Glasgow readers of this humble post will no doubt instantly recognise (in)famous 'KID MEMORYMAN'-about town, JOHN McSHANE, who appeared in a recent BBC TV documentary about Scottish comicbook creators. John's contribution was to propose the case that comics were invented by we Scots, so that's yet another debt of gratitude the world owes us. John is a 'well-kent' figure in Glasgow (and beyond), being actively involved in the city's thriving comics scene for many years, and was one of the founding proprietors of AKA BOOKS & COMICS, along with BOB NAPIER* and the late PETE ROOT. (STEVE MONTGOMERY joined the team later I think. Or maybe I just didn't meet him until later.)
*Update: Sadly, Bob passed away a good number of years after this post was first published.
About 25 years ago (hard as it is for me to believe), I managed to persuade John to leave the leafy suburbs of 'the dear green place' and visit yours truly in the spacious, artistically decorated abode in which I then lived. The photos show John with an original, early piece of DAN DARE art (from the famous EAGLE comic of the 1950s), which I once owned. John is so well-known in the professional comics community that he even featured in a cameo appearance in MARVEL's CAPTAIN BRITAIN back in the mid-'80s. 'Twas thanks to John ('cos he knows everybody) that I got to meet the late, great ARCHIE GOODWIN and his wife ANN, and spend a pleasant evening in their company.
(There, John. Now will you let me off with that 5p I owe you?)
is this the same John McShane that writes poetry and now resides in Sydney, Australia? the name is so common, it's hard to tell...
ReplyDeleteCommon? Our John? I see you know him well then.
ReplyDeleteNo, this isn't him.