If this opens a new can of worms then Paul I apologize, but, Ceci do you think it is easy moving? That is one thing, because it isn't easy for everyone.

Admittedly, I've never worked in the comics industry. But I'm unfamiliar with any concept of "professionalism" that involves insulting a colleague (and former boss) in public for mourning his dead mother.

Having had three books not appear, yet, after two different artists had issues, I think I can sympathize with Byrne, he worked through when others wouldn't, but I think most of us would be more human and deal with the emotional event more so than the work issue.

In my last month of university as a grad student I broke my ankle, my father had a stroke and three heart attacks and died, and my wife who was pregnant had to be rushed to the hospital with bleeding down below. My boy in her belly was ok, my dad was still quite dead, and I was in enormous pain, without any pain meds, but I wrote my two 40 page papers, because I didn't want the professors to mark me down for lateness. When I handed the work in one remarked I'd already given you the A for the class, the other said hmmph I was looking forward to giving you shit. People are different, and I do not expect people to be like I would be.

So could we give Byrne a thumbs up for work ethic and thumbs down for insensitivity without making it an attack? I think so. But I think it is far far better to be ahead of the task than catching up. Because people aren't likely to give you the break.

If this opens a new can of worms then Paul I apologize, but, Ceci do you think it is easy moving? That is one thing, because it isn't easy for everyone. I lose a year off my life when I move. My wife and son have ADHD and have ZERO organizational skills. Getting them here to there, even temporarily removes months from my life expectancy.

What if Byrne is a pack rat and the very thought of moving makes him ill ... What if he has booby traps of debris set up across his home to kill intruders?

It had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with someone's dead mother.

The MAIN problem here is that JB tries to instill his own work ethic into the mix, so to speak. That was (and still is) a mistake, but only because the vast majority of today's talents have no real PROFESSIONAL work ethic to speak of.

This is just another molehill (Hi shjonescrk!) for certain detractors to make into a mountain.

I don't believe (uh oh) that JB was targeting Joe Quesada's mother's death at the time. He was just taking advantage of the timing to put forth his work ethic diatribe. He shouldn'ta oughta done it as it (to coin your phrase) opened up a predictable can o' worms.

I recall Quesada using his mother's death as an excuse for his Daredevil work being late. At the time I noted that if the work had been on a realistic schedule to begin with, this family loss would have had no impact on the timeliness of that work.

I am tired of personal tragedies, natural disasters and other such upheavals being used as excuses for late books.