This is part 4 of our series on the early comic book influences of our modern writers living in this strange world of today. If you will glance to your right you will see the blurry image of Jim Ruland, a wonderful short story writer whose book BIG LONESOME has some good stories in it about Dick Tracy and Popeye, to name a few. But those are not his favorite characters, according to what he just told me! Growing up, Mr. Ruland preferred the imaginary company of Conan the Barbarian and a bunch of crazy elves, pictured here. What does this mean? Are we approaching some universal truth about the creative process? My assistants are busy putting this information into the large computer, which I have built with my own two hands for the purpose. Soon we will have some information of use to humanity! That will be awesome.
