Allen Spiegel

Allen Bert Spiegel, 74, Mensch, art impresario, raconteur, teacher…son of Brooklyn, and longtime Pacific Grove resident passed away in his sleep on August 4th, 2023.

Known to many simply as Spiegel, Allen was a collector: Of comic books, of art, of stories, of people. Allen was larger than life and contained multitudes and multiverses within him. He was a fantastical Uncle Silly to his nephew and niece, Scott and Emily, a longhaired character spouting outrageous claims like he invented grilled cheese. But he was an uncle to all, telling the most
incredible stories, some of them true, none told the exact same way twice, but every time told with conviction. He is survived by them, their spouses Rachel and Drew, his grandnephew Micah, many cousins, and dozens of other close friends in PG and the art world who may as well be family.

He championed the underdog, like his favorite superheroes, teaching Special Ed for 40 years, and bringing comic books into the classroom to teach reading before it was cool. He loved playing the Brooklyn Tough but built his community in the calm of Pacific Grove.

As an artist representative and publisher, he played a key role in the evolution of illustration and graphic novels and served as a “Godfather of Art”, mentor & connector for dozens of artists, editors, writers, art dealers, and others in the creative industries.

Allen died just 10 days after San Diego Comic-Con, his summer “home” for over 40 years, where he was surrounded by his art and his friends. His passion was the world he built around the Allen Spiegel Fine Arts business over 50 years. He often talked about himself as a “connector” in the art and publishing world, but he was a creator at heart.

There are whole universes of stories, books, and art that wouldn’t exist without him. His legacy will be in that work, and in the early careers of dozens of artists, editors, art dealers, and others in the creative industries he shepherded.

A graveside service will be held at Temple B'nai Israel Cemetery in Mansfield, CT at 1 pm on August 11. Allen will be buried next to his beloved sister Ronni, (may they bicker with love for eternity), and his brother-in-law, Mark, with whom he shared a mutual adoration. Shiva will be held on Sunday, August 13 from 2-5 at his nephew Scott’s house in Newton, MA. A Celebration of Life will be held in Pacific Grove in the near future. And a tribute, befitting a superhero, will be held at San Diego Comic-Con 2024.

Donations may be made online in his name at heroinitiative.org or to montereybayaquarium.org/ A fund in his name will be established separately in the future.

To sign the online register book or leave a message for the family please visit www.blumensteinfuneralhome.com

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