Please Read...

[betterthanezra]

James was always a joy to chat with in the early days of the internet. Both times I met him his passion was incredible.

He will be missed...

-Brian

[magnusr]

I was asked for a pic of James Perham

So far I've seen nothing better than the "who's who" cartoon that was for instance in XO 43.

/Magnus

[ZephyrWasHOT!!]

[TimeWillTell]

Today I learned of James' passing.
Today I lost a former colleague and neighbor.
More importantly, today I lost a friend.

Although James and I didn't agree on everything during our Acclaim days together, we agreed on most. One thing we never disagreed on was our love for these great characters.

James knowledge of and passion for VALIANT was absolutely amazing. Anyone that had the good fortune to know him or the opportunity to meet him to talk about all "things VALIANT" should consider themselves very fortunate.

Today is a sad day for the VALIANT community.
Today is a sad day for me.

God's speed James.

-TWT

[Squirrel]

Today I learned of James' passing.
Today I lost a former colleague and neighbor.
More importantly, today I lost a friend.

Although James and I didn't agree on everything during our Acclaim days together, we agreed on most. One thing we never disagreed on was our love for these great characters.

James knowledge of and passion for VALIANT was absolutely amazing. Anyone that had the good fortune to know him or the opportunity to meet him to talk about all "things VALIANT" should consider themselves very fortunate.

Today is a sad day for the VALIANT community.
Today is a sad day for me.

God's speed James.

-TWT

nicely put......

[VanHook]

As some of you know, James and I met when we were 12 years old. He was my best friend during that period and we were as close as any brothers for much of the last 30 years. And by that I mean that we laughed and cried and argued and lived together. For the bulk of my run at Valiant, James shared the apartment with Carol and me along with our little boys. It was a neat split-level deal in an old pencil factory and he had his own space. But he could still pace across the catwalk and pontificate about all the things that were wrong with the industry and how nobody cared.

Or we would just make up stupid comedy bits like Jimmy P and the Plesiosaur. I played the plesiosaur, in case you were curious.

We saw the first Star Trek movie together on opening day December 7th, 1979. We went to middle school, then high school together. We bought comics at The Comic Kingdom in Detroit and read them while we ate at Burger Chef (that's right, CHEF-- who's old enough to remember those?)

No one, and I mean no one ever loved the characters at Valiant more than he did.

I miss him terribly already because I know I can't pick up the phone and hear him speak, even if it was to tell me everything I ever did wrong in our books and how I let fill in the blank phone in the script and ruin such and such a title. I'd gladly listen to him tell me how I abandoned the company when I moved to California if I could hear him talk again.

But I can't.

And that makes me feel very sad.

He was four days older than me and the two of us would have turned 43 in a few weeks.

Even when our lives were hectic we would reach out at birthdays. That's gone now.

He loved to make people laugh-- especially female people. He loved anime and his posse at Valiant/Acclaim, many of whom went on to Wizard.

Here's a picture that our friend Charles Lister took years ago.

I hope you all think as fondly of his memory as I do.

Kevin VanHook

http://kevinvanhook.com/jamesubway.jpg

[*SQUEE*]

[BloodOfHeroes]

I was fortunate enough to correspond and even meet James Perham. I won't pretend we were closer than we really were, but he was always friendly to the fans and shared his passion for all things VALIANT. I always appreciated his openness and willingness to spread the VALIANT word.

My condolences to all his loved ones.

[Squirrel]

As some of you know, James and I met when we were 12 years old. He was my best friend during that period and we were as close as any brothers for much of the last 30 years. And by that I mean that we laughed and cried and argued and lived together. For the bulk of my run at Valiant, James shared the apartment with Carol and me along with our little boys. It was a neat split-level deal in an old pencil factory and he had his own space. But he could still pace across the catwalk and pontificate about all the things that were wrong with the industry and how nobody cared.

Or we would just make up stupid comedy bits like Jimmy P and the Plesiosaur. I played the plesiosaur, in case you were curious.

We saw the first Star Trek movie together on opening day December 7th, 1979. We went to middle school, then high school together. We bought comics at The Comic Kingdom in Detroit and read them while we ate at Burger Chef (that's right, CHEF-- who's old enough to remember those?)No one, and I mean no one ever loved the characters at Valiant more than he did.

I miss him terribly already because I know I can't pick up the phone and hear him speak, even if it was to tell me everything I ever did wrong in our books and how I let fill in the blank phone in the script and ruin such and such a title. I'd gladly listen to him tell me how I abandoned the company when I moved to California if I could hear him talk again.

But I can't.

And that makes me feel very sad.

He was four days older than me and the two of us would have turned 43 in a few weeks.

Even when our lives were hectic we would reach out at birthdays. That's gone now.

He loved to make people laugh-- especially female people. He loved anime and his posse at Valiant/Acclaim, many of whom went on to Wizard.

Here's a picture that our friend Charles Lister took years ago.

I hope you all think as fondly of his memory as I do.

Kevin VanHook

http://kevinvanhook.com/jamesubway.jpg

Thanks for the touching message. I can only imagine what your going through at this time loosing more then a friend, but i would think its like loosing a part of you. God Bless you in this struggle of life to cope and GOD SPEED!

P.S.- I didn't know you were from my side of the tracks, I too bought my first comics from Comic Kingdom, and used to LOVE Burger Chef!!

[schi0249]

What a sad lose. My thoughts are with all his friends and family.

[depluto]

Damn ... that's way too early.

[Trenton Sy]

very sad, he is always mentioned as on of the "good guys" in the industry - my thoughts and prayers are with James and his loved ones at this time.

[ManofTheAtom]

http://occasionalsuperheroine.blogspot. ... *SQUEE*.html

You know, being part of the comic book community is a funny thing...

2008 marks the ten year anniversary of Acclaim Comics' Manhattan office closing. I was going to originally write, "the ten year anniversary of Acclaim Comics closing," but that would not be accurate. The company went on for two years after that, based in Acclaim Entertainment's Long Island headquarters. But, in my mind, Acclaim Comics -- also known as Valiant Comics -- had effectively ended in 1998.

James Perham was literally the last Valiant/Acclaim person to remain at Acclaim Comics, trying to hold the fort and relaunch that comic book universe one last time with Unity 2000. It was fitting that James would stick to the very end, as he was, in many was, the heart and soul of Valiant/Acclaim. He was the the glue that held things together there, not only as its operations manager, but just as a dear friend and fellow comic book fan.

I had problems sleeping early this morning, and at 4:30 I woke up and checked my Blackberry. That's when I read that James had passed away this weekend.

I mulled this over in my head, letting it sink in. It had been a long time since I saw James. My mind flipped through the pages, remembering a dozen separate instances -- funny things James had said (he was very funny), kind things he had done. A person's life can be made up by these countless instances of performing such kindnesses -- even seemingly small ones -- to others.

Given the time that has passed, I didn't think it would really have an impact -- not like it would have been with people I am in touch with now, not like a family member. But, by 5:30, when I walked in a daze into my kitchen to start the coffee, I could almost watch myself turn away from the coffeemaker, crouch to the floor, and begin to cry.

As I said, being part of the comic book community is a funny thing...

http://www.comicsreporter.com/index.php ... erham_rip/

James Perham, a writer and operations manager at Valiant, passed away over the weekend according to this post by blogger and former Valiant employee Valerie D'Orazio. Further details weren't immediately available, and I know little of Perham beyond what D'Orazio writes, such as his being the last employee to leave the company and that he wrote a few of their comics. His script contribution seem to be later-period issues within runs and a couple of the abortive re-launches, which makes sense given that company's history.

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/060408perham.html

IN MEMORIAM: JAMES PERHAM
Valiant writer of 'Bloodshot' and other comic titles dies at age 43

By Kevin VanHook
Posted 6/04/2008

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Wizard learned that former Valiant writer and editor James Perham died on Saturday, May 31, of heart failure. He was 43. We reached out to his former Valiant co-worker Kevin VanHook to recall his longtime friendship with Perham.]

Late last night, I found out that one of my best friends had died over the weekend. Nothing can prepare you for life's sucker punches no matter how many times you take a shot to the kidneys.

James Perham had been my friend longer than anyone else on the planet. We met when we were 12 years old in Detroit and our friendship was instantaneous.

We were library aides and nerds and would journey across town to Comic Kingdom to feed our addiction to what Mom called "funny books."

We lost touch for a time, but we got back together around 19 or 20 years old. Going to the Chicago Comic-Con became an annual tradition. Like a college kid cramming for a test, James would trap himself in the hotel room working on his ultimate pitch (on a portable electric typewriter) until Sunday afternoon, barely seeing the convention, then rush out to pass it on to editors who were already gone. It wasn't that he was just procrastinating (although there was that), it was the fact that he was a perfectionist.

When I was Art Director for Innovation, James came to visit and was soon writing for Dave Campiti. And he was good. He'd make extended visits, leaving notes for me to find on my front door that said, 'The Thing That Wouldn't Leave Still Hasn't Left."

In the early '90s, he wrote and designed role-playing games for a while with another eventual Valiant alumni, Cliff Van Meter.

He joined me at Valiant in '92. On his first day in town, as we headed out to Publisher Steve Massarsky's First (and last) Annual volleyball and picnic party, I was reminded that he did things his own way. I pointed out landmarks. 'There's the Empire State Building...hey, James—you're not looking." He kept his head down, saying, 'There'll be plenty of time to look at that stuff."

He loved the family of friends at Valiant/Acclaim, both on and off the page. He got to write comics and edit them and—ironically—he was the last of the Acclaim Comics employees left standing. I know he worked closely with Jeff Gomez to relaunch projects. While many of us felt that we lost something special when Valiant went away, I think James felt the loss most of all.

His work on Bloodshot, The Secret Life of Dr. Mirage and Archer & Armstrong were proud accomplishments for him.

He stayed in touch with the gang he called, "His boys." Alex, Hassan, Brent and others I'm sure I'm failing to mention, meant the world to him.

In the last few years, he'd largely left the industry and moved out West to be with family. They were important to him and always had been.

We'd talked a few times in the last year and I know he was starting to think seriously about getting back in the biz—whether it was games or comics, he was ready to start creating again. I encouraged, but didn't push too hard. I knew it had to be on his terms and when he was ready.

I don't like thinking about the fact that I can't pick up the phone and call him anymore. I'm tired of crying.

But I will treasure his memory and the laughter. Seeing my then-4-year-old kids running around him in circles as he shouted, "OH NO! They're caught in my gravitational field!!! They'll be DOOMED!"

He was a big guy with a big heart and the world is a sadder place without him.

[mrwoogieman]

Thanks for the memories Kevin.


Burger Chef and Jeff!

[svair]

http://www.wizarduniverse.com/060408perham.html

[svair]

http://occasionalsuperheroine.blogspot. ... *SQUEE*.html

[ManofTheAtom]

http://occasionalsuperheroine.blogspot. ... *SQUEE*.html

Copy cat

[svair]

are you saying my Buddy Valerie is plagiarizing?

[ManofTheAtom]

are you saying my Buddy Valerie is plagiarizing?

No, you are, lol.

I posted those two links earlier (look up)

[svair]

oh...ok

[svair]

D'OH!!

[ManofTheAtom]

D'OH!!

You spaced out there.

[svair]

been doing that lately

[cinlach@aol.com]

Totally understandable.

[MoonChild]

Condolences to the people close to him and thanks to all of the old Valiant Team for posting.