Rest in peace, my friend Venger.

I had originally planned to write my, what I hope will be become standard, 'favourite comics of the month' post, but I felt that I should hold off for a couple of days and write this instead.

Yesterday (Friday 27th February) I found out that a friend of mine who I knew as Venger Prime, who I had met in the Facebook group 'Comic Book a Nerds Are Hot' (CBNAH), had sadly passed away as a result of a car accident.

To say this was a terrible and heartbreaking shock to myself and our mutual friends is an understatement.

I honestly don't remember when I first 'met' Venger (given that I'd never interacted with him any way other than facebook means I use 'met' very loosely), as we had both commented on various posts over the course of time. But at some point in time we became friends and this is something I have never regretted.

Venger was a good guy, who loved his family, never took shit from anyone and, from what I could tell, lived every day of his life doing anything and everything he loved and enjoyed.

I know I'm not alone when I say this, but I will miss his sharp-witted posts which always made me grin, even on my darkest days. I'll also miss the kind, supportive words he gave everyone he (and I) knew, which kind of explains why so many of our friends thought the world of him and are as pained by his passing as I am.

And if we are missing him so much already, I can scarcely imagine how his family are feeling.

Venger was my friend, my brother, and him moving on has left a hole I'm not sure can be filled. But I'm glad to have met him, talked to him and to have called him my friend, just as all other nerds would agree.

To his family, I offer my deepest condolences.

And to Venger, wherever he may be, I want to say, for being my friend and brother, Thank You!!