ROB: No. Case in point, there is an intern at a huge movie studio that went out of his way to seek me out in the lobby and reminisce about the early Image period. He was crazy about our comics and he expressed nothing but love for that period. However, when I pulled out the latest Ultimates comic and encouraged him to pursue the series, he said that he had sold his collection and no longer followed comics. He wasn't even aware of the prominent comic store that was five blocks down the road. He is one of a hundred people I've met in the last two years who have moved past the medium. Games swooped in and took the next generations that were behind this 23 year old intern, and we've been relying on fans like you and me to prop our business up for years. Statistically, we are so far off from experiencing the sales surges of the late '80s and early '90s.

Could it happen again? Certainly. But not likely and not anytime soon. Another fan approached me at a recent Laker game. He was screaming about how much he loved Image. But he wanted to know what I'm doing with Image Comics at the moment. He had no idea I'd ever left.

RICHARD: Well let's look at current sales figures. I've quite happily stated that, on numbers alone, Youngblood: Bloodsport seems under-ordered for what's clearly a revival of what was a very popular property, by one of the most popular writers in comics today and from an artist who still has sway in the industry. When this was Transformers, the retailers ordered hundreds of thousands and sold out in seconds. Youngblood has had a low five figure order. When it ships (hopefully) in the next few weeks, what will your reaction be if: a) it sells out in milliseconds, or b) sits on the shelf like Mek and Lab Rats?

ROB: There's no chance that this will sit on the shelf. It will be gone in the first afternoon and there will be little to no chance to catch it after that. The system that is in place ensures that outcome. The only books currently rotting on my retailer's shelves are mostly the last eight months of Uncanny X-Men's and all of The Call comics.

RICHARD: Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen. Working in the industry, creators make friends and enemies. It seems to be the way of things. You've had a habit though of seemingly making more enemies than friends. Whether that's former business partners like Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Erik Larsen or employees like Terry Moore or Dan Fraga. Even Gary Groth doesn't have that spread of negative opinion - and he's gone out of his way to get it. What gives, why you, and will it ever be repaired?

ROB: I'm young, sexy, loaded and opinionated. I'm my own boss and it truly doesn't matter whether or not the negative opinion changes. The only person that's holding me back is me.

RICHARD: Have you paid everyone, Rob? Is there anyone, to your knowledge, still owed by your past enterprises?

ROB: To the best of my knowledge, yes, everyone has been paid and nearly all the artwork that belonged to others has been returned. Some of it was kept to be re-scanned or inked. But as that process is completed, everything is wrapping up. I have not been contacted about back pay or compensation for four years plus. But I'm sure that someone else is bound to pop up and make a public spectacle of it.

Continued here...