I didn't complete the artwork for this initial idea for The Archer Files, but for the purposes of presenting the idea to Tom and Doug, I filled in the empty background and slapped some type onto it to show a mock-up of what the finished cover might look like. I was too caught up in trying to set the scene in 1955 and included the famous Marilyn Monroe calendar from that year in the background; this was out of character for Archer, and as Tom later pointed out, something Ken Millar would've frowned upon. The image was clichéd in many respects, and destined to be forgettable. The problem was I had invested so much time painting it and was reluctant to just let it go.