From Spider-man to Building Websites: My Creative Evolution

In 1981, I was five years old and my favorite cartoon was Spider-man and his Amazing Friends. The show starred your favorite web-slinger of course, and his two best friends—Firestar and Ice-man. I wanted to be Spider-man so bad. I loved Spidey. Still do.

Intro to Comics

When I was in middle school I bought my first comic book that started my obsession and collecting of comics, The Amazing Spider-man #328 with ole, Web-head punching Hulk in the gut. It was the most captivating art I’d ever seen in my few years on this planet. The book’s masthead and the Marvel price box was interacting with the action as Hulk was being projected up and off the cover from Spidey’s powerful blow.

The Amazing Spider-man #328 by David Michelinie and Todd McFarlane

As I read through this issue I was confused by the story and art. Spider-man’s mood was dark, he could fly, he was married, and he didn’t look like the friendly, neighborhood Spider-man from my favorite cartoon as a kid. This Spider-man was edgier and the amount of detail in the art was intricate. That’s the moment I began a life-long obsession with the art of Todd McFarlane.

I was always the kid in class that drew. I loved drawing and making art. Reading comics and pouring over the work of Todd McFarlane, Rob Liefeld, Jim Lee, Erik Larsen, and all the other hot artists of the late 80’s and 90’s fueled my creativity and a new career option opened up. I wanted to be a comic book artist when I grew up.

For the next few years I drew and researched creating comics. It seems like every weekend I found myself not only at comic book shops (we had 3 within one mile of each other) but also Barnes and Noble. My book shelves overflowed with art and cartooning books. My comic collection grew, as did my art supplies.

Intro to Computers

In 11th grade a shift happened—I took my first computer class and got exposed to my first Apple computer, a Macintosh LC II with a black and white monitor. I was hooked instantly. In the class, we created reports as presentations using Apple's HyperCard, basically Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynote before those apps existed. The difference though was HyperCard required you to learn how to code and script your own interactions. My two presentations were the death of Superman (huge milestone in the comic industry that year) and the seven wonders of the ancient world. I figured out how to do animations, roll over hover effects, and how to create engaging presentations. I impressed my teacher, and it paid off.

My 12th grade year I was allowed to use the fancy, color Mac that had Adobe Photoshop installed. I worked on a rather large presentation with a classmate about the Roman Empire. I developed further scripting skills and learned how to manipulate photos and draw digitally with Photoshop. If you’re familiar with Photoshop and how to use layers, I remember installing the update to Photoshop that introduced layers. Layers were amazing, still are.

Intro to the Web

In college, Spring 1998, I needed to take an elective, and I chose an innocent enough course in the Computer Science department, HTML 101. That course changed my life. Having my background in HyperCard primed me for learning to code for the internet. The next semester I took a second HTML course and I was hooked. I bought my first domain name, krisblack.com, and began experimenting and building my own websites. I started reading books by Jeffrey Zeldman, Hillman Curtis, Roger Black (no relation), and Eric Meyer.

After college, I landed a job as a graphic designer, but many endless nights were spent making websites, experimenting with Flash (RIP), and teaching myself how to write semantic code.

Intro to Business

In mid-aughts, I made a site for a friend’s start-up (it never took off) using e-commerce software. I shared the site in a forum and impressed a guy enough that he offered to pay me to make him an e-commerce site—I landed my first freelance client. That was my start to building websites professionally.

I provided freelance web design services for years before getting my first corporate job as a web designer. During my career I've worked for Squarespace, an energy utility, a Farm Credit Bank, and a user experience consultancy. I've built a lot of websites and web apps for creative professionals, small businesses, and corporate organizations.

I have experience running a small business, working with marketing and information services departments, and contributing to a small, bespoke team of UX professionals.

Putting It All Together

I sometimes wonder what my younger self would think of my career decisions. Would 5-year-old Kris be impressed? Probably not. Would teenage and college Kris be impressed? Absolutely.

The more important question I have to ask now is, “What’s the next chapter in my story?” I think the obvious next step is to take everything I know about comics, the web, and business; and turn it into something I love creating.

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