As the story progresses and the escapist grows into an extremely profitable comic book it becomes a huge part of Joe and Sam's lives and keeps them busy. It serves as a way for Joe and Sam to bond together. It also serves as Joe's hopes to bring his family to America in order to keep them safe. For Sam, it gives him some self worth and he feels a lot more confident than he had before. The escapist itself also serves as an allegory as it portrays the escapists and its other hero's fighting the "iron chain" which Sam and Joe elude are the Nazis of Germany. The book grows in success and they create new characters and sidekicks. Joe and Sam create one of the best selling and well known comic books n America. As the story continues Joe attempts to get his family to America however fails in his attempts to do so. As this happens he gets extremely angry and develops a hateful passion towards Germans. He picks fights with almost any German he sees. He also begins to drink a little bit; this starts to worry Sam. Later, Joe meets a girl named Rosa Saks who he takes interest in. She seems take the stress out of Joe's life and he no longer picks fights and drinks. She also works for an organization that helps bring children from Nazi Europe to America. Joe decides to use this connection to help bring his brother Thomas to America. He is put on the waiting list, and he is in Joes mind all the time.