On Day 2 of the San Diego Comic-con I attended the 'Tribute to Bill Liebowitz' panel from 11:30-12:30. Hosted by retailer Joe Field with panelists/retailers Rory Root, Mimi Cruz, Archie writer George Gladir, and editor-in-chief of Archie Comics Victor Gorelick. Ryan, Sharon and Bill's daughter were in attendance along with dozens of customers and fellow retailers.

Joe Field started by reminiscing about Bill's business savvy. He told how Bill kept binders with pictures of his store's events. Where most stores had 1-2 per year in the 1980s, Bill was hosting that many per week! He believed in the power and potential of the comics' medium, supporting comics from every publisher imaginable big or small.

After a youth spent as a doo-wop enthusiast and record collector, Liebowitz worked briefly at a burlesque show on the Sunset strip (teaching the girls raunchy moves). He settled down with Sharon and opened the legendary Melrose location of Golden Apple in 1979. I used to read about Bill and his exploits in the old weekly Comics Buyer's Guide. I first met him at the Chicago Comic-con as a teenager publishing a small press black and white comic. He told me he carried my book and encouraged my aspirations. When I moved to Los Angeles in 1989 with just a few hundred bucks to my name the first thing I did was catch the bus to Golden Apple. I asked Bill about a job and right away he picked up the phone and dialed up Ken Krueger at what had just become Diamond Comic Distributors' following their acquisition of Capital City. Bill told me the bus route and insisted on giving me the bus fare to get there. I had a job later that day in East L.A., packing orders at Diamond's warehouse and ready to face the challenges of my freshman year in film school.

Golden Apple was the first comic shop I patronized in California. When Image Comics blew up in the 90's I attended many of those signings with the line wrapped around the block to see McFarlane, Larson and Liefeld. When I worked with John Singleton for those four fabulous years we stopped by the shop every Wednesday possible. Or John would (and probably still does) have his comics shipped to him on location wherever he was! I can mark milestones in my life by tracking my relationship with Golden Apple. After being hired by a major Hollywood production company to write a script on Marvel's "Luke Cage" all I had to do was make one call to Bill and he had a complete run of the comics (from "Luke Cage" down to the final issue of "Powerman & Iron Fist") ready for me in about a week.

Bill was always upbeat about comics, fandom, yo-yos, movies, pin-up girls, writers, artists, and science fiction and, most of all, his customers. His people. I was glad to count myself among them and will continue to patronize Golden Apple and whatever the Liebowitz clan is up to. If you're ever in Los Angeles there's two places you must visit to get the full Melrose experience: Pink's hot dogs at the corner of La Brea, and 7711 Melrose Avenue to check out one of the friendliest, best stocked stores in the Comic book Nation. Bill, with his booming voice and hideous Hawaiian shirts, will be missed. Thanks for your all support and rest in peace.