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Mike Chary, RIP

Published Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:23:41 -0500

One upon a time, Christopher Priest wrote the DC Comics series Total Justice, which introduces us to Mike The Parademon. One of the Darkseid parademons who seemed sentient and actually spoke. And how he spoke.

Most of his lines were familiar to those of us on USENET Newsgroups who read posts by Mike Chary, the basis of the character.

I remember Mike from around the time I first started posting about comics online, around twenty-five years ago. Prominent fan and regular fan trivia participant, we didn't meet in person many times. But we had a convivial on-line relationship over the decades. Plenty of Bleeding Cool stories came from him tagging me into something kicking off on Facebook, some injustice that needed to be righted.

Though my favourite moment had to be the time he tried to introduce one comics professional to me in person, for said professional to turn tail instantly, accompanied by Mike's muffled laughter. Chary made friends with many comic professionals, his wide-ranging knowledge and ability to speak verbosely on many subjects – well, made him perfect to be Mike The Parademon. Oh and then there was the time I helped him bet on the next Pope.

Only the other day, I saw him mourning the passing of Adam West. It seems insane to be mourning his own passing now. Reports from friends and friends of friends are that he died this weekend. That he simply got up and collapsed. And that no specific cause of death has yet been declared by the coroner.

Miss you, Mike.

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