Ron Kasman is the man behind The Tower of the Comic Book Freaks, a graphic novel and coming of age story of friends who travel from Toronto to a New York City in 1971 for a comic convention and how the events at that convention change their lives. Though the story is fictional, it mimics many of Kasman’s experiences as a comic fan in the 1970s. Ron actually played an integral part in Toronto’s budding comic scene. His first comic shop was Canada’s first comic shop, “Captain George” Henderson’s Memory Lane Books on Markham Street. He also helped organize Cosmicon, what was likely Toronto’s first comic convention, at York University where he watched legendary artist Neal Adams drop acid for the one and only time in his life. If that weren’t enough, Ron served as a reference model for comic artists and worked professionally as a letterer for DC Comics. This episode is sponsored by Hairy Tarantula.

Ron Kasman’s Tumblr blog

Cosmicon 1972-1975: A Tell-all Expose by Ron Kasman

The Tower of the Comic Book Freaks

Caliber Comics (Publisher of The Tower of the Comic Book Freaks)

Episode Sponser: Hairy Tarantula.