"I'm supposed to be making comics, so I had to do it the best way I knew how, which is what those guys at the beginning of the Twentieth Century were doing"

This quote by Art Spiegelman talks to the importance of staying true to one's craft. Spiegelman is referring to the early 20th century comic developers who were pioneering the art kind. He is saying that he needed to make comics in the exact same way that those early developers did, as it was the best method he knew how. This quote highlights the importance of remaining true to one's craft and not straying too far from the initial techniques. It likewise speaks with the importance of gaining from the past and utilizing the understanding of those who came prior to us to inform our own work. Spiegelman is saying that the best method to make comics is to gain from the past and utilize the very same methods that the early comic creators utilized. This quote is a pointer that we must always strive to stay true to our craft and use the knowledge of those who came prior to us to inform our own work.