This may mean absolutely nothing to the vast majority of people reading this blog, but Mark Millar reports today that Pete Root has died:
Anyone on the comics scene in the 80s would know Pete as the grumpy, but hilarious one when AKA [Books and Comics] first opened in the Virginia Galleries. I was 13 when I found the shop and got into town at every opportunity. He, John and Bob were an interesting mix and opened me up to a lot of material I’d never had known about, my own tastes basically being to buy any comic I could find with Superman on the cover.
As I grew older, I got to know Pete a little more as a guy and though I only really bumped into him a couple of times a year I really enjoyed his company. His back-issue business really took a hit when the market collapsed some years back, but he soldiered on selling collectables and in the face of huge internet competition just because he loved it. Selling comics was the next best thing to reading comics for him and, sadly, he had to give it all up last year when he had his first stroke.
Rest in peace, mate.
AKA was maybe the third comic book store I ever visited, and Mark isn’t overstating how great a store it was (and maybe still is, I haven’t been there in years), and how much fun the staff made it, in their weird way. It’s genuinely upsetting to read about Root’s death, and my thoughts go out to his friends and family.
June 30th, 2007 at 4:19 am
Going to AKA was something like a pilgrimage for me when I was a kid, it was like going down the rabbit hole. I think I spoke about 5 words to Pete during the time that I knew him, Pete just didn’t need to talk unless there was something to say ( usually very funny and dry )….and I was frankly a bit scared of him. He had this intensity and dedication to the cause that was kind of …awe inspiring.
October 14th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Nice comments,I met Pete once a few years ago in Glasgow while looking for some comics to make up the collection I had since I was a schoolboy,he was a real gent and very helpful with some good advice. So sorry to hear of his death,the world of comics is a poorer place without him.