Comic Book Plus Forum
All And Everything => General Discussion => Topic started by: crashryan on July 09, 2023, 03:48:31 AM
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:-[ I just learned from Bob Napier that my old pal Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr (known here as JVJ) has passed away. Jim has been fighting--and overcoming--major health challenges for years, but this time they finally got him. Jim was a close friend, a teacher of comics history, and a boon companion in book hunts and late-night artist spotting sessions. On the larger stage he was one of the late 20th century's most important historians and researchers of American comic artists and Golden Age illustrators. His knowledge was encyclopedic. We lost touch about the time he first moved to France, though I did manage to reconnect briefly a couple of years ago. Then health issues took him out of circulation. I wish I'd had one last chance to bid him goodbye. Here's to you, Jim, I'll value your friendship forever.
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Very sad news. He was a very generous man, who touched a lot of peoples lives. A lot of comic book fans owe him a great debt. He'll be remembered by many, many people. My condolences to his family and close friends. He'll be sorely missed by a lot of comic book fans, and I dare say, probably a lot of other people, too.
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As Robb says, very sad news. Some of our members knew JVJ, worked with him, and respected his knowledge and work as historian and researcher.
Despite the occasional notes between us, I was only really on the receiving end of his help, particularly a very polite "correction" for some remarks I made about Simon and Kirby. Something crash didn't touch on was JVJ's interest in food when he moved to France. We saw eye to eye on some dishes and were exact opposites on others.
Jim will be greatly missed. Good guys like him don't come along that often.
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Hi guys,
It's very sad, but sadly not a shock to hear of Jim's passing. His health issues were considerable the last few years and he wasn't a young man by the end.
DCM has started a JVJ Remembrances topic at this link which includes a selection of pictures and portraits he shared on his Facebook pages.
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/index.php/topic,15558.msg84682.html#msg84682
I encourage all the JVJ Project members to please add their thoughts to the topic.
And you can see history being made right here back on September 19, 2008, when he asked if GAC members would like to help scan some of his many comics!
Lots of Comics but no time! - https://comicbookplus.com/forum/index.php?topic=856.msg5879#msg5879
I was the first to reply and cursed being stuck in Canada making my direct participation financially impossible but I am proud to have played a small part in helping quarterback the JVJ PROJECT as we called it.
The first book scanned was Buster Brown #1 by JonTheScanner at this link:
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=6580
You can see a list of the 'JVJ Archive' of books shared on CB+ at this link:
https://comicbookplus.com/?cbplus=jvjarchive_s_s_0
RIP Jim, you were a godsend to all comic fans out there.
-Yoc
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Obviously I didn't know him, but looking at the photos, I have his book on Kintsler, for which I am in his debt, and for which I also didn't pay any where near as much as $40.00,. Having trouble trying to remember if ever did.
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I had the pleasure of editing some of the scans of his comics collection and was always amazed by the scope of subjects covered, plus the fact that he generously and more importantly trusted virtual 'strangers' with huge numbers of books for the project to work, simply because he had them and he could. No thought of reward, other than sharing them with like-mined people.
A good person indeed and as I subsequently learned, extremely knowledgeable, something else that he freely shared with others and helped spread his passion worldwide.
Rest in peace, Jim. You'll be sadly missed by comics fans everywhere.
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When I joined this site a few years back, and saw Jim Vadeboncoeur’s name it was like hitting the jackpot. I had first heard of him thanks to his work on Eclipse’s SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT series, featuring Standard/Pines work. All the issues were great, most with Alex Toth covers. It seemed like such an obvious title for a pre-code comic line. He’d write comments on the stories published. They were entertaining and educational in equal parts. WEIRD ROMANCE, for instance, broke down just how big romance comics were. I messaged him a couple of times to talk over the series. He was very gracious and generous with his time, and showed himself to be a kind and highly moral man.
Hanging around here, I got to understand what a prodigious collector and accomplished art spotter he was. His work and knowledge were impressive. You have to wonder what happens to that collection now.
UPDATE: movielover messaged me and told me the collection was dispersed long ago. Being both a youngster around here and just a guy in the street who likes comics, I figured I pass the info along in case someone else didn't know
Smooth sailing on the long voyage home, sir.
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Two excellent posts were added to the DCM "JVJ Remembrances" topic
https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/index.php/topic,15558.msg84682.html#msg84682
The first from Dr. Michael J. Vassallo (DOC V), the preeminent expert on Timely Comics and all things Martin Goodman published. Doc shares about his time artist spotting with JVJ and Hames Ware.
Then a wonderful post by JVJ Project member Tilliban who visited with Jim at his home in Paris several times.
Both post are great reads and quite touching.
-Yoc
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I knew nothing about this guy, until I found out he was the publisher of one of the obscure fanzines that had included an illustrated Edgar Allan Poe story I wanted to get my hands on for my blog project.
I actually sent him an e-mail, JUST about the time he was moving to France, putting out feelers to see if he had any copies of said fanzine, or knew where I could get one. I got no answer, but didn't take it personally.
And only a few weeks later, another comics fan e-mailed me a LINK to a website that had hundreds of really obscure fanzines posted in their entirety... and I was able to get my hands on LARGE, HIGH-RES scans of the thing-- FOR FREE. It was mind-boggling. That particular issue was going for a HELL of a lot of money on Ebay.)
I wound up "re-formatting" the pages to better show off both the art and the lettering on the blog. (Think of it as what newspapers often do with Sunday strips.)
You gotta love some people in the comics community. (The ones who aren't raving brainwashed lunatics, anyway... heeheehee.)
"THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH" / art by Robert Inwood
http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2022/06/poe-1970-pt-4.html
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I had and may still have, somewhere in the bowels of my collection, an issue of PROMETHEAN ENTERPRISES.