The masthead was shrunk and retooled to allow for the largest photo play possible in our format. Monica is correct about the Chicago market. The Sun-Times relies on street sales - and our cover offered a unique and distictive presentation in the city's news stands.

We considered the obvious - a grid of victim's photos - but felt that a large front/back graphic of their faces was not respectful - particularly if we could not portray every soul who died. I noticed the NY Times ran their complete photo grids inside. Bravo.

This page is more upbeat than most: The image shows workers installing the flag at the Pentagon, and the headline is one of those resolute American phrases we heard often over the last year. The message here could be called simplistic; it doesn't really push past the expressions seen on T-shirts and bumper stickers in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Context is everything, however. Chicago is a competitive newspaper town, and the Sun-Times is offering a distinctive, unalloyed message.