All My Toys: 295 Celebrating William Bruce West

I wasn't sure if I wanted to share this post or keep it to myself, but it is important for me to pay tribute to William Bruce West. He was inspiring. His friendship and support over the years meant the world to me. My heart goes out to his family, friends, and anyone who has been mourning his loss. Before you jump in, please consider supporting the West Family with a donation to their GoFundMe. If you can't donate, please spread the word. 

Late one night, Miss M's apartment...

Miss M: Oh come on. Where are you?! This is insane. I so thought you would be there. 

Miss M: Shoot. Come on. Where did I put it? This is just ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Me from the past really messed up.

Miss M: Ok. Ok. Just think. If I were a notebook from over 10 years ago, where would I be? Oh. My. Gawd. What if I forgot it during my move here?

Bruce Wayne: Looking for something?

Miss M: (startled) AHHH! Dear sweet Jeezus!

Miss M: Dang it Bruce! Frickin Bruce! I told you, you can't just appear in my home! I am not Commissioner Gordon. Like. Come on man.

Bruce Wayne: Apologies. To be fair though, your door was wide open. I even did a light knock.

Miss M: Oh. I guess I didn't shut it all the way when my pizza arrived. What are you doing here?

Bruce Wayne: I saw your post. I'm sorry to hear about William. Alfred and I used to read West Week Ever each week, and place bets on who the West Week Ever would go to. Alfred typically won. 

Miss M: Yeah. We'd do that to, but ya know, your memory with amnesia and all. 

Bruce Wayne: Yeah. I wondered that. He was also a great resource. Helped Superman and me a few times in dealing with Toyman, and a rather important role in sharing his vast knowledge to help me catch the Toymaker. He will be missed. What's with this mess? Are you ok?

Miss M: Not really. I've been umm, I think I might be losing my mind. I've been thinking about Will, and the impact he had on me. And, I don't know if this is some fevered dream, but I could've sworn I was on a podcast with him. I have this memory of geeking out and being so thrilled that I was going to have a conversation with him. Like, a real life nerdin' out conversation, not the usual ones we had on social media. And I've been looking for this notebook. I'd write down every podcast episode I'd do, and if I can find it, I'll know I'm not crazy. Because he was special to so many of us. 

Bruce Wayne: I didn't realize you two were close. 

Miss M: I mean. He was certainly closer with other people. We never got to meet up in person at a toy show or a con, we didn't talk to each other every day, but, we supported each other's work. We'd check on each other from time to time when life got to be too much. We were part of this amazing community. A community with so much history. It might not be the kind of history taught in school or written in a textbook, but you have to understand. You must understand. He was a light. Will possessed the values and character like the super heroes he looked up to. 

Miss M: There was this time, a truly magical time, where so many of us, collectors and pop culture geeks, wonderful creative types, we all came together with our blogs. We'd write and create, and share each other's work. We'd comment. We'd engage in conversation about so many wonderful nerdy things that for some of us, some of those things were just part of our inner worlds, but in this community we weren't alone in these interests. People became friends. People eventually found love and formed families. This community evolved. And there was Will. He knew his voice through and through. He had a memory and an opinion on absolutely everything and was always ready to engage with you about whatever the topic was. It could be a fun convo or it could be a full blown debate. He was consistent though, faithful to his writing and podcasting schedule. Life would throw some twists and turns my way, and my blogging would slow down, but there he'd be with a new post and it would push me to keep at it too.

Miss M: And there was always something to learn about him. Just when you think you had a handle on who he was as a collector, comic reader, or fan of pop culture, there he'd be talking about some new comic that I'd then be ready to pick up, or like, Swans Crossing. I remember being so stoked that he had a fondness for Swans Crossing. He created a well oiled machine with his site, it was a staple in my weekly reading and so many others as well. Podcasting is where he truly shined. Maybe that's why I thought I had been on a podcast with him before. When you heard him talk, with his excitement and humor, you felt like you were there in the conversation with him. 

Bruce Wayne: I would agree.

Miss M: It wasn't always toy talk or sharing the latest comic covers that struck his fancy. He was vocal about injustice too. He was always ready to speak on things going on in this world that were not ok. Will was brutally honest. I always admired him for that. There was a time when this magical community we were a part of learned a truth about me and the type of woman I am. There were people that jumped ship, who no longer would speak to me. Of course there were those who reached out or shared their support. Will was one of them. He would check in with me to make sure I knew I had a friend in him. I would later find out that he would be behind the scenes speaking with others to be on the look out, ready to defend me if people wanted to say something awful about me online. 

 

Miss M: This is why I have to share this, so that those who didn't know, that this community is real and Will was a big part of it, and why he was such a good person. Of course I think one of the things that was always so nice to learn about Will was his role as a husband and father. I love seeing friends thrive and live awesome lives. Will loved his wife Lindsay so much, and was not shy about sharing that. He also loved his daughters. I always got a kick out of him sharing his wisdom and humor with parenting. I can't believe he is no longer here.

Miss M: I don't want this to be real. Time isn't fair. It lulls you into a false sense of reality. Over a decade of connecting with him went by in a flash. I could have talked more with him. Checked in on him more. Actually gotten over my own anxieties and met up at a toy show or comic con. Let him know that his work and who he was inspired me. That I was grateful to consider him a friend.

 

Bruce Wayne: I'm sure he knew.

Miss M: Maybe. Can't take anything for granted, right? I just wish I could find the notebook. 

Bruce Wayne: And if you can't, maybe you write something that is dedicated to him. You said he was all about creativity and sharing his voice with the world, maybe you share something that can show your respect to him.

Miss M: Yeah. Maybe I will. I need to sit down for a second, before I pick up all this mess.

Time ebbs and flows. Miss M finds herself visiting the local comic shop...

Miss M: Hey Alf. The store looks good.

Alf: Hey! If it isn't my favorite dorkette. Haven't seen you in awhile. You been ok?

Miss M: Yeah. I think so. Business been good?

Alf: Not half bad. These darn Pokemon cards and the upteenth He-Man toy line certainly keep people coming back. Comics sell pretty well too. For the most part.

Alf: Now, what has brought you in today? Lookin to have me re-open your box?

Miss M: Oh, I just wanted to check out what was new. 

Alf: Nice. 

Miss M: Yeah. Actually. I'm here for a specific reason.

Alf: Oh?

Time ebbs and flows...

Bruce Wayne: So, what are you going to do? How might you pay your respects?

Miss M: I think it can be many things, right?

Miss M: (voice over) I plan to celebrate Will.

Miss M: (voice over) To celebrate by doing the things he loved. Reading comics. Visiting a local comic store. Taking photos of toys and fun things.

Miss M: (voice over) Talking with friends about all these nerdy things we love, that he loved, that have connected us for so many years.

Miss M: (voice over) I plan to hold onto my memories of him. And to fondly recall so many delightful interactions. 

Miss M: (voice over) I hope that we re-read his weekly entries, that we go back and listen to his podcasts. Keep his work alive.

Miss M: (voice over) That we grieve and mourn the loss of someone who will be sorely missed. That we do what we can to support Will's family, because I can't even imagine the pain they are experiencing right now. My heart goes out to them, and to everyone that is feeling heartbroken right now.

Miss M: (rests head on Bruce Wayne's shoulder) So yeah. I feel like it's all of those things. Maybe even more.

Bruce Wayne: I get it. 

Miss M: Thank you. 

Bruce Wayne: What for?

Miss M: For being here with me. I know with the amnesia and all...

Bruce Wayne: Yeah. It just felt right though, that I show up.

Time ebbs and flows...

Alf: So, don't leave me hanging. What made you come by?

Miss M: I wanted to see if I could rent this space, bring some people together. To honor a friend.

Alf: Of course. Let me just get my calendar and we can schedule something.

Alf: I'll be right back.

Miss M: Ok. Thanks Alf. (whispers into the universe) And thank you Will.

I am sending so much love and light to Will's family and friends. I wanted to pay tribute to him, and a toy story certainly made sense. Below are some links that lead to Will's site and podcasts that I enjoyed and a fellow member of the community (Shawn Robare) that had some wonderful words to share about Will too. Please check them out. (I will also update this list if I come across other people and anything that they share.)

West Week Ever (Mr. William Bruce West's website, full of so much fun stuff)

Remember that Show? Podcast (Adam Pope and Will dish on a variety of forgotten tv shows. My personal favorite is episode 2, all about Swans Crossing)

Wizards Comics Podcast (Will and Adam go in detail about the comic industry during the Wizard era. Will's knowledge and history of the comic industry just shines)

Totally Rad Christmas (this link will send you to a special episode with Will and Chad Young talking about the fancy animated series Beverly Hills Teens, it is a treat. Will also won a posthumous Raddie award for this episode.)

Plastic Rocket Pop (this link will take you to the always amazing Shawn Robare and how "I'll Never Argue with William Bruce West Ever Again...")

Hope you are all well. Hugs. 

-M