Good News for People Who Like Bad News
Dear False Positive Readers,
This is Ashley Walton, Mike’s sister and editor of False Positive. I have really terrible, awful news and a tiny bit of good news.
You might have noticed it’s been a couple years since we’ve posted anything on this website. Well, brace yourself for the saddest update I’ll ever share.
The lovable, brilliant creator of False Positive, my brother, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Monday, January 22nd marks the two-year anniversary of his passing, and you can read Mike’s obituary here.
It’s taken me two years to write this update because I’ve been consumed by grief. I think about Mike and miss him every single day. He was my creative collaborator and singular best friend. The world is not as fun, bright, or delightful without him.
Reading comments from all of you has really helped me through this difficult time. Thank you for the support and enthusiasm you’ve shared for False Positive over the years. It meant the world to Mike, and it means everything to me, too.
I wish you all could have known Mike better. Stories flew out of him, and he always worked on more than one at a time, easily distracted and motivated by his own new ideas. His brain was always writing and rewriting stories, and he was always creating artwork. I’ve never met anyone who was such a constant, passionate, and consistent creator.
Mike was a brilliant artist and storyteller, and this website became a repository for some of his artwork and writing, and he lovingly, regularly updated it for over a decade.
Over 10 years, Mike and I discussed False Positive constantly. We regularly emailed each other drafts, dreams, possible dystopian futures, notes on our favorite final girls, links to must-read books, alternative story endings, ideas for stories, rants, puns, and commentaries.
Several times a week, Mike would call me to discuss potential story ideas and different possible endings to his stories. For every story he wrote, Mike would map out at least three potential endings, and we’d workshop them together, discuss the merits of each, and debate which one packed the most punch and had the biggest impact and why. We’d dissect, discuss, and debate. We lived in a bubble of artistic creation and collaboration– one I miss very much and haven’t been able to find again.
But there’s a bit of good news. Because Mike was such a prolific creator, I have so much more False Positive content to share with all of you: artwork, stories, alternative endings, process videos, blog posts, and more. Mike was his own harshest critic. He created so many things that he didn’t share, for fear of it not being good enough, and I’m here to tell you: it’s all really, really exceptional. He had a truly unique mind.
So, stay tuned. I’ll be updating False Positive, as well as sharing exclusive content on his Patreon, in the hopes of keeping his memory alive through his stories and artwork. If you’ve loved False Positive over the years, please consider sharing it with a friend. I’d love for as many people as possible to experience Mike’s work.
Thank you for following along, and thank you for the support in keeping this website– and Mike’s memory– alive.
Above all, I believe in the power of stories to connect us as humans and to help us through this life, which can be brutally difficult at times.
Thanks for being here. You make a difference.
In Gratitude,
Ashley
Oh damn, two years ago. My belated condolences.
I am so sorry to hear that. If I miss him as an artist, I can’t imagine what it’s like to miss him as a brother and a friend. It’s nice to know there’s more content to come, but that won’t bring him back to the people who actually knew him.
I really enjoyed his work. Sorry for your loss.
(it doesn’t make up for the loss, but, for what is worth, he looks like a very happy person in those pictures)
We were all wondering what happened.
I remain in awe of the twisted but strangely beautiful stories here.
Many condolences for the family,
then looking forward to seeing the bonus content.
Mike was an extremely talented artist and a wonderful person. Although I never had the priveledge of meeting him in person, I was blessed by his eagerness to respond to me after I reached out to him during a turbulent time in my family’s lives which led to a friendship of sorts via email. I will always remember him as friendly, kind and generous. He will be greatly missed for more than just his wonderful artwork. May he rest in peace as his talents live on forever.
I’m so sorry to hear this. As you said, his stories were truly exceptional and it’s a loss that we won’t have any more. Thank you for sharing what he left behind and all the best.
I’m so, so sorry for your loss. Mike had a unique creative mind and our worlds are all impoverished by his passing.
Rest in peace, Mike.
Oh my. I’m so sorry.
I’ll never forget when I wandered around Comicon or Wondercon with my daughter and stumbled across Mike’s table! I have been reading False Positive for a few years, and it was such a joy to see him at the table!
He was trying to tell some people looking at his art about the site. And I jumped in and gushed! It was pure “gushery”. I could not say enough good things. I think I bought some of the little comics, which are in a box somewhere, and I know I bought three of the bigger printed pieces. They are at the entranceway of my office now.
Mike got pretty excited about a true fan walking up as opposed to someone he was in the process of evangelizing. Evangelizing people wasn’t that hard with his fantastic artwork. And once you got into it, the stories were great, too.
Mike was a tremendous talent. I can’t wait to see what you have left to show us.
(And what an excellent post for you to take the time to make. You honor your brother well. I wish my memory were better as to which show that was, Ashley. I think it was Wondercon. I might have met you as well.)
I am so sorry for your loss. I met Mike at Wondercon where he gave me a bookmark and some stickers. I visited this site that day and read everything. I also bought some posters and his remains the only Patreon to which I’ve contributed. I’d exchanged a few emails with him over the years and I was surprised he never replied to the last one I sent. Now I know why… 🙁
thank you and you have my support.
~Drew
Well, fuck. This is also the first time I see Mike, what a way to find out he looks even nicer and cooler than I imagined.
This is very sad news indeed, really sorry for your loss. Many thanks for sharing all of this with us and for keeping his work accessible to us and to new readers.