Hard to believe, but it's been half a decade since I absent-mindedly created the Shrine on a quiet night in October, thinking it would be a fun lark that might go for a couple of months. Little did I know!
Unfortunately, since I spent so much time and effort on Aquaman's 70th Birthday Celebration during the year, I really didn't have any room left in my schedule to come up with something really spectacular for the Shrine's 5th anniversary. So this year's celebration is going to be more low-key, with just a story I wanted to share--but a story that makes me enormously proud of the Shrine.
It involves superb artist and Friend to the Shrine Chuck Patton, who drew Justice League of America in the 1980s, and had a hand in the creation of the "Detroit era" of the team. I interviewed Chuck--who sort of disappeared from the world of comics not too long after he left JLA--in 2009, and had a great time talking to one of my all-time favorite comic book artists.
Since then, Chuck and I have remained in contact, and during the lead up to the 70th Birthday post, he kept telling me about the Aquaman sketch he was working on for me and the Shrine. In return, I told Chuck he didn't need to do a sketch for me, since I didn't have the money to pay him what a Chuck Patton original would run. But in emails he reiterated that he "owed" it to me.
I said that was absurd; if anything I owed him for doing the interview and providing answers to questions I had had for years. It was then Chuck told me his story:
"Because when you posted that interview with me--besides the lovely fan responses and attention it netted me, it also helped reconnect me with someone from my past who was very instrumental in my going into comics.
We had lost contact with each other for over twenty-five years and DC wasn't very helpful in keeping up with my whereabouts and I moved around so much in animation, that she was just about to give up when she came across the Aquaman interview and the JLA Detroit article about me.
Long story short, she found my email address, and we reconnected. And about six months after that, I re-proposed to her (trust me, another long story in that too--LOL) and she's now my fiancee.
Here's another bit of trivia about us, she was the model I used for the femme fatale in my first comic assignment for the Brave and The Bold comic with Batman and Karate Kid. Ironic, that when she contacted me, I was just starting to do storyboards on the Brave and the Bold animated series.
So there ya have it--I owe you for reuniting me with my lost love---she wanted me to make sure I told you and thru all the excitement of having her back in my life again, I plum forgot to do that!
LOL--so thank you very very much for being there, Rob."
What's to add to this? Nothing, really, so I'm just going to thank every single one of you who comes and stops by the Shrine; its all of you (and Aquaman himself, of course) who have helped make this site such a huge and special part of my life. And now I know, not just my life, either!
Onward to Year Six!
One Last Thing: Below is a map showing where all of you come from, at least in the last couple of months (click to see a bigger version):
A couple of thoughts:
1)No fans in Russia?
2)The Shrine will not rest until we've cracked Mongolia!
1)No fans in Russia?
2)The Shrine will not rest until we've cracked Mongolia!
3)A big shout-out to our fans (plural?) on the South Seas island of St. Helena, located between South America and Africa, and is only 10x5 miles big! If we ever have an Aquaman Shrine Convention, we're having it there!
17 comments:
Wow. See, this is why if you put passion, creativity, and love into a project, it makes a difference. Nice work and congratulations on 5 great years, rob! Keep on swimmin...
Sheesh--is that one in the south atlantic from an oil rig?
Happy 5th, rob! and shrine!
rob! Happy birthday to the Shrine! I still remember back in 2001 when it was a little side project on your freelance site. I seem to recall an early post with an Aquaman soda can. Ahhh... early days.
Congrats on five years of this site! You've done an amazing job with the site and it's a real tribute to Aquaman! Congrats!
PS: I'm looking forward to hearing further episodes of THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST! That Irredeemable Shag guy is great!
Sincerely,
The Irredeemable Shag
Congrats on a fantastic blog.
And FYI i am in Scotland :-)
rob!, Congratulations on five great years with the Shrine. What a run it's been! And what a great post and story you had for today. You do awesome work here, and me and all the other Aquaman fans out there appreciate everythign you do, and are looking forward to the next five years!
The love you give to this place rekindled a REAL love. Now how many blogs can say that?
Congrats and Happy B-Day from this very proud founding F.O.A.M. Member!
Chris
Rob, I've been here since day one. I remember a post you did somewhere (on Laura's website?) about a new Aquaman blog you were going to start. I remember thinking: neat idea but it will never last.
I'm glad I was wrong.
It was nice meeting you in August.
Wow - Just wow! Not only do we all enjoy it here, but you have played a hand, however inadvertently, in reuniting a couple. There is no putting a price tag on something like that, just awesome.
Here's to many more years at The Shrine! And thanks, Rob.
Happy 5th Birthday! And many, many more!
BTW, does the map show FOAMers only, or visitors in general?
I'm gonna work on getting you a Russian fan...
Congratulations Rob! Time flies, right? Thank you not only for all the entertainment, but also for inspiring some of us to come up with shrines for our favorite characters!
I just came by to congratulate you on five years, but that Chuck Patton story was sweet, and I'm happy to hear things turned out so well!
Omedetou (congrats)! That was a great story to showcase the 5th.
It appears that I'm the only reporter you have in Japan, I'll try to do you proud.
hey, no love from singapore? Ive been coming here often!
Worldwide, buddy - WORLDWIDE!
Congrats and continued best,
-Craig
Congrats, Rob.
This is one of the few sites I make an effort to visit almost everyday.
Congrats and great Chuck Patton story.
Happy birthday from Singapore!
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