Billy adjusted his tuxedo in front of the hotel room's mirror. It seemed that more than an official meeting, this was a gathering of friends who sat down to share aes about daily life. They had been doing this for nearly 30 years, starting when all these folks begaing once a year. Now, it looked more like a special event where many people participated to discuss their work ao know each other. It appeared that the ic book unity was small, and only a few stuck around long enough to exist in this unity for over a decade, which brought more headaches than anything else.

  Among the most important people he wao meet were those involved in the operations of Marvel. The distent among artists regarding Marvel's activities had created disfort among the top artists. Marvel had caused havoc for over 10 years, and even the fantastic DC had retly entered into discussions with its top artists. It was all due to the disastrous handling of the ic book paoward these artists, whose ines had dwindled due to the small pertages the ic book panies were willing to share.

  Billy checked his suit o time before leaving the hotel room. Room 803 was right o his room.

  He knocked on the door with enough force for it to be heard over the loud music. Raimon appeared, dressed in a slightly tight-fitting Batman shirt. Water droplets ran down his hair, f small curls.

  --Hey, I'm ready. Just give me a sed, -- Raimon said, rushing to grab a long jacket that reached almost to his knees. -- All set. -

  The hotel was one of those elegant ohat his father had reserved well in advance, close to the venue where the meeting was taking pce. The meeting was a few streets down in a press room of a New York neer, borrowed for this special gathering. These individuals had a special retionship with New York neers, and it could only suggest some new ideas for sales. The Sunday neer along with a Sm Dunk issue host Reports.

  Billy and Raimon arrived on foot after getting some dires. The neer's headquarters was a rge, old building with gray bricks and angur edges.

  -This is y debut, - Raimon said, opening the wooderance door. The building exuded architectural elegahat Billy decided he'd recreate at some point.

  -That's what I hope for, - Billy replied.

  They climbed up the rather narrow stairs, much worse than taking the elevator. The stairs were very cramped and enclosed. Ohird floor, they found a sign that marked the weleeting.

  -ic Creators' Meeting! -

  Billy ehrough the main door and was somewhat disappoio find it fairly quiet, with only a few people sitting at a er table. They were entlemen, quite elderly, drinking some liquor, as evidenced by the gsses and the bubbling liquid.

  They were speaking in hushed tones, and Billy felt a momentary insecurity inside. However, drawing on his upbringing, he approached the men at the table. Whe close enough to hear their versation, they stopped talking and turheir gazes to their new arrivals. Almost everyohought about a young man in a very handsome suit straight out of a Variety magazine and a fan in his tight Batman shirt.

  -Pleasure to meet you all. I'm Billy Carson, and I was invited by Mike Richardson to the annual creators' party, - Billy said, extending his hand to shake hands with Steve Gerber, and everyone else at the table.

  His words woke up the adults at the table.

  -o meet you too, young man. Steve Gerber, - said the man in a bck leather bzer and a checkered shirt, wearing jeans. His most characteristic feature was his thick gsses.

  -A pleasure to meet you, sir, - Billy replied.

  -David Corckrum, - said another man, a bit bulkier, with a thick beard that resembled a biker's beard often seen on highways. He got up from his seat and gave Billy and Raimon a hearty greeting.

  -This is the legendary Joe Kubert, Dwayne McDuffie, and Stan Lee, - David Corckrum said.

  -It's a pleasure to meet all of you, - Billy said.

  Raimon, who was behind him, was in a catatonic state. His heart ounding. He was at a table with phenomenal creators, and they hadn't even had the first toast yet. He had to take a breath. Fortunately, he had his backpack with some of his best spes ready to be collected. W with Billy was the best decision of his life.

  -I'm Raimon, - he said, almost shouting. Everyone's attention turo the young man who looked like a die-hard fan, from his nervous posture to the colorful redness in his cheeks.

  -Pleasure to meet you, Raimon, - Steve Gerber said, appreciating the young man's energy.

  He was interrupted by Joe Kubert, who fixed his gaze on Billy. His hawk-like, squinted eyes, and characteristic face gave him an air of wisdom.

  -Are you the young man who's been causing a stir in the world of ics, Bill C. Y., the creator of Lux ics? - Joe Kubert said.

  Billy was surprised by the depth of the speaker's voice. He had beely called a legend by some ic creators, and that meant tremendous respect among people who shared the same profession.

  -That's right, sir. I'm the creator of Lux ics, - Billy said.

  -You heard the d, give him a seat. We're looking at the future of ics," Joe Kubert said, pointing to Raimon, who was still trying to process the greeting. "Son, find two chairs; we have some questions for this young man, - the deep-voiced gentleman tinued.

  Raimon could only nod. It was Joe Kubert who was talking to him.

  -You start, Joe. You must be quite eager, - Stan Lee said.

  -Let the young ones wait, Stan. We old folks have to seize the moment, - Joe Kubert said.

  Raimon arrived with two chairs, one for Billy and one for himself. He sat between Billy Carson and Stan Lee, making a calcuted move to ask for Stan Lee's autograph.

  -I've heard that you're the sole producer of Lux ics at the moment. How do you do it, young man? You've created 96 different publications in just two and a half years. That's almost a lifetime's worth of work, - Joe Kubert said.

  -, Mr. Kubert, I've been drawing for seven years, and I've spent ahree designing ics. Some of the more caricatured characters are ones I created in my childhood. But I have a strict schedule, - Billy replied.

  -Hahaha, that makes more sense, don't you think so, Joe? - Stan Lee said. - You've been drawing since you were five? -

  -Yes, sir, even before that. I've been drawing for as long as I remember, - Billy replied, which was both a lie and the truth. He had been drawing his whole life. But now, in front of these stars, he hought he'd meet, he could only loosen his tongue a bit about his status as a ic book author.

  -A whim that has brought you great bes. Mike himself calls you the genius of ics. The kid who petes with Marvel and D series surpasses them in quality, and amazes with his iy, - Joe Kubert said, almost as if he were reg a slogan.

  -I do what I , sir, - Billy said.

  -Well, you've spped those young artists who were tent with their half-baked stories. I like your work, son, - Joe Kubert said.

  -I do too. I'm happy that, most importantly, your pany is yours. All your work is free from idiotic pressures and bosses who have no clue about ics, - Stan Lee said.

  The other members of the table watched the versation like a tennis match. These two weren't very talkative and teo be more like judges who remained silent and only spoke when necessary.

  -I owe that to my father, who is a very serious businessman. He had hoped to i in me just because I was his son, - Billy said.

  -Don't belittle yourself, young man, - Joe Kubert said, pounding the table.

  -I say the same. Your father could see what ah two fingers in front of their face would see: a star, - Stan Lee said.

  Steve Gerber was sipping a drink and whispering to the others.

  -Thank you, sir. It's greatly appreciated, - Billy said with embarrassment. He had only received pliments so far. He had thought that their petitive nature might make them act like wolves among sheep, but they had turned out to be lovely people.

  - Oh, my boy, I only rejoice for all the drawings you've done. I've deeply enjoyed your stories. Young folks these days ck a bit of sagacity, but you've showhat not everyone does, - Stan Lee said, taking a sip from his gss and toasting with Joe.

  -You're right, Stan, - Joe said.

  Both industry giants exged words without leaving room to uand the true meaning of the words they were now speaking to each other.

  -Are you going to create a superhero series? - Steve Gerber asked.

  -I io create a series iure, - Billy said.

  [1] Steve Gerber: Mostly worked for Marvel id art of the creative team. He tributed to several iing titles in the Marvel Universe. In 1970, he started w for Dics. Later, he worked indepely for both ipanies.

  [2] Dave Cockrum: The creator of multiple X-Men characters and had a signifit influen X-Men history with his tributions.

  [3] Joe Kubert: One of the earliest ic book artists, highly reized for his long and iial career.

  [4] Dwayne McDuffie: A ic book editor, best known for his work on "Justice League." Notably, he focused on representing minorities in ics. He wasn't very old and could be sidered one of the younger members at the table along with Steve Gerber.

  good m everyone, I hope you have a happy week.