Tom Spurgeon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tom Spurgeon |
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Tom Spurgeon by Michael Netzer
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| Born | December 16, 1968 Muncie, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | November 13, 2019 (aged 50) Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Writer, journalist, historian |
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Notable works
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The Comics Reporter |
| Awards | Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism, Eisner Award (2010, 2012, 2013) |
Thomas Martin Spurgeon (born December 16, 1968 – died November 13, 2019) was an American writer and editor. He was known for his work with comics. He edited The Comics Journal for five years. He also created a popular website called The Comics Reporter.
Contents
Growing Up
Tom Spurgeon was born in Muncie, Indiana, on December 16, 1968. He had two brothers. His mom worked in health care. His dad was an editor for local newspapers. His dad also chose which comics would appear in the papers.
Tom was a class president in high school. He went to Washington and Lee University in Virginia. There, he played football. In 1991, he earned a degree in History and Politics. After college, he studied at a seminary for two years.
His Career in Comics
Editing The Comics Journal
From 1994 to 1999, Tom Spurgeon worked at The Comics Journal. This was a magazine about comics. He started as a managing editor and later became the executive editor.
While he was there, the magazine started covering more comics from Europe. This helped English-speaking readers learn about new comics from France. His magazine also wrote about new American comic artists.
Writing Comics and Books
After leaving The Comics Journal, Tom wrote a comic strip called Wildwood. He created it with his friend Dan Wright. This comic strip appeared in about 80 newspapers from 1999 to 2002.
Tom also wrote books about comics. He co-wrote a book about the famous comic creator Stan Lee. This book was called Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book. He also helped write The Romita Legacy.
Starting The Comics Reporter
In 2004, Tom Spurgeon launched his own website, The Comics Reporter. He worked with Jordan Raphael, who designed the site. This website became a very important place for news and reviews about comics.
Tom also co-wrote a history book about Fantagraphics. This company published The Comics Journal. The book was called Comics as Art: We Told You So. It was released in 2017.
Leading Cartoon Crossroads Columbus
In 2014, Tom became the Executive Director of Cartoon Crossroads Columbus. This is a free event held every year in Columbus, Ohio. It celebrates cartooning and graphic novels.
His Personal Life
Tom Spurgeon was a tall man. In 2011, he had emergency surgery. After this, he wrote an essay about his experience. A year later, he shared another essay. In it, he talked about how his health changed his view on life. He explained that his desire to be healthier grew stronger after his surgery.
Tom Spurgeon passed away on November 13, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. He was 50 years old.
Awards and Recognition
Tom Spurgeon and The Comics Reporter won the Eisner Award multiple times. This award is for Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism. They won in 2010, 2012, and 2013. The website also received an award for arts and literature coverage in 2002. In 2019, Tom was part of the jury for the Ringo Awards.
