Don’t you just love when we learn things from our children? Usually they are just reminders of lessons learned long ago and forgotten, lost in the redundancy of our daily lives. Sometimes we have to watch our kids suffer through the same trials we did to remember why those lessons were so valuable.
This week my son Michael had the amazing opportunity to run for President of the New Jersey Association of Student Councils. He was challenged by a very worthy opponent and some unfortunate circumstances and did not win the election. His disappointment was heartfelt. As painful as it was to see him victimized by the agony of defeat it was as much a joy to see him concede with class and good sportsmanship. He picked himself up, dusted himself off and moved on to the next challenge, a performance of stage illusions before a packed auditorium at his school two days later.
The pride he felt after that successful performance and his facebook post, “Being a part of amazing shows like Cabaret Night help remind me why I go through all the hard work and effort to do what I love most 
” reminded me of what it was like to be young, daring, industrious and resilient.
Thanks, Mike!
Thirty years ago when we were puttering around and laying the foundation for Comico we had all those fine qualities. There were plenty of obstacles, defeats, and disillusionments but every time we were knocked down, we got back up, learned a lesson or two and forged ahead. With all that “hard work and effort” Comico became a contender in the comics industry but eventually the haymaker did come and the defeat was as bitter as it could be.
Sometimes, as Mike proved, it’s better to redirect, let the wounds heal, and regain your confidence. This of course is easier done when you are young and bereft of responsibility.
Bill Cucinotta and I as former partners at Comico and now as partners here at CO2 Comics are proving that it is possible to pave a comeback trail and that even tough we are not the twenty-somethings we were when we founded Comico we still have the drive to do what we, as artists, love most and that is make comics.
Looking past healed wounds and a sea of scar tissue it is nice to see that there is still evidence of the impact that our earlier achievements had on the industry not the least is the creators and readers that have put their faith in us by joining us in our CO2 Comics venture.
This industry is in the middle of a massive evolution and we know that we can expect to be taking it on the chin once again as we go toe to toe with seemingly insurmountable obstacles but hey, it’s only been thirty years since we set out on that mission before and now we have a new weapon, inspiration from our own children. How can we expect to teach them the lessons that Michael has learned if we don’t lead by example?
Celebrating Thirty Years of Comics History!
Gerry Giovinco
