charities
Kapow! Comic Con takes aim at Guinness World Records
Superior #1
If the growing guest list isn’t enough to draw fans and media to the inaugural Kapow! Comic Con, Mark Millar & Co. are raising the stakes by setting their sights on two Guinness World Records that most probably didn’t know existed.
Millar and collaborator Leinil Yu have given permission for their Superior character to be used at the convention to help secure the records for Fastest Production of a Comic Book and Most Contributors to a Comic Book.
To do so, such attending creators as Paul Cornell, Andy Diggle, Dave Gibbons, Jock, Frank Quitely and John Romita Jr. will lend their time on April 9 to create a 20-page standalone comic. For the Fastest Production record, the entire issue — from concept to script to art to lettering — must be completed between 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. A Guinness World Records official will be on-hand to certify the requirements have been met.
The finished product will be printed and distributed through Marvel’s Icon imprint, with all royalties going to Yorkhill Children’s Foundation, which provides enhanced medical equipment and resources for sick children and babies treated by Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow.
- March 18, 2011 @ 10:30 AM by Kevin Melrose
Japan update: ICv2 calls out Tokyo gov; Stu Levy now a hero
A Swamp Thing cover being auctioned off for Japan
As the drama in Japan continues, we are reminded that comics are everywhere. Tokyopop CEO Stu Levy has been ferrying food and supplies to the victims, charting his progress on Twitter as he goes.
On this side of the ocean, the response is less dramatic but no less heartfelt: Creative types are coming up with all sorts of benefits for Japan. Comics Alliance has a nice roundup of events and art sales, and Daniella Orihuela-Gruber and Michael Huang have set up Anime and Manga Bloggers For Japan, a site where blogger can direct their readers, with links to Doctors Without Borders and Shelterbox. The fan-run One PIece Podcast is planning a 24-hour podcast marathon this weekend that will feature many bloggers and voice actors and hopefully raise $25,000 for the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. At the Otaku USA site, editor Patrick Macias explains why he is endorsing the Japan Society Earthquake Relief Fund. Dane Ault, of Monkey Minion Press, is auctioning off an original Swamp Thing cover on eBay. And Pinguino Kolb updated me on the We Heart Japan art auction, which happens tomorrow at Meltdown Comics in LA, saying that they are flooded with art and expect lots of celebrities to stop by, so if you’re in LA right now, that’s the place to be—and if you’re not, stay tuned, because they expect to do several more fund-raisers later this month.
- March 16, 2011 @ 02:01 PM by Brigid Alverson
Can comics cure cancer?
Alex Simmons
Not yet, but they can make you laugh while you’re waiting for chemo.
Alex Simmons always has a couple of things going on. In addition to his work for Archie Comics (he wrote their big crossover event last year), he runs the annual Kids Comic Con in the Bronx, and last December he brought his Color of Comics traveling exhibit to Dakar, Senegal.
Now Simmons has found a new place for comics: a cancer center. Lenox Hill Hospital’s Institute for Comprehensive Breast Care, to be precise. As Simmons says in a press release sent out yesterday:
Breast cancer effects women of all ages and races, and unfortunately, uniformly inflicts terror in those that have to face the disease head- on. Quite often children find themselves facing that fear with their mothers, some times sitting in the waiting area while she meets with a doctor.
Hospitals, as anyone who has waited in one knows, can be kind of grim. Alex wants to give everyone something to smile about, so he’s planning a permanent exhibit of comics images on the walls of the center to cheer up the kids and their moms. He’s looking for artists who are willing to donate original comics art or digital images that can be blown up and put on the walls. Artists who are interested in participating can find his contact info through his website.
- March 16, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
LA anime and art communities join in We Heart Japan benefit
Comics artist, designer and photographer Pinguino Kolb, and voice actress, director, writer and producer Stephanie Sheh have pulled together an art auction, under the name We Heart Japan, to benefit the victims of last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
The event will take place at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood on Thursday. Yes, this Thursday: In less than a week, the two have pulled together donations from a number of local artists as well as the anime companies Bandai and Geneon, the anime streaming site Crunchyroll and the anime convention AM2. They are still looking for donations, though; if you are a Los Angeles-area artist and want to contribute framed sketches, paintings or digital art, contact information is on their website (or direct-message them via Twitter). Anime actors and cosplayers will also be there to mingle and sign autographs; check the Facebook page to see who’s coming.
“Japan has always been a huge inspiration for those working in anime and comics, and we’re doing this show as a way to give back to the community there,” Kolb said in an e-mail to Robot 6.
Proceeds will go to the Japan NGO Earthquake Relief and Recovery Fund, which will work with Japan’s Give One initiative to relay the money directly to local charities that are helping with the relief efforts. And more events are in the offing; follow them on Twitter to get the latest news.
- March 15, 2011 @ 07:00 AM by Brigid Alverson
Smile! Creators react to Japan disaster with optimism
One of Takehiko Inoue's Smile drawings
Even as rescue operations continue and officials scramble to avert a nuclear disaster in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on Friday, some manga artists are reaching out to their fans with a message of hope.
Takehiko Inoue, the creator of Vagabond and Slam Dunk, has been posting pictures of ordinary Japanese people smiling with the Twitter hashtags #prayforjapan and #tsunami, as a sort of prayer. Shoujo manga creator Arina Tanemura (Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen’s Alliance Cross) also drew one of her characters with a big smile. Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball) posted a lively drawing with a message of support on the Shonen Jump website. And Itou Noizi, who illustrated the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya light novels, has drawn a picture of Haruhi in prayer.
A number of well-known creators, including Naoki Urasawa (Pluto, 20th Century Boys), Natsume Ono (House of Five Leaves) and Kanata Konami (Chi’s Sweet Home) have posted drawings and messages of encouragement at the website of Kodansha’s Morning magazine. Anime News Network has a full list of contributors in English.
Japanese-Canadian artist Nina Matsumoto (Yokaiden) is doing commissioned drawings of her characters for $25 each, with the proceeds to go to the Japan Society’s Earthquake Relief Fund.
- March 14, 2011 @ 06:00 PM by Brigid Alverson
Dunlavey teams with leukemia survivor to bring Super Shot to life
Super Shot
This is a really wonderful story … comic creator Ryan Dunlavey recently teamed up with 12-year-old Luke Robinson from Dickson, Tennessee to create a new comic called Super Shot that’s being distributed at area hospitals. Robinson, who has survived open-heart surgery and leukemia over the course of his short life, asked the Make-a-Wish Foundation for the opportunity to visit Marvel Comics and create his own comic.
“Luke created and designed the characters and came up with the story ideas – I wrote the script and drew the artwork under the supervision of then-Marvel Comics editor Nate Cosby,” Dunlavey said on his blog. “This past week the book was printed and distributed for free to hospitals in Luke’s hometown area of Tennessee – the story is an origin of Luke’s characters Super Shot and Dr. Shrink, who battle the Virus in a story that demonstrates that kids need not be afraid of doctors or medical care. This was all Luke’s vision and I was just lucky to be asked along for the ride.”
In addition to area hospitals, Robinson plans to debut the book at The Great Escape in Nashville later this month.
- February 25, 2011 @ 02:30 PM by JK Parkin
RoboCharity: Ron Marz puts out the call to help feed Detroit
RoboCharity
Earlier this month a tweet to Detroit Mayor David Bing set off a campaign to build a statue of Robocop in the motor city, the setting for the 1987 movie that starred Peter Weller as the title character. Using Facebook and Kickstarter, fans of the idea were able to raise $50,000 to build the statue.
Artifacts writer and CBR columnist Ron Marz, however, noted on Twitter that there were probably better uses for the $50,000 — which has set off a campaign of its own.
“This was something that happened completely organically. I saw that the Kickstarter campaign to actually build a RoboCop statue in Detroit had brought in more than $50,000, and it just struck me as kind of ludicrous,” Marz told Robot 6. “So I suggested on Twitter that a chunk of money that size would be better spent doing some real good, like feeding people in a soup kitchen. I’ve never actually met Gary Whitta, but we’ve struck up a friendship via Twitter. Gary suggested that the sort of whimsey the statue represents has a place, and ultimately I agree, but maybe now is not the time or place, when there are hungry people.”
Whitta, the writer of Book of Eli, said he’d donate money to a Detroit-based food charity if Marz would, and thus RoboCharity was born.
- February 18, 2011 @ 12:00 PM by JK Parkin
Hero Initiative on Russ Heath’s knee surgery, Cooke art auction results
Last month Parker: The Outfit creator Darwyn Cooke auctioned off some of his artwork to benefit the Hero Initiative. Now the organization, which provides financial aid for comic book veterans, has announced Cooke presented them with a check for $10,000 — complete with a hilarious faux check presentation ceremony:
According to the post, the Hero Initiative will use the money to help out Will Eisner Award hall of famer Russ Heath, who this past week underwent knee surgery.
“The deposit is well-timed, as yesterday was the day 1960s war comics legend Russ Heath went under the knife for knee replacement surgery,” said the Hero Initiative’s Jim McLauchlin in the post. “We’re happy to report that the surgery was a success, and Russ is resting comfortably. He’ll need the rest, as rehab is several months long, but if there’s one tough SOB who will get through it, even at age 84, it’s Russ Heath. Hero has been and will be along for the ride to help Russ out as well, of course.”
- January 29, 2011 @ 10:00 AM by JK Parkin
Cartooning for a cause: Cul de Sac vs. Parkinson’s
Cul de Sac
Cul de Sac is one of the freshest and funniest newspaper comics to come along in recent years, and it’s one of the few strips to gain a foothold with general comics readers as well. Creator Richard Thompson revealed in 2009 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and this week he announced he’s fighting back—with fan art.
Chris Sparks, of Sparking Design, has launched Team Cul de Sac, a fund-raising page for a book of Cul de Sac tributes. Professional cartoonists have been invited to contribute their takes on Cul de Sac characters:
Please run with them; deconstruct them, parody them, confuse them, cubisize them, psychoanalyze them, draw them in your own strip, whatever tickles your fancy. Enjoy. Open up your heart and just create something out of the ordinary, maybe not with your own characters, but this is an opportunity for you to let your talent to shine in a wide range of ways.
The contributions will be published by Andrews McMeel, and proceeds will go to the Michael J. Fox foundation, which raises money for Parkinson’s research.
- January 20, 2011 @ 08:30 AM by Brigid Alverson
Comics A.M. | Borders executives resign, manga leads NYPL list
Borders
Retailing | Troubles continue for Borders Group as the retailer filed notice Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission that Executive Vice President Thomas D. Carney and Chief Information Officer D. Scott Laverty have resigned. Just last week Borders, the country’s second-largest bookstore chain, announced it’s delaying payments to some publishers as it attempts to restructure its credit lines. [GalleyCat]
Passings | Longtime retailer Carl Tupper, who owned BSI Comics in Metairie, Louisiana, for 30 years, passed away on Dec. 29. He was 70 years old. [BSI Comics, ICv2.com]
Libraries | Four of the top five young-adult titles checked out from the New York Public Library in 2010 were manga: Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto, Tite Kubo’s Bleach, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece, and Akira Toriyama’s Dragon Ball Z. Jennifer Holm’s graphic novel Babymouse and Jeff Kinney’s comics-prose hybrid Diary of a Wimpy Kid were the top two children’s titles. [NYPL Wire]
- January 4, 2011 @ 07:58 AM by Kevin Melrose
Bid on new ROM artwork to benefit Bill Mantlo
ROM by Sebastián Fiumara
I mentioned last month that Floating World Comics was putting together a second art tribute/fundraiser for writer Bill Mantlo, asking various artists to draw ROM, Spaceknight. The auctions are now live in eBay, and you can find more info by going there directly or by going to the Spacenite 2 blog, which has links to all the auctions.
- December 20, 2010 @ 03:00 PM by JK Parkin
ECCC, comic artists team up for Monsters & Dames charity book
by Guy Davis
Although I’ve never been to the Emerald City Comicon itself, I dig the artwork they get for the Monsters & Dames art book. Case in point: the above illustration by Guy Davis.
This year’s book once again benefits Seattle Children’s Hospital, and includes contributions from Geof Darrow, Cully Hamner, Humberto Ramos, Frank Cho, Yanick Paquette, Skottie Young, Aaron Lopresti, Cliff Chiang, Mike McKone and many more. After the jump you’ll find their official PR, along with a few more images.
- December 20, 2010 @ 02:30 PM by JK Parkin
Kickstart my art | Webcomics: What’s Cooking? cookbook
by Canaan Grall
Here’s a project that combines three of my favorite things — comics, food and a worthy cause — the Webcomics: What’s Cooking? cookbook. More than 60 webcomics creators have signed up to provide food-related comics, each with a supporting recipe. “The concept is to print a collection of recipes for nearly any meal type: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, drinks or cocktails and then highlight each fun food item with a webcomic,” the Kickstarter page reads.
Proceeds from the project go to Canadian and American National Food Banks. You can find a complete list of contributors here. Helping them out on Kickstarter will get you anything from a mention on their Supporters page to copies of the book to original art. You can also simply preorder the book.
(Hat tip: Caanan Grall, whose contribution is previewed above)
- November 29, 2010 @ 09:00 AM by JK Parkin
Linebacker Lance Briggs hosts comic book drive in Chicago
If you’re in the Chicago area, Lance Briggs wants your old comics.
The Chicago Bears linebacker and comics fan is working with Chicago-based comic retailer Comic Vault to collect comic book donations for the needy and members of the Armed Forces. The drive ends Dec. 11, when Briggs will make an appearance at the shop.
The comics will be donated to the Chicago Housing Authority and to the Armed Forces. You can find more details here.
- November 16, 2010 @ 01:00 PM by JK Parkin
A Movember to Remember
Hellboy mo'ing it up
Upper lip, slick and hip, pointy on the ends! (makin’ a new set of friends!) …
If you aren’t familiar with Movember, it’s a charity fund-raising event that spans November in which men grow mustaches to raise awareness about men’s health and raise funds to fight men’s cancer. The event started in Australia in 2003, and eventually migrated to America as well … and to the offices of Dark Horse Comics.
“I participated last year and have talked a number of my DH co-workers into growing a mustache this year as well,” said Jim Gibbons, publicity coordinator for Dark Horse. “We’re not an official company team, but there are 7 DH employees mo’ing up.” In addition, Jim has also set up a Comics Network page on the Movember site for any comics folks who are participating. So if you’re sporting a ‘stache this month as a part of the event, head over there and sign up.
- November 3, 2010 @ 10:00 AM by JK Parkin