The Beguiling and its staff would like to offer our condolences to the friends and family of Rory Root, the owner of Comic Relief in Berkeley, California, who passed away yesterday.

Rory was a long-time professional acquaintance of The Beguiling, and ran one of the greatest comic stores in the world. Comic Relief won The Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award in its inaugural year alongside The Beguiling and now-defunct store Moondog's, and Comic Relief had only become a stronger and larger store in subsequent years. Rory's success was inspiring to us, and it was always an honour for The Beguiling to be mentioned alongside Rory Root and Comic Relief.

Comics is poorer for his loss, and we hope that friends and fellow retailers step up to try and match his unwavering dedication to quality works, to the small press, and to making the comics industry a better place.

Sincerely,

- The Staff of The Beguiling