In 1971-1972, I was serving in the United States Air Force stationed at Clark Air Base north of Manila. Either in late 1971 or early 1972, I happened upon this piece in a gallery in Tarlac, about 30 miles north. I had never heard of Alex Niño but the piece spoke to me so I bought it. Years later, I learned that Tarlac was Alex's home town.

In May of 1972, I returned home to California. I had carefully removed the canvas from the stretcher bars before coming home, rolled it up, and stored it in a shipping tube for transport. And there it stayed for some thirty years.

One day, years ago, I discovered it stored away and opened the tube to find my Alex Niño treasure. It was in fine shape but needed stretching. I took it to Tiina Parmasto, owner of Arizona Art Restoration where she expertly, (and tenderly), stretched it over new, modern stretcher bars with a 1” gallery wrap. She also freshened up the canvas a bit but did nothing major. It has been a prized possession on display, ever since.

Below is a copy of part of my military DD-214 form I received when I was honorably discharged from the Air Force, in California. It verifes my last duty location as being Clark Air Base. I was a musician playing woodwind instruments in the Air Force Band, first in Texas and then the Philipines.

We're moving soon, so my treasured Alex Niño piece must now find a new home. My family are not comic/fantasy art fans and I want someone to enjoy it, as did I, for a long time.