The satiric ethos of Mad was a much bigger childhood influence.

I'd been upstaged, demoted from protagonist in my own drama to comic relief in my parents' tragedy

I'm pretty illiterate when it comes to comics history.

I don't know, maybe it's because I was raised Catholic. Confession has always held a great appeal for me.

She has given me a way out.

Nancy Drew was always changing her outfits. I despised girls' clothing, I couldn't wait to get home from school and get out of it. The last thing I wanted to read was minute descriptions of Nancy's frocks.

If it weren't for the unconventionality of my desires, my mind might never have been forced to reckon with my body.