"Dark Holiday: Fourth of July"
2002
This was the only picture in the series where Sehera and I decided to throw in some colors. For her, it was because it's pretty damn impossible to do black and white fireworks. For me, I was under the symbolic gesture that given what the nation been through after the tragedy which took place on September 11th the previous year, the last thing we needed was a gray representation. So we bent the rules on this one for the colors that will never run.
Sadly this became the last collaboration I did with Sehera (at least as of this writing). While we've managed to keep in touch and we'd both very much like to do more pieces together, we have yet to find any time. It's because of this that the way Erik is depicted in this picture - looking up into the stars and just enjoying what has been a fun show - makes me feel a little sad. If this is the last picture, it's a bittersweet way to end such a fun collaboration. The drawings have always been fantastic, but it's the caring and life lessons she's given me that I appreciate the most. - Jake