comics talk.

A film that had everything to succeed but little interest from certain companies. As Billy predicted, the Wachowskis pulled their move, using their name to sign with other companies for their next film, demanding higher salaries and different production terms.

For a month, they faced rejection after rejection until word reached Jim Waitt. He neither denied nor acted against them; he adjusted his contract, making room for them while employing a small trick to lower the value, such as allowing Lux Animation to use the franchise for potential spin-offs.

But that hardly mattered. Jim Waitt was in Wyoming, relaxing at his family's home. For the first time in five years, he wore loose sweatpants and slept in until noon every day, attending church with his mother.

They introduced him to many young women, ten years younger than him, fresh out of college. Nothing impressive. They all seemed to crave a life of chaos; none had that homely air he longed for—a space of peace.

-No calls,- Jim Waiit muttered, glancing at his cell phone. It was that young woman he had taken on as a client less than a year ago, a beautiful brunette.

-Liv.-

-Mr.Waitsorryy to bother you on vacation,- said Liv Tyler. -I know this is complicated, but I got a role through a friend. I need my agent. I've been lucky—I have a part in a movie, Armageddon. It's through a friend of my father, and well, we also used Billy, who is your client. You'd confirm the script's delivery and have him read it. I'd love your help negotiating.-

Jim pondered for a moment. The script had been on his desk for over a year, left forgotten. Now he had to check with Mrs. Wellerman.

-Have them send the contract to my office. I'll review it tomorrow or the day after. If you can, give me the producer's number and let him know Billy might have availability, but he'll need five days while I get in touch with him… all depending on whether he likes the script.- Jim Wait replied.

He took a sip of tea, breathing deeply. He had a blind date with Audrie Foster, six years younger than him, approaching her thirties, a regular churchgoer, a devout Catholic, and the administrator of a nonprofit animal welfare foundation.

A good profile… Jim now only saw profiles, looking past the surface of every person, studying every trait, every detail.

The Lux Animation comics delivered by Billy had become canon in New York art universities. Over time, multiple courses emerged in different institutions to study the applied art of comics, using Billy's work as an example—from panel design, sound integration, and ghost movements appearing subtly in the background, to his signature way of incorporating historical narratives.

His approach to text in comics stood out, diverging from the usual norm. Instead of pages filled with excessive dialogue, he balanced text with immersive settings and, of course, distinct artistic styles.

-Thank you for being here,- murmured one of Joel Schuster's sons, a 35-year-old man.

It had been a year since Joel Schuster's funeral. The family held a private ceremony, and Billy was not invited. Months later, while going through his father's notes, Andrei Schuster found a letter dated a week before his passing—a long monologue expressing deep gratitude for Billy's help. The letter included an invitation to his art school, aimed at inspiring the next generation.

Andrei honored his father's wish. It was his way of staying connected to the man who had lived a life filled with both mistakes and triumphs. One thing was certain—the old man had a way of getting under people's skin, especially the best of them.

-I'll be in New York until the end of November. In December, I'll be in L.A. for some work. If not now, it'll have to be later… better to do it now,- Billy replied.

These gatherings had drawn thousands of fans, eager to participate in a Q&A gala about his books. The local news was present with their cameras, but the entire press corps was also there. It felt less like an academic lecture and more like a press conference.

-Good afternoon, everyone. Here's how we'll proceed: I will only take questions from art students. Unfortunately, the press will be ignored during this session. If there are questions at the end, we'll see. Otherwise, have a good day.- Billy announced, activating a small projector against the wall.

Displayed on the screen were thick, detailed comic images stored on a DVD. Billy flipped to one of his favorites—Hunter x Hunter. It would be the first topic of discussion.

The series had gone on hiatus before reaching the Heavens Arena arc, but its artistic evolution was top-tier. The addition of new characters, some extraordinary and others cunning deceivers, gave the world of Hunter x Hunter a captivating air of mystery.

-I believe the concept is the most important element, and here, the concept is 'mystery.' Everything is a mystery waiting to be unraveled. When I develop characters, they stop being interesting once everything about them is known. That's what makes the series so brilliant.- Billy explained.

The show thrived on friendship, challenges, and comedy. Its creators were geniuses, but Billy had meticulously found ways to twist the narrative, opening doors here and there, building a society with distinct factions and ideological conflicts. He introduced a political structure for supernatural powers, ignored by the government out of fear, curiosity, and uncertainty. It was a bright yet dark world.

For example, in Real, the core concept was sports as self-improvement. It wasn't about being the best—it was about gaining recognition for something one was not, proving one's worth beyond being a burden. It was a personal battle.

-If we consider drawing and writing as concepts, how can a series transform into exactly what we want it to be?- a young student asked.

Billy nodded.

-In my view, there are two ways to write a story—either from a complete understanding of its structure or through improvisation. When designing a character, they need a name, a family, a community, a language, a religion, a profession, friends, beliefs, and customs. That, in itself, is a concept. A story needs to understand its core concept.- Billy paused, then continued, -Here's an idea. Say you like a sport, swimming, for example. You need to create a medium that justifies its use. Does your character want to have fun, compete, or simply swim along the coast? Does he play other sports? Will he have a girlfriend? Friends? A story is told with the intent of reaching an ending. Your ending might simply be showing how much you love to swim.-

Billy went on, detailing his process—from using journals and voice recorders to world-building sketches and story derivatives. Never locking an idea in place, always making it flexible, crafting expansive worlds rather than linear ones.

Anything could be taken and stretched to its limit, shaping the world around the vision one wished to bring to life.

…

He explored various approaches to character development and the idea that limits only existed because people assumed everything had already been said. Why must a world have gravity? Why must characters be human? Why must people have motivations?

Creating a world meant embracing an idea and pushing it to its absolute limit.

...