Get Yourself An Eric Carman
The Comic Jam remembers a one-of-a-kind talent.
This is a the type of thing that you don’t want to write. I don’t think anyone does. A few weeks ago we lost a very special person. A person that was my go-to when I needed help with The Comic Jam. A person who was my go-to when I needed an ear for a story idea. My go-to for when I needed advice on life. Eric Carman Sr. was an incredible cartoonist that used his talents at the Jam simply because he loved being a part of it.
I invited Eric into the group a few years ago and immediately we became friends. His enthusiasm for life was infectious. He celebrated our wins and commiserated in our losses. Soon he took on the mantle of “uncle Eric” to my kids and I think he relished in it. Any time we’d be chatting on the phone my kids would make their way on to tell him about school or tell him a joke. We got familiar enough that occasionally cartoon distillations of events related to Eric over the phone began showing up in my inbox. The Allen Files, he called them. I’ll cherish them.
He was a team player and fiercely devoted to making The Comic Jam a fun place to make comics. I could count on Eric to get the job done when the deadlines were looming. He got shit done. I ended up making that his bio:
Eric Carman gets shit done. Ask anyone around that doesn’t have an Eric Carman in their life. Are they getting shit done? No. Not at all. Get yourself an Eric Carman. The world will be better off for it.
It was me being silly, but also I wasn’t lying. Eric was the best and I, along with the rest of the Jam, will truly miss him. The only other thing I can say about this whole terrible loss (other than reiterate what an amazing and wonderful man Eric is) would be to stop reading this post now… seriously, you can come back. Stop and tell your friends you love them. It’s free to do and very easy to accomplish. If you have an Eric Carman in your life, whoever that person is, don’t go a day without telling them what an amazing human being they are. If you don’t have yourself an Eric Carman, start looking now. The world needs more of them and sadly, they’re in short supply.
Eric A Carman Sr (he was so very proud to be a Senior) leaves behind an amazing wife and five incredible children. Thank you for everything Eric.
