A quick thanks to Gary J. Sella, who's been responsible for some of the commission work you see. When Webmaster Chris was revising the website to enlarge the art, some of the scan files went AWOL. Gary had sent me several in time for this week's 'relaunch'. Some of my clients prefer anonymity, but Gary would like people to know he's the proud owner of the some amazing art displayed on the site:

   Steve Epting's Avengers
   Paul Ryan's Dr. Doom
   Mark Bagley's Speedball
   Mike Grell's Iron Man
   Mike Zeck's Cable
   and soon...Butch Guice's Dr. Strange!

   Gary was one of the first people who contacted me, through Steve Epting. When Steve and I were at working at the compound in Oldsmar, I watched him working after hours on an Avengers cover recreation. I nagged and nagged Steve for the opportunity to ink it. Steve wasn't inking himself regularly just then (before displaying his El Cazador mastery of the brush as well as the pencil). Steve was doing the Avengers piece for Gary, so he mentioned my offer to him, and Gary was game. Gary offered me other uninked pieces from various artists if I were interested in trying my hand at inking them. I jumped at the chance and I'm grateful to Gary for providing me with a treasure trove of artists to work with, who I might not have had the occasion to ink otherwise. Also, I appreciate his allowing me to use the art for the inaugural launching of this website, and thus provided me with a good 'resume' for future commissions.

   Just so you know: Not all the scans have been fully enlarged yet, but we're closer to meeting that goal every day. Stuff takes time! On the News section of the site is big, honkin' scans, pencils and inks, of the first five pages of Captain America # 29! Excelsior! (couldn't resist)!

   It's ironic how the internet, and computers, specifically, have been helpful with my inking career, considering there was once a time that I feared the computer would make all hands-on artwork obsolete.

   I got in the comic art game late. As a teen, I tinkered sporadically with my art, but fear and doubt inhibited me greatly. This may seem like ancient history, but in the early 1980's computers were not everyday home accessories. National news spread about the burgeoning advances in computers at the workplace. As time passed, newer advances and applications became increasingly commonplace in many vocations. Commercial Art was one of them. I was attending The Art Institute of Pittsburgh when computer graphics were just beginning to take root in the commercial art world.

   I was a product of a very blue-collar town that only understood something you could do with your hands. Computers? Only smart people knew how to use computers (I've since disproved that theory by example)!

   Never mind inking, I foolishly thought I would need a degree in electrical engineering to be a working artist. After the crash of ' 87, I got laid off from my paste-up artist job (ask anyone over 30 about that job description), then moved around from job to job. Eventually, I got found work in the national advertising department for the A&P grocery chain (trivia question: A&P is officially known as The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company). They were phasing out the paste-up department, but offered on-the-job training to us on, *gulp* computers! I worked for A&P for three years, and I owe them a debt of gratitude for forcing me to overcome those silly fears I had of computers.

   I have more to add about this, plus how I've managed to stay employed in comics despite having never set foot in New York City, but I must save that for next week as I'm outta time...