Untitled (there's always the danger someone will find the title "smart")

The guy they had just introduced me to was one of an apparently large percentage of newspaper reporters that keep a blog under a pseudonym.("It is only natural" was his explanation."This way we can write the stuff our bosses never let us write"-ignoring the fact that noone actually does-unless pseudopoetic bitching and "how I spent my day" diaries is somehow the "censored activist journalism" the Media Barons keep us from discovering).
Anyway, we soon engaged in a conversation about the Greek comic artists. "You know who is, of course, my favorite" he told me. "Ilias Kiriazis".
(for those unfamiliar with the Greek comic scene, Kiriazis is one of the most promising talents that have appeared in recent years, with an already huge funbase-a large percentage of it being teenage girls,that holy grail of comic book audience).
"You see, Kiriazis done something that I find very smart", the guy continued."He took familiar settings, everyday people and situations we are all familiar with, and made this huge success".
Well, I know the guy thought he was paying a compliment, but boy, did that remark rubbed me the wrong way!
"Smart"?As in "there he was, scratching his head, thinking "now, what would bring me a huge following and mega success" smart? As in "ok-I want a best-seller, let's put in rhe right elements and the rest is easy" smart?As in "hey,boss, this baby is a sure-winner" smart?
I may be reading to much into it, but gut feeling tells me I do not.The unmistakable "business mentality" was all there in this remark.As far as I know, Kiriazis draws for fun,puts in his work whatever amuses him at the moment, plus (the magic element:) a large and sincere part of himself in it.Yes, that IS a recipe for success.But it's an insult to call that "smart".You just can't do that using your mind.You do that using your heart.No committee-approved, brainstorming-conceived,survey-based-targeted "project" ever achieved that.In fact, if there IS a point to pursuing a "creative career" in any medium, it is to put YOUR vision out there, CONTRARY to whatever parasitic "managers" of every kind want to dilute your message with.
THAT is smart.
And the "smart" guys, like Kiriazis, go on and do it and rip the benefits.
The rest can always resort to "undercover blogging"...