 Helfer was impressed by Hughes' portfolio and asked Hughes to contact him when his contract expired.A few months later, after Comico went out of business, Helfer contacted Hughes, hiring him initially to draw inventory covers for issues like "Mister Miracle" #19, one of Hughes' favorite creations by Jack Kirby.Hughes was then made the regular artist on "Justice League America", with issue #31 being his first published DC Comics work.