Today, there are many heroes among the tattoo elite. Excellent artists and innovators all. Back in 1997, the cast of characters was different than today. Hanky Panky, for example. He was a powerful voice for international tattooing and introduced many exciting artists to our consciousness. Keone Nunes from Hawaii and Gordon Toi from New Zealand were just two real-deal artists he brought to the mainland. But Hanky Panky has backed off from tattooing and now paints for a living.

The first time I visited Tattoo City on Lombard, Don Ed Hardy was tattooing in his lab coat. Everyone spoke in a hush as the master worked on one of his unforgettable backpieces. I was too nervous to say hello. In the ensuing years, Ed and I became friends, but he's, basically, retired from the business and lives in Hawaii. He spends much of his time designing wearable art and fine jewelry.

Meeting Felix Leu was like meeting Gandhi. He was, for many of us, the spiritual head of the tattoo world. His warmth and accessibility helped transform tattoo into a respected, acceptable art form. Everyone he touched became emissaries of the art and spread his good cheer and love to the far corners of the earth. Don Feliz (as he liked to be called) is gone now, taken by cancer. There will never be another like him.

Good Time Charlie Cartwright is looking suntanned and rested, but he's, essentially, retired from tattooing. Rick Walters tattoos now and then, but Bert Grimm's is closed and the Pike has been leveled. Ronny Ackers recently passed. And before that, R.J. Rosini and Sailor Moses—the list goes on and on.

So, who's keeping the torch lit? Is it living legends like Jack Rudy, Vyvyn, Brian Everett, Horiyoshi III and Henry Goldfield? Or do we sort through all the young inflated egos and overnight geniuses to find our champions of the future? There's a ton of new artists whose stash of ethics would fit in the eye of a gnat. But there's a few bright lights out there, artists who love the traditions, study the history and treat both customers and fellow artists with respect. Some of the names you've heard, others are still obscure and undiscovered. Aaron Bell from Seattle, Bob Tyrrell from Michigan, Rick Harnowski from Green Bay, Leo Zulueta from Ann Arbor, Judy Parker from San Diego, Freddy Corbin from Oakland—there's so many. But that's good. What with the business expanding like it is, we need all the positive role models we can get.

Bob Baxter
Editor in Chief