 COMICS |  | 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.]
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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.
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