Perhaps I was a little quick yesterday to discount the characters I’ve worked with over the years at my various staff jobs in publishing, because Pearl Harbor Day brings back memories of Morrie Kuramoto, who I worked with many years ago at Marvel Comics when I was an editorial assistant and he toiled in the production department.

Morrie had worked at the company for so many years that he was jokingly referred to as “The Ancient One.” On Pearl Harbor Day, he would wear a WWII leather pilot’s cap while sitting at his drawing board, and toss paper airplanes at his coworkers and anyone else who happened to pass by. I’m not sure that this sort of thing would be tolerated in today’s politically correct times, but in the Marvel Bullpen, at least back then, you could get away with almost anything.

Morrie is no longer with us, but each time Pearl Harbor Day rolls around, I remember him, and so many of the others who’ve gone on to that great Marvel Bullpen in the sky.

Banzai, Morrie.