Putting aside the ever-present fear, the resentment of regular people, the silent phone and all the poor decisions that led up to it, the freelance life is not all bad.

Here is a short essay showing the better part of being a freelancer for a major comic edifice. Super Letterer Jack Morelli and I have driven into town. That deceptively short sentence means a two hour drive each way—45 more minutes for Jack. Which is from “upstate” New York down to Sin City. And this is to deliver what is known as “freelance artwork” to what is known as an editor.

Me? I’m along for the ride just to hang with Jack and see my old comrades in the office. My ultimate goal: free lunch. And break bread with Jack Able, Inker of Yore and Mark Gruenwald, Writer of Yawn!

L-R: Legendary Creator/Artist and Art Director John Romita Sr, President CEO CFO Grand PooBah Terry Stewart (I forget; he was way up there), Jack Morelli, my old partner in grime and fellow stat camera operator Robbie Carosella (at this point he was grinding a scanner), Polymath Mike Higgins, Mark Gruenwald and Two-Fisted Jack Abel

Here’s Jack putting a short right jab into Robbie’s kishkes. Sure Terry Stewart looks like a mild-mannered exec– never mind that leather business suit jacket—he came from the engineering giant Bechtel, which you may or may not know built nuclear power plants! It was Terry’s job to tell Westinghouse to go to hell! I trust you see the connection? Nuclear power… super powers… Hulk and gamma rays… Peter Parker and radioactive spiders? Right.

Jack Able had several heart attacks and came back strongly each time. He worked the rehab and had a lot of emotional support just by being in the office. After his first incident Jack was offered a desk job by Editor in Chief Jim Shooter and the Staff Proof-Reader was born. And man, did we need one!

We pay homage to Mike who has again managed to hold down a desk in the Bullpen. Mike has done almost every function there is at Marvel (except typesetting, I think). Mike was good enough to go freelance and return to a staff position several times Of note is that, here Mike is effecting a tight haircut and a beard. We all got to know Mike with a lot more hair.

Jack and I get Mark to pose in his Power Office Set. This is one of the best and, alas, last pictures of Mark I took. But it’s a nice one. Where’s his phone!? In his top left drawer. “A clean desk is clean crazy!”

And this is why we made the trip!