EDITOR'S NOTE: On April 13, 2022 the comics retailer world and local comics fandom lost a valuable and treasured member: Patrick James Titus, co-owner of The Comic Book Shop in Wilmington Delaware. Anyone who had the privilege of just a few minutes interacting with Patrick left with a favorable and positive impression.
I sincerely wish I had more time to get to know him better. Some years back I worked as a comic book vendor at First State Comic Con. On three separate occasions, my table/area was near where The Comic Book Shop set up. Every time, Patrick would come over to my table with a friendly greeting and then browse through my boxes, selecting one book each time. I thought to myself: "I don't think he needed to buy that from me. It's a recent issue and probably available through his shop." But after it happened again the following year I concluded that it was his way of showing support for others. Then I noticed him also stopping by a few other vendor tables and doing the same.
The world needs more kind, considerate people like Patrick James Titus. We all share in the loss. Below is a beautiful, sad, and loving tribute to Patrick by Sarah Titus . . . . . . . . .
Obituary for Patrick James Titus
Defying the odds, Pat was born to a mother with late-stage MS.
Pre-teen Pat could be found in the cold dark hours setting up at and rummaging for robots at flea markets.
In art class he produced dark, angelic imagery.
Pat took himself to college, then to chemo & radiation when Hodgkins disease took over his lungs and heart.
While working for the then-fledgling amazon.com Patrick got yelled at for other people’s mistakes, leading him to create the first Quality Assurance checkpoint for the picking department of PHL1. Later, Patrick asked the person who yelled at him if he could make her breakfast and in doing so captured her heart forever.
Returning to his roots Titus, he started working at The Comic Book Shop in 2002.
As Team Titus, with the woman who yelled at him, he took ownership of TCBS in 2010 with the express intent to make it a place where he would want to shop. He succeeded!
Titus’ encyclopedic memory, enthusiasm for the bizarre, and adamant “It’s not the amount, it’s the attitude,” approach led The Shop to be internationally recognized for retailer excellence with multiple Eisner Award nominations.
For the last two years he fought to strengthen his heart, which was failing from cancer treatment; the damage was more than Penn Medical specialists had ever seen.
Patrick’s bright yet gentle spirit remains in all who knew him. His comic shop family will carry on to continue to realize his dreams of a nerd shop where all considerate folx are welcome.
His smile was amazing!
Predeceased by his mother, Rosalie. Survived by his stepmother, Bonnie & father, George; brothers, Steven & Kevin; step-brother, Kevin; niblings: Jocelyn, Jessica, Danielle, Stephanie, Morgan, Logan, & grand-niblings. Survived by wife, Sarah; rescue doghter, Heyzel, & rescue cats: Clawd, Hammy, & Rusty.
Join us in celebrating Patrick Titus’ life on Sunday, May 1st from 12p-4p at The Comic Book Shop, 1855 Marsh Rd, Wilmington, DE 19810.
Instead of flowers, kindly continue to share and support The Comic Book Shop!
For those so moved, a Go Fund Me will be established to help TCBS continue to be awesome.
By Sarah, inspired by one of Titus’ favorite sad-yet-beautiful comics, Daytripper, by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba.
Beautiful memoriam. R.I.P. good sir.
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