Remembering John Lent, part 4

Rifas' IGJOCA contribution, updated

 

 I want to write something in memory of John Lent. (This is not it.) I'm about to take a ten-day trip. I hope it will not be too late to add something when I get back.

 I met John in Budapest, thanks to Joe Szabo, and a few days later, as scheduled, presented a paper on his panel in Lake Bled, Yugoslavia. It was at a Communications conference, and since both he and I were part of the academic field of Communications Research, I want to talk about how in that context (in particular, American Communications Research) his work was so unusual in focusing both on global communications and on popular communication.

Amazing to think that with his enormous contributions to comics scholarship, where he not only blazed a trail but paved the foundations, he had other scholarly interests. Asian cinema? Who could have time to read so many subtitles?

One consolation I have is remembering an email exchange in which I told him that an interviewer had asked me about which comics scholars had inspired me, and I had answered simply "John Lent." When inspiring people are gone, it's a nice thing to know that you had told them how you feel about them. I'll take this as a reminder to send more fan mail.

In my review of his book Asian Comics, I called him "a supremely knowledgeable guide to Asian comics, but also a smooth and organized writer": Lent’s 'Asian Comics' a supremely knowledgeable guide - International Examiner. What a massive research effort! And that was just one volume of his astoundingly productive scholarly career.

In the great scheme of things, this planet may not amount to much, but what a gift to have been able to share it with John Lent.

I send condolences.

And since who knows what tomorrow brings, yes, you may post this. 

Leonard Rifas 

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I never had the pleasure of meeting John Lent in person, but he had an impact on me from afar. Many of my first publishing opportunities were podcast and book reviews in IJOCA. They not only helped give me some publication lines on my CV; they also gave me a sense of the field. Some of the first conferences as a young graduate student studying comics were influenced by Lent in some way (the PCA/ACA and ICAF). I am now a member of ICAF's executive committee and am proud that the Lent Award continues to recognize cutting-edge graduate student scholarship in comics studies. I am grateful for John Lent's contributions to the field and to the opportunities he created for others, like me, to enter into it.

condolences,

Maite Urcaregui, PhD

she/they

Assistant Professor

Department of English & Comparative Literature

San José State University

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John Lent was a long-time supporter and director of CARTOONISTS RIGHTS and I believe was in touch with Robert "Bro" Russell, our founder from the very beginning. His body of research as a cartoon and comics scholar is world-renowned, and he was always at work on yet another new book, or the latest volume of the International Journal of Comic Art. His expertise, most especially on Asian cartoonists, was a well of wisdom from which I was happy to draw.

I was only ever in his company once, at the beginning of my time with Bro's organization but in the ensuing decade of travel would often meet counterparts in related fields who, even if no-one else, had heard John speak about cartoons at some conference or other, charmed by his "Père Noël" demeanor.

This gentle manner masked a fierce commitment to free expression. It was very apparent in these latter years that John despaired of the direction in which his country was headed.

Our board of directors is greatly diminished without him, and we send sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all the many colleagues around the world who cherished him as a collaborator and mentor.

Terry Anderson, Executive Director, Cartoonists Rights

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John's value for comics studies is of course enormous. I cannot even imagine the comics field without the IJOCA and the bibliographies he started. But I will especially remember him as an ever curious and supportive grandfather figure. One anecdote can illustrate this: in 2008, after a paper about Bitterkomix I presented at ICAF in Chicago, a critical voice from the audience wanted to know circulation figures of the comics I showed. When this person started to doubt the legitimacy of studying comics with a very small readership, John immediately jumped in to say that he had been in South Africa with me and that circulation figures could never represent the true importance of Bitterkomix in the country. For me, this reaction shows who John was: as a traveler, he had acquired first hand knowledge about many comics cultures worldwide, and as a colleague, he was always supportive and interested.

Gert Meesters, University of Lille, France

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I never met John Lent in person, nor did I ever meet him virtually over video. Our connection existed only through written correspondence by email: I was in Cairo, and he was in the United States. It was Mike Rhode who first put us in touch when I contacted him to ask about the possibility of publishing my article, “The Oriental Superheroes,” in IJOCA.

From the very beginning, John represented a side of the publishing world that I had rarely encountered: one that could be generous, humane, and reassuring rather than stressful, rigid, or intimidating. At the time, I was working on the article under immense emotional pressure. My dear grandmother was seriously ill and hospitalized, and it was extremely difficult for me to focus on academic work under such painful circumstances.

When I shared this personal situation with John, he responded with remarkable kindness. He told me that he admired my ability to persevere despite what was happening in my life, and he reassured me that I should not worry about the submission deadline. He said he was interested in my article, and that even if it did not make it into the current issue, it would still have a place in the next one. His words gave me a sense of calm at a time when very little in my life felt calm.

A few days later, my grandmother passed away, which understandably delayed my work further. I wrote to John immediately to explain that I was still trying to finish the article, but that I was in a very difficult situation after losing a beloved family member. Once again, John responded with warmth and compassion. He offered his sincere condolences, acknowledged my willingness to continue working despite my grief, and reassured me that the delay was completely fine, especially since he was traveling at the time and would not be working on the article until the following week.

That is something I will never forget.

Although John knew me only through email, it felt as though he stood by me and offered me a hand at a deeply critical moment. His kindness did not make me take the work less seriously; on the contrary, it made me want to give the article everything I had. I worked on it day and night, with even more care and determination than before, hoping it would become a piece that would make my grandmother proud and reassure me, somehow, that her passing would not hinder the success she had always wanted to see me achieve.

After I submitted the article, I did not hear from John for about a month, so I emailed him to ask about the status of my manuscript. The next day, he replied: “Your paper was accepted. Congratulations!”

That message remains one of the dearest academic memories of my life. It arrived at a time of grief and made that grief a little easier to bear. I remember saying, with all sincerity, “God bless you, John.”

Since then, I have shared this story in many academic circles. I wished that every editor-in-chief could hear it and learn from it. Yes, deadlines matter. Yes, scholarly standards matter. But making room for the real circumstances of people’s lives is an act of humanity. It is the kind of kindness that people remember long after the formal process is over.

When I heard about John’s accident, hospitalization, and the fact that he remained unconscious for some time, I was devastated. I hoped deeply that he would recover, and that I might one day have the chance to meet him, thank him in person, and perhaps work with him again. Sadly, fate did not allow this.

Yet I had been praying for John long before his accident and recent passing. I had been praying for him since my grandmother’s passing in 2021, because of the comfort and compassion he offered me then. Praying now for his soul to rest in peace feels like the continuation of a ritual that began years ago.

May your soul rest in peace, John. Please know that there are people who will carry the story of your kindness wherever they go. IJOCA is not only associated with your name and legacy; for me, it will always also be associated with your humanity, compassion, and commitment to building a scholarly community grounded in care.

Noran Amin, PhD

Assistant Professor of English 

Department of English Language and Literature

Faculty of Arts, Cairo University, Egypt

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I don’t remember exactly when I first met John. He was in Cuba as a jury member for the first biennial cartoon competition hosted by DDT, the famous humor magazine. It was 1998, I think.

From day one, he was El Profesor. His presence was impossible to miss in a crowd, but what truly made him unforgettable were his warmth, his paternal spirit, and his disarming laugh. He was kind, calm, and endlessly helpful to everyone—cartoonists, staff members, their families. And somehow, amid all that, he still found time to interview creators, gather information, and ask thoughtful questions. He seemed tireless.

I learned so much from him and from his publications.

Over the years, I saw him three or four more times—in Cuba, Canada, and at his home in Philly. Every meeting felt like picking up an old friendship exactly where we had left off.

The comics world has lost a devoted scholar.

I have lost a dear friend.

We will miss you terribly, John.

Garrincha

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I was fortunate to know Dr. John Lent through my father, Suresh Sawant, an Indian cartoonist who worked closely with Dr. Lent on IJOCA. My father always spoke highly of Dr. Lent and greatly admired him. I later had the privilege of knowing Dr. Lent personally after coming to the U.S. for higher studies. During one winter break, Dr. Lent and his wife, Xu, warmly invited me to stay with them in Pennsylvania, and I will always remember their extraordinary kindness, generosity, and gracious hospitality.

From shared family meals and heartfelt conversations to the genuine care they showed in making me feel completely at home, those moments remain among the most cherished memories of my life. Dr. Lent was especially proud of his home library, which reflected his lifelong passion for cartoons and journalism, as well as his remarkable dedication to scholarship and learning.

Over the years, we stayed in touch through occasional phone calls, often speaking about life and his health. He always listened with patience, warmth, and sincerity. He was one of the kindest and most wholehearted individuals I have ever known

I feel deeply humbled and truly fortunate to have known Dr. John Lent. He will be profoundly missed.

Sonal Sawant Centofante

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Thank you, John, for your foundational contributions to comics studies. I hope you know the extent of your work's influence and how long it will be remembered.  

Jennie S Law