

Our sympathies to those who cared for him.