Duration: Five years total, the first two of which were nights and weekends while holding down a day job designing Web sites.

Staff: You're looking at him.

Education: Four years at the University of Cincinnati, with many more spent reading comic books, watching cartoons and doodling.

Cultural Influences: Jack Kirby, Evaline Ness, Aurelius Battaglia, Alice and Martin Provensen, Seymour Chwast, Miroslav Sasek, Mary Blair, John Kricfalusi, Heinz Edelmann, Milton Glaser, Chuck Jones, George Orwell, Joe Strummer.

Environment: After printing in dark basements for five years, I recently moved into an actual studio with fresh air and natural light.

Philosophy: I enjoy illustration because it forces both me and the viewer to give and take complex emotional conclusions from seemingly simple images. Or something.