FYI: I've added two new commission pieces under the Barberi Daredevil

   Last week, I rambled, er, elucidated about the inhibitions that delayed my acceptance to the ranks of Comic Book Professionals. I had convinced myself that by 1990, computers would make comic book illustration obsolete.

   Another self-imposed obstacle was regional. I had lived all my life in the Pittsburgh area thus far and never imagined living anywhere else. Remember when I mentioned I was laid off after the ' 87 crash? Well, I was unemployed for six months and jobs for artists were the opposite of plentiful. Particularly when Pittsburgh was still stubbornly going through the uncomfortable transformation from steeltown to a more modern working environment with new challenges and a burgeoning art scene (they waited until I skipped town, I guess). Not that there wasn't art and culture before: If you ever get to Pittsburgh, look at the breathtaking architecture of the PPG building and the countless old churches and other places of worship. That's the first thing Karen noticed during her first trip there.

   My unemployment would eventually force me to move to greener pastures in the Baltimore / Washington area, but moving within commuting distance of New York City was still too frightening a prospect for me. From what I saw on movies and TV, New York City was a place where people were robbed and stabbed and worse every minute, right? As a child, I thought Central Park was just a made-up place, like Avengers' Mansion, where Spider-Man routinely rescued tourists and young lovers from assaults in their horse-drawn carriages. I blame Gerry Conway and Len Wein.

   It was when I first moved away, that I began working for A&P and learning that computers are only as stupid as the operator, so I would avail myself of the on-the-job training to make myself less stupid. It was overcoming this obstacle that gave me the courage to apply my learning disciplines to pursuing a honest-to-God comics career.

   As I grew up, I began to learned more about New York City and now know that I was influenced early by stereotypical situations, bereft of all the good things about NYC, which doesn't make good news headlines. Unfortunately, it took 9/11 to display to the world the fellowship that exists and endures there to this day.

   I didn't mean to go off on such a grave subject, but I would have been remiss in this outsider's appraisal of NYC without mentioning the event that defined the it's greatness.

   Despite having a very productive inking career where I've rarely had a month without work, to this day, I've yet to set foot in New York City. I want to, trust me, but my deadlines keep me busy enough, that I've hadn't the impetus to make the trip. If I make the trip, It would naturally be a working vacation. Since I want to see the sights, why would I pass the chance to make face-time with editors? I'm very self-conscious that an editor's time is precious and they get lots of loitering freelancers that make for an editor's cluttered workday even more so. In short, I don't want to be a bother to them. I think they'd rather have me meet my deadlines than hang out for a few days.

   NYC - I salute you. And one day, I'll do it in person!