This does not get easier. Lest you think I am being flippant, “Death Day” was an invention of Mark’s… 24 years ago, on a Monday morn, Mike Carlin and I were planning to “invade” Marvel and accost Mark to go to lunch. I had moved upstate but was coming into town on a regular basis to work at Penthouse Comix. Mike was an Editor– not yet Editor In Chief — at DC.

Instead, I got a gut-wrenching call from Mike, in a tone of voice I’d not only not heard from Mike but not ever heard. He thought Mark was dead. I forget now how he had heard. I called the office and spoke to a young, somber voice, who indeed confirmed that Mark had died.

Mike and I conferred and went to lunch anyway. Shaken and tear-filled we spent the time talking about our pal.

Here below is a pic of Mark with our mutual pal — and my good friend — Rick Marschall. We coincidentally were attending the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany. I was accompanying Rick; trying to help his publishing business.

In the shot, which was taken on the last day of the fair and Mark was in his civilian garb, packing up the Marvel booth. Rick of course was teasing and poking fun at something… This was November, 1989. (Yes, the very week of the Fall of the Berlin Wall…)