Art Bee’s Memoirs of William R. Davis, Jr.

REVIEW: The Movement #3
REVIEW:  Minutemen #1

William R. Davis, Jr.

If you all have been wondering what has been going on with the guys at HCB, we have been in mourning for the passing of HCB founder, William R. Davis, Jr. His passing took William in his prime, but he has left his mark on this world. Madman, Will Dubbeld, and I will never forget our fellow writer. Even though his schedule kept him from writing with us, his spirit and personality were imbedded into The Hammond Comics Blog. He will forever be the bedrock of this site.

Being the last regular member to join the team I never had the pleasure to meet William face-to-face, but we did have several one-on-one conversations in addition to our group chats. He inspired me to improve my writing and always offered positive and constructive criticism to keep my sights aimed upward. That is what I will miss the most.

When I was first invited to write for this blog, I started reading all of the previous content to gain a feel for what the tone and pros were, just like a good writer should. There were two of William’s posts that strummed my heart strings, which are still singing today.

The first was about Minutemen #1. In this review, Davis, Jr. tears into DC’s corruption over intellectual property rights, while also recognizing the quality of the product. What surprised me about the piece was his ability to be passionate about the subject while still being objective. This is something I wish I could accomplish better, since my heart is worn on my sleeve.

The second was his review of The Movement #3. In the review he was able to convince me to start reading The Movement series. This should strike some as strange since I don’t really care for DC. He opened my eyes, as he often did.

My love for Indie books was kindled by each of my co-writers here, but William R. Davis, Jr. was the most responsible. His influence pushed me outside of my comfort zone, and I am better for it. Some time ago our pioneer challenged me to read and review a graphic novel named Epileptic. This novel would have never even met my eyes if it hadn’t been for William's challenge, but it was one of the greatest stories I have read in the past ten years.

William R. Davis, Jr., you were a shining star in many lives while you were with us, and we will radiate that light for the rest of our lives now that you are gone. Rest in peace, our friend.