Follow Up Friday - Asking Why pt 1

Follow Up Friday: Asking Why pt 1
– 09.16.2011


“You’re too nice.”


“You shouldn’t do so much for other people.”


“They’re just using you… taking what you do for granted.”


“Why do you take on so much? … You’d accomplish more if you focused on your work and not helping others [creators].”



These are questions or statements were ALL posed to me over the last 2 weeks alone. Not a new topic by any means, but one I have not really given much consideration. However with recent events and plans that loom in my future it seems as there is no more appropriate time to explore the reality of these statements.

The purpose of this blog is soley to examine myself, to move forward. This is not an exploration or commentary on any other factors.

There is no secret to what my goals are. I speak of them freely.
1. To be able to make a living as an artist/storyteller
2. To find success both independently & working for publishers in comic books
3. To always have fun in what I do


Some people in my life have commented that the accomplishment of these goals has been hindered by my other desire or pattern: To Help Others – Specifically Creators.

The idea is not that they are saying that it is wrong to help others, rather that the efforts and investments I have made to help others have largely cost me more than they have given me back in return.

This left me to first ask myself “Why do you do it?” – The first plausible motivator I thought of is that even though family and close ones growing up all recognized and appreciated my love for drawing, art, and comics they did much to try to steer me toward all manner of “real jobs” for my future and my trust in them led me to follow their advisement. This in turn resulted in my investment of time, our most valuable resource, in efforts that were both unsatisfying and not where I wanted to be with my life. So now, along with pursuing my own personal goals, I do everything I can to share my knowledge and time with others who share my similar goals. To give what I was not given.

This in and of itself is not bad by any means, but I have this facet to my personality where I don’t expect things from others beyond what they choose to give. Meaning I can spend a whole day teaching and sharing everything I can about art, comics, production and avenues to use to explore possible paths to success and I don’t ever expect that person benefiting from that to return anything to me in any way. If they benefited from what I could share, and they use it and succeed, that is all the thanks I need.

The flip side to this is that many people when they pick up on that take advantage of that freedom and the relationship can become very one sided. Then when that other party feels they can benefit no more from you the relationship fades and dies out.

Another reason for WHY is that I believe in the collaborative process. The beauty, much like film is the creative collaboration that comes into play to make something truly wonderful. This desire to make something truly wonderful has motivated me to reach out to other creators, and each experience started off well. Yet after that “honeymoon” period passed for one reason or another most of the collaborations have ended poorly. Was it me, as I am the only common denominator in my own experiences?

It takes at least two to tango, so I don’t place blame on any party, I do however find there is a very real deficit when communication is replaced by assumption. Where one party begins inferring the intentions or meaning behind the actions of the other party. This hinders healthy growth on any level and always leads to hurt feelings, misconceptions and most likely anger and the breakdown of that relationship.

These experiences are always a bit clearer in the 20/20 hindsight of life, but they are out of the reach of change. So I have to instead make my future choices based on what I can still yet do.

Sadly this means from time to time these relationships end, new ones form, but most of all we are faced with the task of standing up in a painful place and taking the next step. For myself I refuse to treat people poorly. I believe in what most know as the “Golden Rule” to treat others the way you would like to be treated. This doesn’t mean they WILL treat us how we are treating them, and it really doesn’t play a factor either. Even with people who I know could care less for me, I have no ill will toward them and so if interaction takes place I treat them with kindness.

I also believe in this industry. There are some who are in it for the money, it’s what they do, they get paid to do it and that’s their only concern. From a business stand point that may be all it is at the end of the day. Still this industry is too small for pettiness and short sighted behavior. It’s no one’s place to decide for another if their opinions fall in that those categories, but I know for me I will do my best to make choices that support and build up the world of comics & Storytelling.


For now I’m focused on some great projects. First and foremost of which is THE MIDNIGHT RAIDER! The pencils for issue 1 are complete minus a couple edits I am working on. Lettering is underway, along with coloring. The scripts for issues 2 & 3 are also complete and we are getting started on issue 4, the BIG Grand finale of the book.

We’re putting everything we have in to this book. The story was written by my wife Kat Hary, Richard Evans (Legion Unleashed) and me. Kat is handling scripting duties on the mini-series and is doing an awesome job. Her back ground with Novels has brought a great depth to the story telling. My daughter, Meghan Wright is handling coloring and lettering while I take care of the pencils. This has been the best project I’ve been on thus far in my career.

Along with the production of THE MIDNIGHT RAIDER we’re offering special exclusives to those who are interested via a fund raising campaign: http://www.indiegogo.com/MIDNIGHT-RAIDER-COMIC-BOOK

If you get a chance, please visit the above link and take a look at all the special incentives that are exclusive to those to donate to the project!


Thanks for reading!