Yesterday, Marty Nodell, co-creator of the Green Lantern, passed away, weeks after his 91st birthday.

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to meet Marty and his wife Carrie at a comics convention in Dallas, and to hear him tell a hotel suite full of awed fans (many of them long established pros) the story of Green Lantern's creation. I passed up the opportunity that weekend to buy a sketch from Marty, and have regretted it ever since. He was a gentleman, incredibly gracious, and indirectly had a bigger impact on my childhood than he could ever know. I'm incredibly grateful to have had the chance to meet and talk with him.