Some Help For Mr. Ostrander, Please
Among those affixed with permanent plaques in my Imagination Hall-of-Fame, John Ostrander stands out. He gets not just a plaque. He’s earned a bust. Something smooth, marble and noble, to match his Caesarian features and writing prowess.
Along with Timothy Truman, Mr. Ostrander created GrimJack. Alongside American Flagg!, Nexus, Cerebus, Elementals and a few others, comics reached no greater heights for me during the 1980s. I relished trips to Lemon Grove Bookstore, in Lemon Grove, California (duh) to pluck the latest entries in this massive independent movement rife with rich art and brilliant writing.
Given the nature of that independent movement, and reports acknowledging the same, the pressure to create, distribute and deliver month after month took its toll. First Comics and its like (Comico and others) were gone before the 1990s caught fire.
And while the pressure of industry and commerce killed that movement, we cannot allow biological pressure to take Mr. Ostrander’s eyes. You see, according to comicmix.com and Wikipedia, Mr. Ostrander has glaucoma. Doctors have been treating it for years.
However, recently, according to comicmix.com, “… John recently under went a surgical procedure called Glaucoma Filtration Surgery (trabeculectomy). The surgery is a treatment when medications cannot lower eye pressure enough. Excess interior fluid in the eye or pressure erodes the optic nerve – that’s basically what glaucoma does. Over the past several decades, John had grown resistant or allergic to some of the meds he had been taking that have kept the pressure down.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Ostrander’s health insurance failed to cover the costs of the two surgeries and related travel to a Boston hospital for the procedure. He needs help.
So, I’ll be donating. Mr. Ostrander has meant too much to me. John Gaunt, Cynosure and a hundred other aspects of the GrimJack comic book have been regular facets of my life since the first edition jumped onto the newsstands. And, just guessing, somewhere amongst his work on Starslayer, The Spectre, Manhunter, Suicide Squad, Firestorm, Justice League, Martian Manhunter, X-Men, Punisher and Star Wars, you have, too.
If that’s the case, click this and find a means of donating. As comicmix.com says, “… it would be terribly hard for John to write dialog for pages he cannot see.”
Worse, it would be terrible for John Ostrander not to write. He’s inspired thousands, like me and maybe you. Let’s help relieve one form of pressure on Mr. Ostrander so doctors can be free to relieve another.
3 Responses to “Some Help For Mr. Ostrander, Please”
Lord Shaper
I’ve donated, thanks for putting the word out!
Be sure to link and share this post with others. Thanks!
I’m all for helping out anyone in need… I’ve had so much pleasure from Johns work over the years I really don’t want to see it have to stop!
I was first introduced to it with The Spectre and currently have been enjoying his Star Wars work.
I’ll give what I can!