I’ve always been amazed when folks bring up the fact that I’ve created myriad worlds along the way. Why? Because it was never my intention to create them. The awful truth is that I simply hate drawing every-day scenes. Give me a space ship to draw over a mini-van any day.

There’s also the factor that setting a tale in the real world limits the possibilities on what you can do with that story. But anyone who’s read my little fictions knows this hasn’t kept me from doing a few serious stories while traveling afar. I’m a firm believer that in-depth subjects can be better handled in a fantasy setting.

Plus made-up settings help set a theme throughout a story. Warlock’s tour of the Instrumentality’s Realm wouldn’t have worked as well if it had been set on Earth. Part of Dreadstar’s appeal was that it took place in a distant reality. 'Breed and Wyrd have Elsewhere to do that which wouldn’t make any sense in New York. If I’d had the chance to do Hardcore Station the way I wanted, DC Comics would have ended up with a great place to explore the dark side of their universe.

Let’s face it, traveling to some far off land is a terrific way to break the mold, to do something different. Isn’t that why we go on vacations?