Beatty, Terry - Vicky Hunt from Ms. Tree #28

Commissioned prior to and purchased from Terry Beatty at FallCon in October 2003. This is the character "Vicky Hunt" from the cover pose to MS. TREE #28 entitled "Roger's story." The character only appeared in that one issue, but it was a memorable story and character from Max Allan Collins' and Terry Beatty's great hardboiled series.

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 hardboiled private eye series ever done for comics. The story and the storytelling was the key to everything.