Whedonesque : Comments on 9599 : Superman/Batman #26 creators tell their 'Sam story'.

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February 22 2006

Superman/Batman #26 creators tell their 'Sam story'. A follow up piece to Friday's Newsarama interview with Jeph Loeb about his son Sam. In this new article, some of the creators of Superman/Batman #26 like Joss Whedon, Jim Lee, Rob Liefeld and Brian K. Vaughan share their stories and memories of Sam Loeb.

And if you missed it, Joss posted in the comments section of that Whedonesque thread on Friday.

I just want to say, and this is not the sort of thing I ordinarily use this forum for, that it would be a great thing for people to pick up this book when it comes out. Even if you're not a comic fan. Even if you need an interpreter to take you through the comic store. Even if you hate Robin for some reason, like maybe he stole your girlfriend, or wouldn't let you sit at the cool table in the cafeteria, or snuck into your house and pooed on your carpet (they don't write stories about it, but a lot of costumed heroes do that. I never wanna know why.) Put your Robin hatred aside. This book rasies money for a good cause, Sam's cause, and Sam would want me to abuse my celebrity to shamelessly shill his product. You think I'm kidding, but Sam Loeb had no morals of any kind. That's part of what made him awesome. So those of you who might see this and breeze past it, stop and throw down a couple a' hard-earneds for a swell comic. I know at least two pages of it will be brilliant. And I did some too. -j.

Simon | Printed matter | 03:01 CET | 16 comments total | tags: joss whedon, sam loeb

I don't think anything more can be said about this. I'm buying the comic.

Wait, no, what I must have meant by "I don't think anything more can be said..." is "For god's sake, every living and willing person should be told about this."

Fuck cancer.

Edit: Was Sam's Story originally available to view in the Jeph Loeb interview? I didn't see it before.

[ edited by The First Weevil on 2006-02-22 01:27 ]

The First Weevil | February 22, 03:22 CET

Yes it was there on Friday from what I can remember.

Simon | February 22, 03:40 CET

Lost a dear, dear friend to cancer exactly one month before her 30th birthday nearly 8 years ago. I still think about her every single day. I never knew before that moment that it was possible to hate a disease but I do. I can't tell you how many times I have actually said the words "fuck cancer." Reading these moving tributes to Sam --someone the rest of us won't have the privilege to know-- has moved me deeply. Damn right I'm going to buy the comic!

DeniseDM | February 22, 06:51 CET

My sister is a cancer survivor, she's only 19 so this resonates with me in a big way. I'll definetly try to get my hands on the comic.

delirium_haze | February 22, 07:26 CET

Is anybody else donating to the scholarship fund? (I'm definitely getting the comic, that was out of the question, so...)12

Emma Frost | February 22, 07:31 CET

I can remember many years ago there was an issue of Spider-Man.. tried to find it my collection but don't know where it is. The story was actually a eight page story in the back. It was titled something like, "The Boy Who Knew Spider-Man's Secret!"

In summary, it starts with a splash page of a Spidey photo with a clipping from an editorial column in the Daily Bugle saying there's this kid who's greatest wish was to meet his idol; Spider-Man naturally. Next page shows J. Jonah Jameson going on about how stupid a wish it is or something, then a page later, in the dark, late at night, Spider-Man slips through the window in this kid's bedroom and wakes him up. They talk. It was actually like four or five pages of them talking. Very not-actiony. Still, I remember it being riveting.

Spider-Man answered the kid's questions and told him a version of his origin story, without revealing his identity. Then the kid asked if he could actually see the guy behind the mask. Suprisingly to me the reader, Peter took off the mask. I remember thinking now that's pretty stupid. Who wrote this? Parker wouldn't just give away his ID like that. They talk for a little longer and then Spidey cracks some jokes and makes his goodbyes, after the kid promises that he'd never tell another soul for the rest of his life.

Spidey webslings out the window. Lands on a rooftop. We see a sihloette of him with his head down. Crying. Parker's crying. Then he webslings off into the night. Last panel is the rest of the news clipping, revealing that the kid's dying of cancer. Read that like twenty years ago. I cried like a little girl. Quarter past teary-eyed just thinking about it now.

[ edited by ZachsMind on 2006-02-22 08:27 ]

ZachsMind | February 22, 09:18 CET

ZM, you asshole. I'm crying right now. Hate you for sharing that.
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Thanks for sharing that.

Willowy | February 22, 10:11 CET

I cried when I read that too. One of the only Spidey stories over the last 20-some years that I still remember today. Amazing Spider-Man #248 "The Kid Who Collected Spider-Man!" - thanks to samruby.com

danregal | February 22, 10:29 CET

Bless ya Dan. I just scanned fifty pages of spider-man covers through google.com and couldn't find it. I knew if I just saw the cover I'd recognize it. Couldn't recall the exact name though so couldn't actually search for the story. Agreed. After all these years that's the one Spidey tale (perhaps of any comic tale I've ever read) that stands out in my mind the most.

[ edited by ZachsMind on 2006-02-22 08:48 ]

ZachsMind | February 22, 10:45 CET

Amazing Spider-Man #248 is that one according to thus site, http://www.samruby.com/History/history_of_spiderman3a.htm

gilesno1fan | February 22, 12:11 CET

Oh man. I hate that foul disease too.

nixygirl | February 22, 15:58 CET

I've got that Spidy story - excellent stuff, very moving. Don't think I've got that issue though so I don't know how I've got it. I do remember reading it sat in my room though so it wasn't on the internet.

Paul_Rocks | February 22, 16:50 CET

I lost my 7 year old cousin to cancer 2 1/2 years ago, just before her 8th birthday.
I donate money to her charity and I'll happily donate money to this. Like Sam, Rachel was very creative and lived life to the fullest. They're probably up there right now drawing all over heaven's walls!!

WilliamTheBloody | February 22, 18:18 CET

My other half lost her mum to cancer just a couple of years ago. It's a scary thought but i don't imagine that anyone in this day and age will live their lives out without being affected by cancer one way or another.

On a sort of related note i thought i would give a respectful mention to the great Andreas Katsulas, who died recently of lung cancer. I would imagine that there are many Babylon 5 fans around here and many of you, like myself, will owe a lot of their love of the series to the brilliant character of G'Kar, played so spectacularly by Katsulas.

The show's creator, J. Michael Straczynski, had this to say about Andreas:

Just over a year ago, Andreas Katsulas -- who loved smoking with a passion that cannot be described -- was diagnosed with lung cancer, which by then had already spread to other areas. He quit smoking at once and went on a healthy diet and vitamin program, but there was little hope of a good resolution even though the new regimen was very good for him. When we spoke about it, he laughed, and said, "Now that I'm dying I've never felt better!"

His spirits were always up and positive, putting everyone at ease about his condition, because...well, that's the kind of person he was.

A couple of months ago, he and his wife convened a dinner with me, Doug, and Peter Jurasik, which was filled with laughter and stories and good food. He wanted to know all the stories we never told him because, as he said, "Who am I going to tell?" So we did. Because we knew we were saying goodbye, and there would not be a second chance.

Last night, in the company of his wife and family, Andreas closed his eyes and went away.

He lived an amazing life...full of travel and wonder and good
work...was part of the world renowned Peter Brook company...he saw the planet, loved and was loved, ate at great restaurants, smoked too many cigarettes...he lived a life some people would die for.

And, sadly, due to the last part of that equation...he did.

Memorial arrangements are still being worked out, but will doubtless be private.

Andreas is gone...and G'Kar with him, because no one else can ever play that role, or ever will.

I will miss him terribly.

J. Michael Straczynski

Another sad loss to our little science fiction and fantasy world.

Buffysmglover | February 22, 21:28 CET

Vampire With A Gun, thanks for posting that. I haven't been checking JMS News lately and missed that sad news. There was something about G'Kar whenever he was in a scene that stood out - and it wasn't just his makeup. I remember stories of Andreas in his G'Kar makeup standing outside smoking whenever there was a break.

OT, I will certainly be purchasing this comic. Coincidentally, I received my tax receipt yesterday from my donation to the annual Terry Fox (cancer) Run. I was able to do the 10K for the first time in several years, as well. Having lost both my parents to leukemia - 35 years apart - and a close friend to colon cancer last year, this is a cause close to my heart.

samatwitch | February 22, 22:43 CET

I'll buy it.

Apocalypse | February 22, 23:19 CET

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