Rory Root passed away yesterday. That doesn't mean anything to almost any of you, I'm sure, but Dom and I are sharing our moment of grief together. I spent probably two hours a week from 2000-2001 in Rory's shop, Comic Relief, down in Berkeley, and about the same from 2003-2005. For my birthday party one year, I set up a scavenger hunt, and one of the places I had people go to was Rory's store. I stopped by every year at SDCC to say hi and shoot the shit for ten fifteen minutes, and always walked away with three or four TPBs from people I'd never heard of and would come to love. Rory introduced me to a lot of great writers, a lot of great comics... he knew everyone in the business and had nothing but respect for people. He had endless stories to share, he was always encouraging and he would offer insight into every aspect. Rory set the bar where it is on what people should expect from their comic shop owner -- a little neighborhood bar, a little bookstore, welcoming and yet still intimate to those who were regulars. The world lost a very kind and generous soul. Some people should have more time on this Earth than they were given -- I'd have gladly given Rory some of mine if I could.