For those of you out of the loop, the title of this post is an homage to the ‘Historic Last Issue’ of Superman, #423 (and Action Comics #583) from September 1986, when the beloved Allan Moore, Curt Swan and George Perez united to wrap up what is known as the Silver Age of comics with arguably one of the most endearing Superman stories ever told.

Entitled, “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” the tale revisits the last known histories of the Man of Steel via an interview with one-time ‘Superman’s Girlfriend’ Lois Lane, in a retrospective of the life and times of the Last Son of Krypton, hoping to uncover his whereabouts and the mystery of his final farewell to the people of earth.

Much like this fabled icon, I needed to fade from view these past 17-18 months to re-collect myself from trials most daunting.

The last you knew, my activities involved an art studio located in the Old Town district of Lansing, MI…

…on the verge of hawking T-shirts and…well, that’s about it.

Honestly, T-shirts were not what we were there to sell…
…it was something far more elusive and ethereal than that…
…so much so that it eluded even us.

The entire venture began as a fluke, really, born from the naïve ideals shared with a dear friend who suddenly received a windfall, financially. We held a vision of developing our ideas into something that would serve to benefit mankind…but rushed ahead without the wisdom needed for long-term success and quickly found ourselves immersed in a mire of our own design. Ultimately, we involved the wrong people at the wrong time for the wrong reasons…

…or, at least that’s how it would appear from the colloquial point of view.

Personally, I’ve long-since accepted it all as a trial designed to strengthen and sharpen my wits…hewing the erstwhile Eric P. Wilmoth into a more formidable craftsman, able to capitulate ego in favor of compassion—and yet tenaciously concentrate on making my dreams into reality. I can only hope that the others involved took from it their own educations and are moving forward with their lives in a similar fashion…since most of us no longer communicate with one another—it was that traumatizing.

Eventually, amid the myriad conflicts of interest, the funding was lost and we all went our separate ways…resulting in an anti-climactic collapse that was—frankly—long overdue.

Revealing any more about that time would probably sour the experience…save to say that it is all behind me now, and whatever the future holds in store for A.I. and the multitude of stories I have to share, I’m certain I’m better off for the experience it all provided.

From here on in I pray to have nothing but positive and encouraging news to report, and—much like our friend Clark Kent—I will fight the good fight until I have nothing left to give…

…and even then, I shall return!

Peace, brothers and sisters,

Mr. E!

Well, Spring is finally upon us…and what better time to rise from the ashes.

The last meaningful announcement I posted was a year-and-a-half ago…during one of the most challenging and heartbreaking times of my life…a story you can read about here, if you like. The fallout of that time—and the entire year-and-a-half leading up to it—essentially eroded my capacity to produce anything related to the core of what Archetypal Images is about…which is why it’s been nearly three years since I’ve produced any significant artwork.

The point is that since then I’ve had a lot of soul-searching and recuperating to do…seeking a way to manifest my heart’s desires…which at the very least involves Imagineering the stories that are living inside me—and making a living doing so.

In October 2007 I finally settled on a course of Action…
…which has led to the newest installment of my work, the Archetypal Images Sponsorship Special!

This twenty-page book—cover-to-cover—represents four solid months of intense, passionate labor…designed to present to the world a sense of who I am, deeper than has ever been known outside my closest friends and family. It deliberately doubles as a request for sponsorship from anyone and everyone who identifies with my vision and The Archetypal Images Mission.

While this book is currently only available in digital form my intention is to have a modest quantity printed so as to make them available for potential sponsors. Once printing costs have been determined I will make an announcement so that anyone wishing to obtain a copy may do so.

The last month has been spent incorporating several new aspects into the A.I. website in an effort to maintain better contact with you—my audience—so as to ensure the best possible response to this new book. This blog is the most obvious addition, but also new to the mix is a professional list management system that is now responsible for maintaining up-to-date records of the A.I. mailing list and allowing for instant subscribe/unsubscribe options that the site did not have before. There are many other features to both this blog and the list management system that I will strive to employ in the months ahead to maximize their potential for delivering you regular, relevant updates.

Additionally, the entire A.I. website is in need of a complete overhaul, which—if you examine the A.I. Business Plan—you will see is high on my list of priorities for revamping A.I. and turning it into a creative, stimulating powerhouse. My goal for this new year of 2008 is nothing short of developing A.I. into a phenomenon—a beacon of Artistic Revolution that is going non-stop, 24-7 (metaphorically, if not literally), cranking out captivating product like never before, inspiring dreamers the world over.

Sounds ambitious, I know, but I say dream big first…and deal with what’s dealt you as it is dealt.

The bottom line
I’ll be frank—the measure of my success is largely in your hands. What I aim to do demands incredible amounts of constant attention and laborious volumes of sincerely devoted energy…and until I have a volume of work and merchandise bringing revenue in the door my ability to muster this colossal quantity of creativity rests on the generosity of those of you eager to see more.

I would prefer to not have to ask for such support, but given the stakes I will swallow my pride and humbly seek the kindhearted charity of others…offering in exchange my modest creations for the world at large until the day arrives that I may reasonably survive off their revenue alone.

My thanks and blessings to you,

E.P.W.

P.S.
It is worthy of note that—besides re-launching A.I. with this new proposal comic—I am currently back in school, wrapping up my sequential art degree through Lansing Community College. For those of you that remember the LC4 comics group and the comic we created in 2005, that group is long since dissolved…and the degree nearly nonexistent. I, on the other hand, am more alive and kicking than ever.

Thanks to working the charm and jumping through some hoops I managed to whittle down what were six remaining courses into only two, making it feasible for me to graduate by the end of this semester.

This will undoubtedly be a relief to all those caring individuals in my life who put great stock in having a degree, though my reasons for completing it probably have little to do with what theirs would be for wishing that I’d do so. Regardless, in two more months I’ll be a bona fide degree wielder…

…so watch out world—’cause now I’m certified!