RIP Gahan Wilson

The great cartoonist GAHAN WILSON has died. Decades ago, I and a lady-friend walked into a mostly empty book store in Cambridge Mass. I suddenly spotted a new book of cartoons by GAHAN WILSON. Being a big fan of his, I ran over to the book, grabbed it up and started enthusiastically thumbing through it. Suddenly, a rather dapper fellow in a suit and tie, with a bright red handkerchief sticking out of his jacket pocket, approached me and said, "Would you like me to sign it for you?" I looked at him confused for a second, and suddenly I realized that this fellow was GAHAN WILSON!! Not only did he sign my book, but he drew in it an elaborate cartoon based on my telling him that I aspired to be a film-maker. He drew a film strip with a series of successive images of a bullet getting closer and closer to some poor, worried-looking victim's head. My companion also bought a book and, since she was a very attractive lady, he was inspired to draw an even funnier and larger cartoon! And the fact that I own an "original" Gahan Wilson drawing, one gruesomely tailored to me, fills me with great pride! He was a brilliant man with a wicked sense of humor, and he will be sorely missed.




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