A happy birthday wish to an old friend in real-life...and (I flatter myself) ink-stained colleague

[thatcrazycajun]

philfoglio celebrates his birthday today. Those of you who've read Girl Genius (and if you haven't, why the frak not?!? Go check it out now!) or his many previous works, or heard his voice on Nick "Smith" Pollotta's old Radio Adventures of Phil A. Delphia (he was the evil Dr. Salvatore, opposite Nick in the title role) will doubtless not be surprised to see Your Humble Correspondent celebrating his advent on this Earth.

But to me, he's more than just a fiendishly talented illustrator, writer and onetime voice actor; he's also a personal friend of many years. When I visited Chicago back in the summer of 1988 (at the spur-of-the-moment invitation of a pal in the travel industry with a couple of free airline tickets and a few days off), he graciously made me welcome in his home even after having pretty much invited myself to his annual July 4th cookout party...and even though I arrived long after everyone else but Nick had gone home, due to my inexperience with the local elevated transit system. He also has been encouraging to me in my own artistic development in our encounters at conventions over the years, and even let me beat him at a game of poker once. In short, he's just plain good people...and the fact that he has drawn and written some of my favorite graphic stories—such as his classic adaptations of the late Bob Asprin's Myth Adventures series, his own Buck Godot: Zap Gun for Hire and the definitely-not-family-friendly XXXenophile—is but phenomenally tasty icing on the proverbial seven-layer birthday cake.

So happy 53rd, Phil...and thanks for the memories, both in person and on paper. May your Bristol board always be fresh and your pen never dry out. And to his almost-as-gifted wife kajafoglio: take good care of him for us, hon. He's an irreplaceable treasure...but then I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that.