TWENTY PERCENT COOLER

I never ask because it embarrasses them. I tell them that the art is stolen; I have my own ideas on how it’s passed around, and I’ve investigated it. It’s not a complete picture, but I have a hazy picture of what really happens. If they’re young people… I had a very young boy come up to me with a page of my artwork. I don’t have the heart not to sign it. I’m not going to embarrass that child, or a female, or a very sincere fan, so I sign it. I have a high respect for the people in comics. I know the average comic fan is a heckuva guy.

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I’m not out to be a Leonardo DiVinci, I’m not out to be William Faulkner; I’m out to sell comics, which I think is a very valid American medium. There are people who play down comics, but comics is a valid medium. It’s a visual narrative; instead of words, we like the pictures, we like the balloons. If you’ll go with me to the Sistine Chapel, I’ll put up a couple of balloons on Michelangelo’s work and we can really tell what was going on, (laughter) because I think they’re cartoons in a way.