The biggest direct influence on my career is Ben Edlund, who gave

“The biggest direct influence on my career is Ben Edlund, who gave me my first real professional break and, through his friendship and example, turned me into a writer and a more critical thinker in general.” — in this reflection, Christopher McCulloch, known to many as Jackson Publick, speaks not merely of success or opportunity, but of influence, mentorship, and friendship — the sacred triad by which wisdom is passed from one soul to another. His words remind us that no greatness arises in isolation; every creator, every thinker, every craftsman is shaped by those who come before them — by the guiding hand, the generous spirit, the teacher who awakens the potential within.

The origin of this truth lies as deep as civilization itself. In every age, the mentor and the disciple stand as symbols of humanity’s continual renewal. From Socrates guiding Plato, to Plato guiding Aristotle, to Aristotle guiding Alexander — the chain of influence is unbroken, stretching like a golden thread through time. Each generation owes its light to the torches lit by the last. And so it was for McCulloch: the light of Ben Edlund, creator of The Tick, illuminated his path, not by mere instruction, but through example, through the power of creative friendship — the kind that transforms talent into mastery and curiosity into wisdom.

When McCulloch speaks of his “first real professional break,” he is not only recalling a career milestone, but a moment of initiation. Every artist, at the threshold of uncertainty, awaits such a moment — the call from someone who believes before the world does. Edlund’s faith was that call. In his mentorship, McCulloch found not only opportunity but awakening. For true guidance does not dictate; it reveals. It does not impose knowledge; it draws forth the knowledge already sleeping in the student’s heart. Through friendship and trust, Edlund helped McCulloch become not merely a writer, but a critical thinker — one who examines the world, dissects its meanings, and rebuilds it anew through words and imagination.

Such transformation mirrors the ancient bond between master and apprentice — the sculptor who teaches the novice to see form within stone, or the poet who shows the young dreamer that rhythm lies not in sound alone, but in life itself. In this bond, the elder does not merely shape the younger’s craft; he shapes his mind. And when friendship enters this sacred exchange, the lessons go beyond the intellect — they touch the soul. That is why McCulloch’s gratitude is not only professional but personal. Edlund did not merely teach him how to write; he taught him how to think, and through thinking, how to create meaning.

There is a heroic humility in acknowledging one’s influences. Many who climb the mountain of success forget those who held the rope steady as they ascended. But McCulloch’s words remind us that gratitude is the foundation of all mastery. To recognize one’s teacher is to remain connected to one’s roots — to honor the lineage of wisdom that sustains all art, science, and philosophy. The ancients believed that to forget one’s mentor was to break a sacred covenant, for knowledge without remembrance becomes arrogance. In contrast, gratitude transforms achievement into legacy.

Let every reader, then, take heed of this truth: you are the sum of those who believed in you. Seek mentors not for what they can give you, but for what they can awaken within you. And when you find them, learn not only their craft, but their character. Study not only their words, but their silences. For the greatest lesson of mentorship is not imitation but illumination — the discovery of one’s own path through the light of another.

Finally, carry forward what was given to you. As Edlund shaped McCulloch, so too must you shape others in your time. Be the hand that opens the door, the friend who offers encouragement, the teacher who inspires thought. For when wisdom is shared, it multiplies; when friendship uplifts, it transforms. And in this eternal exchange between the guided and the guide, the world grows wiser, one heart at a time.

Thus, remember McCulloch’s lesson: influence, friendship, and example are the true architects of greatness. Talent is born in solitude, but purpose is born in connection. Honor those who helped you rise, and strive to be such a person for another. In doing so, you join the unbroken chain of wisdom that began with the first teacher who ever whispered to the dawn, “Here is how we make light.”