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Last year, cartoonist and musician Geneviève Castrée Elverum was diagnosed with inoperable Stage Four pancreatic cancer just four months after giving birth to a daughter. She is only 34 years old. You can read about her case and what you can do to help at this GoFundMe organized by her husband. The campaign has already […]

At the ComicsPRO meeting this morning, it was just announced that the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is moving it’s offices from New York to Portland this year. The CBLDF, which is run by executive director Charles Brownstein, has been located in NYC for a decade, after moving from Northhampton, Mass. As with many people […]

Artist Reilly Brown had a hell of a week last week. On Monday, he and wife Shawna became parents for the first time, with the arrival of the adorable William, above. Brown spent the rest of the week being a new father and also enjoying some of the excitement over Deadpool, as he’s been an artist who helped shape […]

A new auction that runs until tomorrow features some tasty comics art and benefits both The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Saved Whiskers Rescue Organization. You get some great art and help free speech AND cats? How is this not the win of the year? Dynamic Forces has teamed with the auction house Comic Link for the auction.

The other day we posted a heartbreaking strip called “What a Wonderful World” by Zep featuring Titeuf, the Bart Simpson of France, in a storyline that echoes the refugee crisis now affecting Europe. Thousands of families are fleeing war torn areas—predominantly Syria—and trying to find asylum in various European countries, leading to a humanitarian and […]

Inker Bob Wiacek injured his arm and needs some financial help while he recovers. He's set up a GoFundMe that already reached its goal but I'm sure more help would be appreciated. And Bob deserves it. I worked with him briefly back in the day, and he's a good man and a good artist. Bob will even do a sketch for you if you pledge more than $40 -- I think that's going to take him a long time to fulfill but it's a bargain.

Was that letter everyone linked to about a sweet Wonder Woman lunchbox getting banned at a child's school real? Or are we all just sheeple who believe everything we read on the internet?

Jack Kirby, the titanic force of US comics, would have been 98 years old today. While it makes you wonder what exciting things we'll be doing for his centenary, it's also a reminder that it's a good day to contribute to The Hero Initiative, as Kirby's granddaughter Jillian suggests in the above video. For several years, Jillian has promoted the Kirby4Heroes campaign to raise funds for the charity which aids creators in need. I can attest to the many people that this organization has helped, and in a field where 401ks are non existent, it's sometimes the only safety net poplar have.

In December, artist Norm Breyfogle suffered a stroke which left his drawing hand impaired. He'll need months of therapy to hopefully regain his mobility to be able to walk, draw and hopefully work again. And the comcis industry being what it is, generous folks have set up

an Indiegogo campaign to raise $10,000 to help with Norm's therapy. BUT it is not just a feel good campaign (although that would be enough. The Nrm Breyfogle Whisper Campaign also gets you a reprint of Whisper, an early kick ass woman comic from the 80s. Written by Steven Grant, this is a solid book of the era.

One of the more ambitious and important comics Kickstarter efforts now running is the Comics Uniting Nations effort. Spearheaded by Josh Elder, who already got the Reading With Pictures literacy effort off the ground, this is an equally important project that will communicate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals via the medium of comics. This is a great mix since comics have been proven to cross cultural lines, and communicating the important goals of the SDGs worldwide.

The campaign has been moving along but should get a boost from the first announced creative teams — including Action Philosophers van Lente and Dunlavey and (most excitingly to me anyway) Frédéric Brrémaud  and Federico Bertolucci the team behind the exquisite wordless Love series. Anyway, here’s the line-up thus far:

Goal 4: QUALITY EDUCATION
Writer: Yen Yen Woo (Dim Sum Warriors)
Artist: Lars Jakobsen (Ganske Vist)





Goal 5: GENDER EQUALITY
Writer/Artist: Graphic India (Ramayan 3392A.D., Grant Morrison’s 18 Days)

Goal 6: FRESH WATER AND SANITATION
Writer: Fred Van Lente (Amazing Spider-Man, Archer & Armstrong, Action Philosophers)
Artist: Ryan Dunlavey (Action Philosophers, M.O.D.O.K: Reign Delay)



Goal 15: ENVIRONMENT ABOVE WATER
Writer: Frédéric Brrémaud (Love: The Tiger, Daffodil) 
Artist: Federico Bertolucci (Love: The Tiger, Richard Coeur de Lion)

And some background:

“I was a United Nations employee for years before becoming a comics pro, and I am thrilled at this opportunity to be contributing again to their global mission,” says Fred Van Lente, the New York Times bestselling author tackling Goal 6: FRESH WATER AND SANITATION.  “I’ve been doing comics for non-fiction and non-profits long enough to know comics aren’t just a great way to convey complex issues to a wide audience, they are the best way. With the great literacy advocacy group Reading with Pictures at the helm, this is a terrific chance to tell great comics and save lives in the process.”

“Comics change lives,” explains Josh Elder, Founder of Reading With Pictures. “Every comic fan already knows this because comics changed our lives. Now we have the chance to do the same for millions of disadvantaged men, women and children all over the world.”

“Publishing the LOVE series by Frederic Brremaud and Federico Bertolucci has been a thrill for us at Magnetic Press, not just because they are beautiful books, but because they speak about a topic near to our hearts: wildlife conservation and the world of nature that surrounds us, too often ignored in today’s society,” offers Mike Kennedy, Publisher/President of Magnetic Press, whose creators Brremaud and Bertolucci are working on Goal 15: ENVIRONMENT ABOVE WATER.  “We hope that these books — and our participation in the Comics Uniting Nations project — can help open eyes around the world to these plights and interest people to at the very least become aware of the issues, if not actively participate in any way towards improving these conditions.”

Comics Uniting Nations is a partnership between Reading With Pictures, PCI Media Impact and the PVBLIC Foundation.  The Comics Uniting Nations team is working in coordination with the United Nations Post-2015 Development Planning Team to create a series of seventeen comics addressing the world’s most serious challenges, such as climate change and sustainable energy, extreme poverty, health, education, gender equality, drinkable water and economic growth. 

Comics UNiting NAtions has teamed with Abrams ComicArts, Action Labs, Andrews McMeel Universal, Archie Comics, Boom Studios, comiXology, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Humble Bundle, IDW, Madefire, Magnetic Press, NBM Publishing, Oni, Papercutz, Peanuts Inc., Teshkeel, TOKYOPOP, UDON and Valiant to run this Kickstarter with rewards and talent.

It’s not very often you get to support educating people around the world about the most important survival issues our planet faces AND create from kick-ass comics, so get behind this KS pronto!

A few weeks ago a 17-year-old driver was killed after her car crashed into Mile High Comics’ Denver-area warehouse. They are holding a benefit auction at their facility to benefit her surviving family, which is a pretty decent thing to do. WE need a few more decent things in the world these days.

It’s an all too familiar story: an artist without a lot of funds, and no insurance, all of it wiped out following a sudden illness. Artist Norm Breyfogle, best known for his memorable Batman work, suffered a stroke last week, and it was very serious. His left side is paralyzed….and as a left handed artist this is very serious. He’ll need months of therapy and recovery.

And he had no insurance. And his savings are already wiped out.

A fundraiser has been set up to help him. People have already been generous but there’s a long way to go.

This happens way too much in our industry, people. We need to take care of our own.

I’d love to see Disney and Warner Bros and Sony and Fox hold fundraising screenings for the Hero Initiative, the non profit that helps creators in need. It’s really time that the big companies put 1% back into the people who created all the ideas the studios are benefitting from.

Here some of Breyfogle’s art. In recent years he’s been drawing Archie comics and Batman Beyond, as well.

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Photographer/comics writer Seth Kushner has been very ill and battling for his life after he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia in the spring. A failed bone marrow transplant a few months ago left him with very few options but….well, just go read this. That’s all I have to say. And keep thinking good thoughts.

Also, also, he has a GoFundMe which I’m sure is still taking donations.

Kushner’s portraits of cartoonists are ubiquitous—you wouldn’t believe how many headshots of cartoon types you see on the web every day are Kushner’s work. They were part of the Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins of American Comics book of profiles that came out a few years ago. Kushner is also a comics creator, with his book SCHMUCK.

Kushner and Dean Haspiel recently put up a photo comic called “Heyday'” which you should check out too. But mostly keep thinking good thoughts.

It’s the final Humble Bundle of the year and it’s $555 worth of Dynamite Comics for a pay what you want model. THIS IS A GOOD DEAL. It includes the much buzzed Shaft #1 by David Walker, Bilquis Evely, and Daniela Miwa, the best selling Bob’s Burgers, the Django/Zorro crossover and many other fine comics by Mark Waid, Darick Robertson, Garth Ennis, Gail Simone, Kevin Smith, Alex Ross, J. Michael Straczynski, David Mack, Howard Chaykin, Bill Willingham, Sean Phillips, Tim Seeley, Chuck Dixon, Andy Diggle, Duane Swierczynski, Joshua Hale Fialkov and many more. ALl for pay what you want—but you’ll want to pay at least $15 to get extra bonus books! In addition there are free comics being given away every day.

Humble Bundle jumped into the comics/ebook market this year after a very successful run with mostly video games. The publishing program has been equally successful with over $1 million raised this year. It’s not only a surprisingly effective revenue stream for publishers, but a big help for the charities benefited, including the CBLDF, Doctors without Borders and more. I’m told the biggest comics related Humble Bundle of all was the Doctor Who bundle—oddly the Humble Bundle wikipedia page doesn’t list comics proceeds, but The Beat managed to catch the numbers and it was more than half a million dollars. Not very humble, is it.

Here’s more info on the Dynamite bundle, which ends Christmas Eve at 2 pm.

Fans who choose to pay what they want for the Dynamite Bundle will receive 56 comics with a value of over $200 which includes Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet #1,Dead Irons #1-4, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson: Moon Called Vol. 1, Devilers #1-2, Hack/Slash/Eva: Monster’s Ball #1-4, Doodle Jump #1, Alice Cooper #1, Mark Waid’s The Green Hornet #1-3, Howard Chaykin’s American Flagg! #1-6, Red Sonja: She Devil with a Sword #0-6, Chaos! #2-3,Legenderry #4-5, Pathfinder Vol. 2: Of Tooth and Claw, Dark Shadows: Year One #1-6, Queen Sonja #1-2, The Warriors #1-4, and Ex-Con #1.

Fans who beat the average price will also receive 105 comics total with a combined value of over $380 including Living Corpse Omnibus, Doodle Jump #2, Dean Koontz: Frankenstein – Prodigal Son, Curse of the Wendigo, Monster War #1-4, Devilers #3-4, Twilight Zone #1-4, Uncanny #1, Alice Cooper #2, Mark Waid’s Green Hornet #4-6, Red Sonja Vol. 2, Pathfinder Vol. 2: Tooth and Claw, Kirby Genesis #0-8, Shaft #1, and Jim Butcher: Dresden War Cry #1-3.

Super fans who support Dynamite’s comics and creators by spending $15 or more will receive 143 comics total with a combined value of over $600 will receive all of the above, PLUS Zorro Vol. 1, The Complete Dracula, The Romita Legacy, The Boys: Definitive Edition Vol. 1, and The Heart of the Beast Graphic Novel 20th Anniversary Edition. 

Customers who buy the bundle will receive the first three issues of Bob’s Burgers and can share the first issue with a friend, by utilizing Humble Bundle’s gifting promotion. Those who refer this bundle to a friend will be rewarded with a copy of the first issue of the Django/Zorro crossover.  The gifting promotion is a great way to share a best-selling Dynamite title, while receiving a best-selling title for your own collection as a reward.  Dynamite is the premiere comics publisher to launch such a program with Humble Bundle.

In addition, for those who wish to sample Dynamite’s diverse line, every day at 2:00pm EST throughout the promotion, a digital comic book will be made available as a free download to fans, kicking off with a free digital copy of Red Sonja #7 written by fan-favorite author Gail Simone (of Batgirl and Wonder Woman fame).  That’s just for starters with additional titles to be unveiled mid-promotion.

“Humble Bundle allows us a venue to reward our existing fans, and also an entry level to bring in new readers,” said Dynamite Publisher and CEO Nick Barrucci.  “We were truly humbled by the response to our first partnership earlier this year and really wanted to bring the biggest bundle possible for the grand finale of our 10^th Anniversary celebration! We’ve now exceed the number of issues of our first bundle to over 3,500 pages of comics to read and enjoy from Dynamite’s best-selling and award-winning creators. This Humble Bundle event gives fans a lot of books to read over the holidays. It’s the perfect gift to treat yourself during the holidays while also supporting several great causes.”

As with all Humble Bundles, customers can choose how their purchase dollars are allocated, between the publisher and charity. The Humble Dynamite MEGA Holidays Bundle supports Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, Make-A-Wish, as well as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund which defends first amendment rights of comic book professionals nationwide.To date Humble Bundle has raised over 49 million dollars for charities around the world. With Dynamite’s help last summer they were able to give over $100,000.00 during The Humble Dynamite 10^th Anniversary Bundle in July. 

 The Humble Dynamite MEGA Holidays Bundle runs for two weeks and ends Wednesday, December 24, 2014 at 11 a.m. Pacific time. Fans should follow on Dynamite on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and Instagram for the latest updates as new offerings become available. 

After black and small and cyber on the Holiday schedule comes #giving —#givingTuesday, the day on which charitable contributions are suggested. The CBLDF is offering a premium for contributions made today: a #GivingTuesday edition of Defend Comics, a 54-page all-star anthology featuring stories by Neil Gaiman and Jim Lee, Jason Aaron and Moritat, Andy Diggle and Ben Templesmith, Terry Moore, Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier, Evan Dorkin, Amy Chu and Shannon Wheeler, and many more. This special anthology will only be available today until 12:00 a.m. PT. The line-up includes:

• “100 Words” by Neil Gaiman and Jim Lee
• “The First Censor” by Jason Aaron and Moritat
• “Tales of Comic Book Censorship” by Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier
• “This Isn’t A Senate Hearing…This is MADNESS” by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey
• “Milk & Cheese in CBLDF-U” by Evan Dorkin
• “The First Amendment” by Larry Marder
• “Barren Ground” by Andy Diggle and Ben Templesmith
• “Tabbie Gets A Lesson in Censorship” by Amy Chu and Shannon Wheeler
• “Dramatic Reading” by Meryl Jaffe and Janet Lee
• “Being Normal” by Mark Waid and Jeff Lemire
• “Douchebag” by Terry Moore
• “What if Wertham Was Right” by Joshua Williamson and Ron Chan
• Plus pin-ups by Ben Templesmith, Frank Miller, and Jeff Smith!

In addition to making this offer, the CBLDF released the below PDF which shows how they worked in 2014. It was a busy year for the organization, which supports free speech and fights censorship throughout the industry. Luckily, there are no expensive legal proceedings underway for the CBLDF, however they were not idle:

We addressed more than two dozen challenges to comics and other books, including a national outbreak of summer reading bans. We defused several legal crises before they could rise to the level of prosecutions. We took a leadership role in Banned Books Week‘s 2014 comics focus. We also added to our expansive education mission, with several new publications, more than 40 public presentations, a new monthly podcast, our weekly newsletter, and daily news and resource content on cbldf.org. CBLDF does all of this work, and more, with a small dedicated staff.

CBLDF_Infographic_Mailer.pdf

In addition you can read their annual report here.

The US branch of the international literary organization PEN America is holding an auction of “Firest EDitions/Second Thoughts” tpo help support its mission of freedom of expression. The auction, to be held at Christies, includes first editions of various famed books annotated and signed by the origianl authors. Among the works p for bid on December 2nd, City of Glass: The Graphic Novel, in a special copy signed by original author Paul Auster and adapters Paul Karasik, David Mazzucchelli and Art Spiegelman.

The book is often considered a landmark of showing how the comics medium can transform even a celebrated literary work into a new and powerful mode of storytelling. A special panel spotlight on the book was held at CAB 2013.

And there’s video….

A few days ago we noted that comics veteran James Hudnall was going through a very rough patch, with the amputation of his foot due to a diabetic ulcer. We’ve been following along on his FB page and although his recovery has been good, he’s now in a pretty tough spot. The operation took place in Austin, TX where he’d just moved to take a job—which may or may not still exist. He’s also been forced to move out of the place he was staying because it is not suitable for a man in a wheelchair. As of this morning he has no place to live, and staying in a motel while he gets his stuff in order is expensive.

He set up a GoFundMe campaign back when he first took ill. I imagine if you have a moment, sending a few dollars his way now would be greatly appreciated.

This is an article after my own heart.  Check it out: “If Trees Could Sing” http://www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/tennessee/if-trees-could-sing/index.htm?src=e.gpFiled under: Nature's design Tagged: benefits, conservation, nature, NatureConservancy, save, shade, trees

Hero Initiative is the comics charity we wish we didn’t have to have, as it aids creators in need with financial help. It’s a great cause and they’ll have a booth at New York Comic-Con at N104-106, with Denny O’Neil making his only appearance at the con on FRiday at the HI booth from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. They’ll also have their collection of the Uncanny X-Men Project 100 at the booth—participating artists in attendance include Rafael Albuquerque, David Bullock, Jim Calafiore, Victor Castro, Mike Choi, Mark dos Santos, Tony Fleecs, Derek Fridolfs, Agnes Garbowska, Chris Giarrusso, Gabriel Hardman, Phil Jimenez, Bob Larkin, Pamela Lovas, David Mack, Mike McKone, Al Milgrom, Todd Nauck, Jerry Ordway, George Pérez, Tom Raney, Alex Saviuk, Valerio Schiti, Tim Seeley, and Bill Sienkiewicz.

Other artists whoare signing for Hero Initiative includeL Jay Anacleto, Reilly Brown, Jim Calafiore, Amanda Conner, Scott Kolins, Mike McKone, Bob McLeod, Carlo Pagulayan, Jimmy Palmiotti, Brandon Peterson, Brian Pulido, Norm Rapmund, Valerio Schiti, Steven Segovia, Gail Simone, Alex Sinclair, Joe Staton, Arthur Suydam, Phillip Tan, Fred van Lente, Jim Zub and Chrissie Zullo will be flying the Hero flag. Stop by their booths and do the right thing!
 

UPDATE: my intense schedule over the last month and lack of sleep helped me misread the time stamp on this… you actuall have nearly a WEEK TO GO! So it’s all good. AND a new comic is added every day!

The latest comics themed Humble Bundle is Valiant Comics themed and it has a few hours to go so if you want to jump in, now’s the time. SIX DAYS to go. The bundle includes some 120 comics and charity proceeds on the pay-what-you-want model go to Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the Hero Initiative, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF). For a mere $15 you can get entirely caught up on Valiant’s excellent offerings here is the chance.

Humble BUndle doesn’t archives its campaigns, so as we sometimes do, we’ll note it for the record. Like other bundles, the Valiant effort has broken six figures, with $115,238.76 in total payments and 11,430 purchases.

I think I mention it every time I do this, but when Humble Bundle, best known for offering video games, got more involved in comics, it seemed like a great chance to raise money and do some outreach…and I’d say that’s been borne out. Thus far Image, IDW, Dynamite and Boom! have all run very successful campaigns. And another one may be launching later today so check back.

Photographer/cartoonist and friend of comics Seth Kushner is still battling leukemia, and currently awaiting a bone marrow transplant. He’s a tough fighter and a great guy and this shouldn’t be happening. But it is. A benefit for Kushner will be held tonight at Union Hall in Brooklyn. The evening will include a full line-up of performances, music and comix readings, all to raise money for Kushner’s health care costs.
August 26 at 7:30pm to 10:00pm

Union Hall – Brooklyn – 702 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11215

If you cannot attend but would like to help Seth, you can donatehere

Performances by

Molly Crabapple

Douglas Rushkoff

Dean Haspiel
Akim Funk Buddha
JahFurry
Josh Neufeld
Plucky Charms
Christa Cassano
Mike Cavallaro w/ Sticks & Stones
(+more acts TBA)

$15 Tickets & Info:

Produced by Jeff Newelt

Co-presented by HEEB Magazine

Onsite bone marrow registration by Delete Blood Cancer
HANG DAI Editions

As reported yesterday, the Ice Bucket Challenge fad is hitting comics and it’s spreading like wildfire. The viral fad involves having a bucket of ice dumped over you to create more awareness of ALS — Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis— a “progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord” and can cause total paralysis.

Those taking the challenge posted results to Facebook, which will not allow me to embed the videos because Facebook. But here’s a list of the latest to take the plunge:

Dean Haspiel, who did it sirtless, as I hardly need even mention.

Cryptozoic’s John Nee

Tess Fowler, whose nephew actually suffers from ALS.

Dynamite’s Nick Barrucci

ComicWow!’s Josh Geppi

Have you taken the challenge? Link it up in the comments! And please be careful. We don’t want any William Henry Harrison’s here.

So far, I’ve only found one — Billy Tucci! Tragically, Tucci did not call out other comics folks, so the charity meme has not yet spread to out part of the world. But let’s give Billy a hand for doing it!

In case you missed it, the ice bucket challenge is meant to draw attention to ALS, aka Lou Gehrig disease. When called out, you must either dump a bucket of ice over yourself or donate $100 to the ALS Foundation. Most celebs who have been doing this do both. You make a mideo of yours;f getting dumbed on, and call out someone to take the challenge next at the end of your video.

It’s a fun way to while away the summer—somehow I don’t think this would be as popular in November. People who have done it so far include Lady Gaga, Robert Downey Jr., Justin Bieber (he didn’t actually use ice), Steven Spielberg, Carrie Underwood, Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez, the NY Mets, the NY Jets, and a bunch of nerdlebrities folks like Tom Hiddleston (very popular),

Chris Pratt, Nathan Fillion, James Gunn and Stephen Amell.

I found Dave Bautista’s by far the most impressive however.

When we look back at the summer of 2014, will it be as the time that famous people dumped ice on themselves? In these turmoil filled days, it’s nice to have something giving and fun and silly to talk about.

Meanwhile, comic folk, step up!

UPDATED: OK OK, I missed Brian Bendis:

Who calls out Fraction and Oeming.

And Frank Tieri, although I can’t find his video,

who called out Scott Snyder:

I’m told Dynamite’s Nick Barrucci also took the challenge.

So NOW we’re getting somewhere!

whata great event! helped raise over $10k for local san diego schools @sanfordgreene #sdcc #quiznos #QanvasbyQuiznos http://t.co/avW93mvE1R

— bernard chang (@thebernardchang) August 6, 2014

Here’s a nice story from Comic-Con about more than 50 comics artists including Bernard Chang and Sanford Greene, teaming up with QANVAS by Quiznos, an art project that saw them drawing on Quisnos sub wrappers. The resulting art was auctioned off to benefit ArtReach, and some $10,000 was raised for art programs in San Diego schools. Win win win!

And just a reminder tonight is a Bone Marrow Donor Drive and Hang Dai Studios Signing at JHU with all the above folks PLUS Fred van Lente and Joe Infurnari and doubtless other luminaries.

It’s a good cause. Come on down.