But why?

Got to hand it to Hawkins, he drives right to the heart of the matter. Why are you telling me all of this? What purpose does it serve? If this was basically unknown until now, what’s the point of telling someone about it 25 years later?

When I first started this book, 27 pages ago, I had a perception of what it took to tell a good story visually. Most of it was self taught, and picked up more or less on the streets of illustration and cartooning. 

While that DOES come in handy at times? It’s not the same thing. Same neighborhood, different streets. As I got to draw it and learn what it takes to draw it all effectively, my perception and skillset expanded. 

If I can impart advice on artists that are looking to learn and expand their collective skills and attitudes on graphic storytelling? It’s that your ego has very little to do with any of it. 

By that, I mean that you shouldn’t be worried about making mistakes, in lieu of producing something really good. For the most part, it has all been done before. Maybe better than what you produced, maybe worse. But it’s all temporary. You’ll get better as time goes on, each page better than the last.

The crux of this bunch of long winded, introspective notes is that Hawkins has a ways to go before he understands what he’s being shown and why. I’m really proud to be able to show it to you all, and I encourage you all to stick around and share it all with your friends, so the group of us can grow through it together.

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