August 12, 2023 – Fan Expo Chicago – Day

Today I met the legendary Frank Miller. He signed my copy of “Sin City: The Hard Goodbye & The Dark Knight Returns” issue #2, leaving me in a perpetual state of awe that honestly hasn’t gone away yet.

As I participatedated in the long, winding, slow crawl of the signing line, I found myself reflecting on my personal journey with Frank Miller’s works.

Nearly two decades ago, during my high school years, when comic books were still king, my best friend slapped down a copy of The Dark Knight Returns in my hand. Up until then, my Batman universe consisted of stories from The Greatest Joker Stories Ever Told, Dark Victory, and Long Halloween. When I rammed my way through the pages of TDKR I was rocked; I went from a clean, triumphant Batman to a fiercely intense, brutal, aging Batman. This experience, the evolution, compelled me to seek out more of Miller’s creations. This ultimately led me to Sin City: The Hard Goodbye. It’s safe to say those moments between the black and white panels and perfect dialogue started my first creative sparked. I was evolving.

From his completely original and captivating artwork to the compelling, gritty storylines, my perception of comic books went through a visceral shift that forever changed my creative outlook. I even got to the point of writing a Sin City inspired fan film with my best bud. I had Frank Miller fever!

So, the line moved and I suddenly found myself in front of the man, the myth, and the legend that is Frank Miller. He was wearing his trademark fedora. I’m thinking about my best friend right about now. I slap my books on the table and all I could say is the one thing that I knew were the truest words of the day:

“Thank you, Mr. Miller for your gift. “