Artwork:  "The Caramel" (as featured in 1995's RARE BIT FIENDS #12, Rick Veitch & King Hell) © 1994, Rick Grimes.

GRIMES:  ‘The Caramel’, is my least favourite. I don’t care for self-referential, in the literal sense, comics and hate including myself in anything, in stories. Normally I would’ve rejected it, but I liked the giant statue and costume-dive ideas, and thought overall it might ‘mean’ something to Veitch. It was about him. (For those not paying attention! I’m sometimes amazed what obviousness people can ignore when reading a comic sequence.) And his book, with him in it all the time. Thought he could use an ‘equalizer’, by then, as only dreams can do it. (As much for my mind as his, no doubt; my dream). The name ‘the Caramel’ is about the dumbest and blandest name for a ‘superhero’ you can get, but such are dreams. That alone would’ve been enough for me to avoid doing it. I gave Veitch the originals, to do with as he sees fit; since he’s in it. ‘At his discretion’. Anyone, interested in self portraits can check me, and Bissette, in that story. I hate being ‘seen’ in shorts, but it gets in the 90s and 100s down here, so...  -- Rick Grimes (December 22nd, 2008).