Last week, we lost a dear friend in the comics community. Curtis Fisher, aka Skipntosh, was like a big brother to me. I enjoyed telling him as much when we would record our podcast episodes together. I don’t know how he found the channel or our community, but he immediately made his presence felt. Always there to plug awesome indie comics and challenge us to think deeply about our critiques.
Skip cared deeply. About comics. About music. About basketball. And about people. Skip loved being a part of the community. He loved storytelling that went beyond the surface. He loved obsessing over scripts, line art, colors and lettering (in that order). He loved seeing everyone get the praise their art deserved, and he wanted to contribute to their successes in any way he could. In some instances, that just meant yelling very enthusiastically and singing the praises of people like Jonathan Hickman, Nick Dragotta, Dan Watters, Ram V, Justin Greenwood, Rico Renzi and countless others.
Skip wanted a healthy fandom. Where we can all bond over great stories and great art. Where even if we didn’t agree on the quality of storytelling, we could at least bond over the fact that comics brought us all here in the first place. If a conversation got too toxic, Skip didn’t really want to participate. And I think that’s why we were lucky enough to have him among our ranks. Whether the debate was about Tom King, LeBron vs MJ, or the best 80s B-Movies, Skip loved a healthy discussion.
In the days since I learned of his passing, I’ve been trying to decide what to institute on the channel in Skip’s honor. Maybe an Indie Pick of the Week, or a monthly citizenship award. The truth is, there’s nothing I can do to fill the gap left by Skip’s passing. He was one of a kind in a way that can’t really be quantified. Perhaps the best I can do is amplify these words by our mutual friend Bunkmasta B:
Skip’s only gone if we let him be gone. When we talk about our favorite comics, and particularly dope indies, Skip’s there. When we have disagreements with each other but always keep it super respectful and take the time to listen to what the other person is saying instead of waiting for our turn to say why they’re wrong, Skip’s there. When we choose to see the good and the beauty in things when everyone else is just latching onto surface level reasons why it’s bad, Skip’s there.
-Bunkmasta B
My prayers are with Curtis’ family, especially his two daughters; his friends across all fandoms, and with all the people who knew him best. Thanks for sharing him with us. If you knew Curtis, I’d love to read some of your favorite memories with him in the comments below.
Curtis was a great friend. We talked a lot about comics. He's responsible for me getting into Ed Brubaker, Ram V, Daniel Warren Johnson and Nick Dragotta. We talked a lot about Hickman's Marvel stuff and he really opened my comic reading experience up to more indy books
Then, when I was going thru my divorce, he was there to offer support and encouragement. More than I'd expect from a friend met online over comics. He was always there to give advice and offer some wisdom when I needed it
It's so bizarre to me that the last book we talked about was Murder Falcon, I wonder if he knew what was coming and thought it would be an encouragement for after he passed on. The world is truly a dimmer place without his smile and presence.