Acknowledgments
Firstandforemost,I’dliketothankmymother-in-law
Mary Joy Thomas, for making this book possible.
ThankstomywifeRainandsonRexfortheirloveand
support.
Asfarasmytattoocareer,I’dliketothankEdHardyfor
hisendlessinspiration.ThankstoJohn“Red”Schuster
and Duke Miller for their help, encouragement and
patience early in my career and giving me the
opportunity to work beside them. Thanks to Mike
Luckett,theveryfirstpersontotattoome.Healsogave
mepointersabouttattooingandevenlentmehistattoo
equipmenttostartmy career. Thanksto Leroy“Jeep”
Divelyforallowingmetodomyfirst tattoosonhim.
Thanks to Jack Rudy for helping me with technical
advice along with leading the way in black-and-gray
tattooingingeneralandforhissenseofhumor,joyfor
life,andgivingmetheopportunitytocomeworkforhim
in 1987. Thanks also to my crew now,Mike Stobbe,
Dave Warshaw, Denny Besnard, Alessio Ricci, Chris
Cockrill and Arnold Santos, and to members of my
previous crews.