New Titans #61 p.01 - A Lonely Place of Dying
Artists: Tom Grummett (Penciller) , Bob McLeod (Inker) , George Pérez (Layouts)
43 Comments - 981 Views - 36 Likes
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New Titans #61 p.01 - Color
New Titans #61 Cover - Color
Artwork Details
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DescriptionLife is full of ironies and coincidences. When I began reading & collecting comics at age 12 in 1982, I vividly remember my dad screaming at me at the top of his lungs, asking me why I was reading them. "Comics are for kids!", he yelled. My first thought was, "What am I, at age 12, if not a kid?". The thing is, I didn't want to have to go through the same thing every time he saw me with comics. So from that day forward, if I knew my dad was home when I got back from the comic shop, I'd sneak the comics into the house by going in through the garage, which allowed me to go directly down into the basement where I stored my slowly growing first pile of comics.Fast forward 5 years later and my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Even back then in the late 80's that was an automatic death sentence, because it's a cancer that doesn't show any symptoms until it has grown into the late stages. I have no idea why they decided to do it, as I was only 17 and my mom was handling all the hospital stuff, but the doctors decided to open my dad up and remove the massive, primary tumour. I can only imagine how difficult it is to recover from being torn open like that, let alone deal with the fact that you likely still have the cancer in you. Needless to say, my dad began feeling bad again soon thereafter and was once again told he had pancreatic cancer. He went into the hospital to start treatment, but after a short while he was begging my mom to let him go home. He said the nurses and doctors weren't treating him well but I think it was simply a question of him being afraid of having to face his own mortality and not wanting to spend whatever time he had left in the cold, sterile environment of a hospital. So my mom told the doctors we insisted on taking him home and they signed the release papers. I'll never forget it the moment we brought him home. He walked very gingerly through the front door, slowly got down on his knees, kissed the floor and cried. That was the first time in my life I'd seen my dad cry and also the first time in my life I felt I had my first real idea of what it must be like for any person to deal with their own mortality and how important being in the comfort of your own home really is for people in times of duress. A nurse used to come by the house once per week to pump my dad full of morphine, so he wouldn't (hopefully) feel any pain. The drawback to that is that so much morphine also essentially takes away the person's mind and they are unresponsive until their last breath. My dad lived for many months and a funny irony that didn't escape my attention was the fact that I'd spend time sitting by his bedside, whiling away the hours by reading comics. I specifically remember reading Crisis on Infinite Earths, followed by Watchmen as that series was coming out. Dad eventually passed away at around 4am on Friday, May 6th, 1988 at the age of 56. The only reason I remember what day of the week it was is because I was working part time at my local comic shop back then and the new comics came in on Fridays, the busiest day of the week, and when I phoned my boss a few hours later to tell him my dad had finally passed away and that I was sorry I wouldn't be able to go into work that day, his immediate response was "You can't come in? But on a Friday? You can't just come in for a little while to help me with the reserves?". No, he wasn't malicious, he was just a wet behind the ears mama's boy who always had his elderly parents sitting on chairs in the store with him all day long and he had zero self-awareness. Anyway, fast forward to last Saturday when the comics world received news that George Pérez had passed away from his own battle with pancreatic cancer, also on a Friday, May 6th. Yes, exactly 34 years to the day, on the same day of the week that my dad passed away. That is a crazy, ironic yet honestly also kind of cool coincidence, and I can't help but think that in my dad's final days, had he still been able to communicate, he no doubt would've told me off for reading those Pérez drawn Crisis comics while sitting next to him as he lay in bed, and that makes me smile. I don't actually have any Pérez pencilled art in my collection, only layouts and even those pages I bought because they had finished pencils done by Tom Grummett. But as so many people have been posting their own tributes to George, I figured I may as well do one myself. This page comes from the 4th chapter of the 5-part A Lonely Place of Dying storyline, which was published at the height of Bat-Mania in 1989. Nobody seems to talk about it these days, but I remember it being a good read and a lot of fun back then. Hopefully this page sparks the same good memories for some of you as it does for me! Social/Sharing |
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Comments on this Artwork
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Kavi H 
Member Since 2018
3 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Wow that's a deep and powerful story about your dad and his battle with cancer, thanks for sharing Ruben, and sorry for your loss (34 years later i know but still I will say it). (also great page)
Derek Crabbe
Member Since 2020
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Lots of good memories. Thank you for sharing your art and your story.
gene o
Member Since 2018
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Greatness. Perez/Grummett/McLeod! Talk about "titans" of the comics world.
Miki Annamanthadoo
Member Since 2003
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Thanks for the very heart warming story!
But I do find it amazing with your large collection that you did not have a Perez pencilled page!
Duke Fleed aka #1 Groo Fan
Member Since 2013
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Great page. Love the expression and all the rendering. The story was touching and a real window into your life. Thank you for sharing.
Vito L
Member Since 2012
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Very touching story. I also lost my father to cancer when I was young.
Fantastic title page.
Jordan Joanou
Member Since 2008
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Such a spectacular showpiece. So worthy of framing and displaying.
And, from such a historic issue. Congrats.
Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005
4 - Posted on 5/10/2022
George Perez come and passed
All the best can never last
Prayer's up, he was heaven sent
Like my fathers come to pass
That's just life, it goes so fast
Mourn for you, in remembrance
Rotting my the brain again
Reading comic art
Drenched in my pain again
Becoming who we are
As my memory rests
But never forgets what we lost
Wake me up when September ends
Steve Lipsky
Member Since 2008
3 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Ruben, I had no idea you went through such trauma with your Dad. Not only was he unable to understand your love for comics but, soon after he was taken away from you--and on the same day as George passed 34 years later. Very eerie. I know it's way after the fact, but I am so sorry for your loss. Heart breaking story and nice tribute to George. Excellent page with Perez, Grummett and McLeod all meshing well. I'd write more, but I need to go get a tissue. Sorry.
F M
Member Since 2005
3 - Posted on 5/10/2022
In life, some people believe in coincidences, other don't, only in syncronicities (which I find one can find anywhere if you follow that rationale).
I don't and yet this story is quite intriguing in that regard, between your Dad's personal life and George's.
What it should tell you, I don't know but I'm deeply sorry you had to experience something as profoundly horrible as such a young age.
If I may be so bold without knowing him, my intuition is that your Dad wouldn't frown now on your reading comics and collecting art given the place you hold in our hobby.
(aAnd yes, the splash is nice, with three classic styled artists meshing well on the page, even though I find that's hardly the point here).
Thanks for sharing all this.
Michael McIsaac
Member Since 2020
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
This splash is spectacular! A Lonely Place of Dying had such huge buzz when it hit the stands. I remember being very excited about the prospect of a new Robin, and this story delivered.
Thank you for sharing the personal story as well. I can only imagine how rough your father's illness must have been to deal with, especially as a teenager. For what little it's worth, I can sympathize with the part about having a parent who wasn't supportive of the comic collecting hobby. My mother believed that anyone who read comics past the age of 13 was developmentally stunted and wouldn't be able to handle life on their own, and I had to hear it all of the time. A different generation's way of thinking, I guess.
Comic Art Channel
Member Since 2018
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Beautiful piece and beautiful tribute to your Dad and George, Ruben.
K Gearon
Member Since 2011
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Appreciate you sharing the story, Ruben. 34 years to the day. Wow. That connection to your dad and comics. RIP, both of these gentlemen, and I hope you have fond memories of him just as you do looking at your wonderful art. Case in point :) Killer title splash, man - love how the perspective is literally that of the character holding the Robin costume. Congrats!
Paul P Spiderversity
Member Since 2011
3 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Wow, Ruben, thank you so much for telling that poignant story, and wow, that May 6th coincidence is something else. It's wonderful that we can post beautiful pieces of art, but all we really did there was pay the money. It's the descriptions, the stories and the memories that we include with the art that bring it to that next level. And you always bring the heat. With this story of yours, it was sad, but also sweet and funny at times. And dang, your dad was 56. I'm 56 now, and it just makes me treasure every day. Oh, and yeah, this title splash! So cool !!! I love me a nice title splash with all the text and artist credits. With this image, I love how you feel like YOU could be the one holding out the Robin costume. RIP your father and George Perez.
Rick W
Member Since 2017
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Thanks for sharing your story and this great title splash!
Nick - Barry - Matt - Hal - Namor
Member Since 2015
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Grummett complemented Perez's layout well, and made it his own at the same time!
Congrats Ruben!
Amir E
Member Since 2020
2 - Posted on 5/10/2022
Thanks for sharing Ruben. Very touching story. The art's not too shabby either ;-)
Johnny M
Member Since 2014
Forum Moderator
2 - Posted on 5/11/2022
This image is incredibly powerful, but it pales in comparison to your story. Well told!
Peter Sullivan
Member Since 2006
2 - Posted on 5/11/2022
Wow . Thats surely some description about art and what memories it ran raise. Also, sadly, contains one of the most insensitive quotes I have ever read. WTF? "You can't come in? But on a Friday? You can't just come in for a little while to help me with the reserves?" I would have told the guy to swivel on it and decked him.
Bill J
Member Since 2009
2 - Posted on 5/12/2022
Thanks for sharing! I was deeply touched by the story of your Dad's death. Losing a parent is one of the toughest things any of us can face. I've been there and I feel your pain.
J H
Member Since 2019
3 - Posted on 5/12/2022
Can you come in anyway 🤦♂️ ... Rubén, I'm sorry you had to go through all that. Thank you for sharing that tribute to your father, and how it tied into your feelings about George Perez passing. What a crazy coincidence, too. I'm very glad that makes you smile. Great piece, but your story is the story of this post. RIP to both George and your father.
Ian Saint
Member Since 2021
2 - Posted on 5/12/2022
Powerful story. It reminds you that everyone has their own life stories filled many different nuances. If you say a single word to a group of people it can flourish into the recollection of so many unique lived experiences.Thank you for sharing the meaning behind it as it paints such a vivid picture. Excellent piece!!!
Kin Wong
Member Since 2007
2 - Posted on 5/14/2022
It's an eerie connection between how your dad and George Pérez passed away, but thanks for sharing the personal story.
Brian Norton
Member Since 2006
2 - Posted on 5/14/2022
wow great title page done by Tom and bob. the layout of the piece is fantastic with all the details in the background and the old Robin outfit front and center. really nice piece for your titains collection and also very touching stry Ruben.
David Askani’Son
Member Since 2012
Forum Moderator
2 - Posted on 5/15/2022
Beautiful Story and My deepest Condolences Brother. Love this beauty of a page.
Rich Cirillo
Member Since 2004
2 - Posted on 5/17/2022
Thank you for sharing this personal story so eloquently my friend. Beautiful art as well.
Jeffrey Wedding
Member Since 2009
3 - Posted on 5/18/2022
Sometimes the like button just isn't enough. Great page and better description. Thank you for sharing.
Jason Hussa
Member Since 2017
2 - Posted on 5/19/2022
Beautiful post, Rubèn. I lost my father to pancreatic cancer as well, although he was the one who championed my comic collecting (despite my mom's adamant dislike/distrust of them). A beauty of a layout here, with great finishes and inks by Tom Grummett (glad the editors saw the note in the credits and added the extra "T"!) and Bob McLeod.
Mr. Perez was a true titan of the art form, and his command of character, situation, and storytelling was (and still is) a joy to behold (and will remain so indefinitely). If one you are very lucky, you'll be able to fill the storybook of your own life with beauty, joy, and wonder. Because WE are so lucky, George's artfulness spilled over into all of ours as well. Lovely page, Rubèn, and rest in peace, Mr. Perez (and your father, Rubèn).
Ruben DaCollector
Member Since 2008
Posted on 6/10/2022
So as if all the crazy ironies and coincidences regarding how my dad and George are now "connected" forever weren't already enough, I just found out that yesterday, June 9th, is George's birth date. What's the connection this time? Well, June 9th (2009) also just happens to be the date my mom died, not pancreatic, but also from cancer. So now, even my mom is connected in death with George Pérez. Seriously, BOTH of my parents now have a bizarre, creepy, coincidental connection in death by cancer, with George Pérez. WTF?!?!
Lee P
Member Since 2011
1 - Posted on 9/11/2022
Ruben, thanks for posting your story and this page. Both are truely memorable.
Gal Schwartz
Member Since 2005
1 - Posted on 1/4/2023
Amazing page !! This legenday creative team did some of their very best work on this arc !
Tom McDonald
Member Since 2019
1 - Posted on 6/2/2024
Wonderfully written post. My dad passed from lung cancer. I understand your loss. Thanks for sharing.
Bill J
Member Since 2009
Posted on 3/13/2025
Thanks so much for sharing that story about your Dad's battle with Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer is a deadly disease to battle--especially Pancreatic Cancer--and I know how difficult it must have been for you as well. The pain of losing your Dad it such an early age must have been so hard for you. My son-in-law has been battling pancreatic cancer as well. He's only 36 but the cancer was discovered realtively early and after immunotherapy treatment and a very complex surgery to remove parts of multiple organs, he seems to be recovering. We'll see whether it returns or not. But it has been very hard on my daughter and their two kids and on me seeing such young lives disrupted by cancer. My condolences for your loss. I do understand and share your pain.
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