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May 18th, 2013
Grandpa Never Ends
Discussion (46)¬
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I still say a new book needs to be done with ALL the train people you have memorialized.
There is one already. It's the newest one. It's called "Does the Afterlife Have Skittles?"
ref: Skittles
And it is excellent!
Just got my copy this week & tore through it….I'll hafta' reread next week.
Thank-You Mr. Bell!
I'm just now catching up on the last month of Candorville and this was amazing. The rolled up newspaper in the with his "grandson's" comic was fantastic. It clearly shows the pride people take in their families accomplishments and how much he loved you. Well done
I know Bell is a quite common last name, but speaking of our ancestors, wonder if you had any from St. Louis, by way of Mississippi? Here in St. Louis, we have a street named for James "Cool Papa" Bell, thought possibly to be the fastest runner ever to play the game of baseball! https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=534135606…
I don't know, my grandpa never mentioned him. We were mostly from Marshall, TX. But anything's possible.
Oh!
Sorry, I've got to say some more (I deal with things in a verbal way). Perhaps I've missed it, but no one seems to have commented — at least directly — on the manner in which you, Darrin Bell, were able to capture your dear Grandpa Roscoe's visage in the cartoon panels. I could recognize him at once, but there was more than the outline of his facial features. Nobility, honor, pride, satisfaction, joy, intelligence, perseverance — all there, with just a few careful strokes of your pens and inks.
[Sorry – some typos in my comment submitted a few minutes ago — and a missing last line.]
Closure is a great sentiment, but let's all agree losses like these never "close". We would be mindless, insensitive, and zombie-like if Grandpa Roscoe's life could be tucked away in a file cabinet or shut up behind a basement door. No, I hope, Mr. Darrin Bell, that all of this stays always open, and why should it not? It’s you, of course, and you're not closing, are you? I've only known Grandpa a few weeks, and he's already an indelible part of me. This last set of panels was a fitting, creative, and beautiful end to the story — SO FAR. "Grandpa never ends", right?
Well… I think you’ve captured my feelings exactly. A few have said they’re making progress in letting him go, to which I always reply “why?” Just because his body’s no longer here, that doesn’t mean that what he was to us has to disappear too. I knew him very well. I knew him well enough to know what he WOULD say about pretty much anything I were to ask him or say to him. I knew him well enough to know what advice he would give me in pretty much any situation. And I believe we each have a soul that just lives in a body for a few decades before being set free by the body’s death and I believe I’ll be seeing him again someday. So I don’t ever have to feel as if Grandpa’s really gone. As long as I think about him and apply what he taught me to the rest of my life, he’ll always be with me.
It’s important to eventually try and let go of the pain, but we don’t ever have to let go of the people.
Astounding strip! Thank you!
Thank you, everyone! I can't tell you how much it's helped to read each one of your comments (here and at GoComics, and through e-Mail, Twitter and Facebook), and know that Grandpa's getting the respect and appreciation he's always deserved. He had it in life, and he's got it in death. Thanks again.
Really beautiful and meaningful. Thank you! God bless your grandfather.
Being the caregiver during the end-of-life stage is such a hard job. I'm sure you accomplished it with as much grace and love as your art displayed this past week. He is STILL proud of you, Mr. Bell. Thank you for sharing this wonderful man with us.
Thank you for this series. It has moved so many people, including me. What grace you had in how you are dealing with grief. I am in awe.
I have to tell you how moved I am by your current story: the love and respect you've shown for your grandfather is immense, powerful, moving. You've painted him in a way that lets thousands of us come to know him, respect him, understand him, just a little. Thank you.
That was a touching, beautiful tribute
You've created an absolutely beautiful tribute. I can't stop crying. This series brings back so many emotions on losing my own Grandpa who was also a hardworking Navy veteran of WWII in the Pacific. I knew he wasn't going to get well when I prayed for him and could only picture him in my mind as a young man, so today's strip was incredibly moving. Thank you for sharing your grandfather with us all. You have my very deepest sympathies.
Sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing his life and your relationship with him. Love is the most powerful force there is.
I have to believe that your grandfather was so proud of you, Darrin Bell! Your tribute, which ended today with him once again a handsome young sailor in his prime, is so touching and loving. Thanks to you, we can all know what a lucky man he was in so many ways, but especially to have you to remember him so beautifully. Well done and thank you!
Sir, I only wish that I had the words to convey the impact that this week's strip had on me. When Mr. Bell pulled out the newspaper to say how proud he was of his grandson, I wept as I'm doing so now. Your grandfather had every right to be proud. You are incredibly talented to be able to capture the sublime of the human experience in four panels.
Thank you.
Beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes, remembering my grandma. We don't see such thoughtful and loving images enough in the media. This is why I love Candorville. Thanks so much.
One of the most beautiful tributes that I have ever read…especially in the comics! You have received a special blessing…accompanying your grandfather to the end of his journey. I'll bet he'll have that paper in his pocket when you meet him at the end of your journey. Thank you for sharing his journey and being with him to the end!
A faithful reader of Candorville
To share this story and its meaning is the most important you can do: to remind us people, how we should handle live, our families, friends,…my sincerliest thanks, from Germany!
Thank you for honoring your Granddaddy. I think he's meeting up with another old sailor from WWll…my Daddy. I'm sure they have a lot of stories to share. Blessings on you and your family.
Thanks, Mr. Bell, for the tribute to your grandfather. My condolences in your loss. Your series brought back vivid memories of my own grandfather who played an important and formative role in my life.
Grandpa is the best thing I've ever seen in a comic strip. Thank you.
Some think the comics are a silly frivolous use of space. However, anyone reading this last weeks strip of your grandfather going home, realizes how powerful and emotionally evocative some brief words can be. I cried twice this week-Friday and Saturday. Thank you Darrin Bell for showing how writing is an important skill and powerful art form.
Excellent, touching, sequence. Thank you.
What they all said. Ten times over. Wonderfully done
Fantastic! Award-worthy!
A wonderful sequence, wiped me out.
Thank you. This was a beautiful tribute to a man much loved. My condolences to you and your family on your loss.
First I LOVE Candorville. I love the story lines and the characters. But I never thought it would bring me to tears. The tribute to Grampa was wonderful. And the last panel………I had to run for the tissues.
my husband and I both thank you and bless you Mr. Bell. and your Grandpa too. we are sure he did carry your wonderful work in his back pocket.
Just want to say thank you and nominate you for best use of ink in a newspaper
It was a wonderful reminder for all of us. Thank you for sharing.
Mr. Bell. Thank you for sharing this real life story. It touched me greatly. My condolences on your loss and my thanks for celebrating your grandfather's life.
Today is the first time a comic strip has brought tears (joyful) to my eyes. Thank you for your story, beautifully done, and for all your comics.
Just read the finale. First goosebumps, then tears and finally a smile, Absolutley beautiful. Thank you Darrin Bell
I am speechless. OMG. OMG. OMG.
This was a superb story arc topped off by a poignant ending. Beautifully done.
Love it. I hope that by doing this you find some closure, Mr. Bell.
Closure is a great sentiment, but let's all agree losses like these never "close". We would be mindless, insensitive, and zombie-like if Grandpa Roscoe's life could be tucked away in a file cabinet or shut up behind a basement door. No, I hope, Mr. Darrin Bell that all of this stays always open, and why should it not? it's you, of course, and you're not closing, are you? I've only known Grandpa a few weeks, and he's already an indelible part of me. This last set of panels was a fitting, creative, and beautiful end to the story — SO FAR.
Such a beautiful tribute! I've had my mom's cane by my bed, too:-) She worked at an airbase and several of her sibs served in the military during The War, as it was always referred to in our family, in the Atlantic, Pacific and North African theaters, in the Army, Army Air Corps and WAVES. It's a great thing that you and your fiancee did, for a great man. My condolences on your loss.