One of the most exciting posts in our series on the dealers appearing at PulpFest 2016 was the one that appeared on June 29. In that post, we announced that Milwaukee’s John Hauser — who brought to market the Green River and the Curator pedigree comic book collections — would be debuting the Ron Killian collection of pulp magazines and books at this year’s convention.
Ron Killian — who passed away on May 1, 2016 at the age of 78 — was the owner of Milwaukee’s The Turning Page, one of the city’s earliest direct-sales comic book shops. He launched the first comic book shows in the city and was very highly regarded in science fiction and comic book circles.
Longtime customer and friend David Beard, wrote about Killian for ICv2, the Website of Geek Culture:
Ron began selling comics in an antique mall before becoming one of Milwaukee’s earliest direct-sales comics shops. In the 1980s, he carved a niche by importing Doctor Who toys, books, games and magazines and supporting the local and regional Doctor Who fan clubs. Ron enjoyed pulp fiction and science fiction, and every Saturday, the shop was filled with the sounds of polka.
Ron’s death is the loss of an anchor to the Milwaukee comics community and to this friend and collector.
To learn more about Ron Killian, please read Beard’s entire eulogy at http://icv2.com/articles/talk-back/view/34370/david-beard-passing-ron-killian-owner-the-turning-page and watch Matthew Curley’s You Tube video on Killian and The Turning Page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOuHJQFSHeI.
John Hauser has described Ron Killian’s collection to PulpFest as “massive.” Pulpfest 2016 will be the first opportunity for the public to buy part of Ron’s lifetime collection. Below, you’ll find several photographs of the collection that John will be selling at the convention. We hope that you’ll join us July 21 -24 at the Hyatt Regency and the Greater Columbus Convention Center in beautiful downtown Columbus, Ohio for “Summer’s AMAZING Pulp Con.” It’s the only way you’ll be among the first to see and perhaps own part of Ron Killian’s FANTASTIC collection of books and pulp magazines.
