In an email I sent Terry Beatty on October 1st 2002, I commented on wanting to buy certain MS. TREE covers. I mentioned to him in part:
"another favourite was the cover to #28 "Roger's Story".
Terry replied in part a few days later:
"As for the Ms. Tree covers -- most of that art is too well packed away for me to get at it right now. And for the life of me, I don't remember which ones I've kept...! I haven't brought any Ms. Tree pages or covers to shows for some time now -- it's been so long since the series was last published that few people show any interest anymore...."
Since Terry couldn't find the cover art, I commissioned him to do a single character sketch of Vicky Hunt -- the female on the cover of this issue: "What I had in mind was some version of Vicki Hunt, as she appeared on the cover of Ms.Tree #28, entitled "Roger's Story. I'll bring a copy along for reference, along with a few other Ms. Tree books for you to sign."
Terry replied, "I recall that cover being one of the "good ones."
MS. TREE is, I think, the best hard-boiled private eye series ever done for comics. The story and the storytelling was the key to everything. How many comic series would dare to have a cover of their series taken over by one of the supporting cast with no mention even of the title character? Roger`s likeness is based on Gary Niebuhr mystery fan and critic.
In January 2010, Terry managed to unearth the cover I'd wanted to get from him for 8 years! I was delighted to buy it from him.
