The mighty crew at Portland's Periscope Studio has completed their "100 Wolverine" covers! Pictured above, clockwise from 12 o'clock, that's: Jeff Parker, Dustin Weaver, Steve Lieber, and Colleen Coover.
You can get nifty-swell close-up views of these covers and more here. So whatchoo waiting for? SNIKT!
Jim McLauchlin
We're stoked.
The AMAZING singing talent that is Nina Storey has signed on to be our torch singer at 100 Bullets: Last Shot, the rollickin' 100 Bullets sendoff at Meltdown Comics July 11. Only a few tickets still remain, so we suggest you get you some!
And to hear more from Nina, check out:www.myspace.com/ninastorey
Jim McLauchlin
For those of you in the SFO staying home and avoiding the maddening crowds of San Diego, please allow us to set your social calender for Wednesday, July 22:
The Comic Outpost at 2381 Ocean Ave. is having a killer Spidey #600 fest benefiting the Hero Initiative. Details above, and you can DEFINITELY look for some John Romita Sr. original art, and a massive wall displaying every issue of Amazing Spider-Man from #1 to #600.
We suggest you show up, or Aunt May just might never make you wheatcakes for breakfast again!
Jim McLauchlin
Dangerous Danny Miki, straight outta the 909, has ponied up his Hero Initiative Wolverine cover, and even showed us a bit behind the curtain with his handsome photo ref, and work-in-progress pencils. Click the pic for a WAY lerger version.
Final version below, and it's a beaut!
Jim McLauchlin
Very unfortunately, artist Dave Simons passed away last week. Dave was in progress on a page in Hero Comics at the time. He had sent in the script, but had not started drawing the page yet.
Dave's script will still appear, as part of what will now be a tribute page in the book. Hero's Charlie Novinskie, a friend of Dave's, will write a remembrance on that page as well.
We present Dave's script here as well, as a bit of an "unfinished symphony." Both this blog post and the page in the book happen only on the advice and consent of Bette Simons, Dave's sister and next-of-kin. As you read it, we ask you keep both of them in your thoughts.
A nice pic of younger Dave at the bottom as well.
Jim McLauchlin
(Dave Simons)
DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
PANEL 1
We see a dramatic shot of THE DEVIL. My version looks more like a hot-rod devil, the kind of thing Robert Williams would draw.
CAPTION 1
That's usually who it is in those jokes. It's the kind of tale told over the second or third cocktail, the joke about what you want and what you get in your deal with the devil.
PANEL 2
INT. BAR, angle on DAVE, age 18 and wearing U.S. Coast Guard dress uniform of the period, with a drink and a cigarette, looking smug.
CAPTION 2
In these tales, the letter of the contract is always granted, but never the intent.
PANEL 3
NIGHT, EXT. CITY STREET, on DAVE, now in his early 50s, sitting on a stoop and looking at the cigarette in his hand, dejectedly.
CAPTION 3
Thirty-five years later, and I still did not have lung cancer or gum cancer. What I did have was esophageal cancer (look it up).
CAPTION 4
Thanks to serving my country in my youth, my medical expenses are well-covered. What's not are my living expenses. I'm in the odd position of being able to work, but not being able to work enough to pay my bills.
CAPTION 5
Hero Initiative has been invaluable here. When the wolf is at the door, Hero Initiative has been there to pay the rent. Many times. That wolf, he does get hungry.
PANEL 4
INT. STUDIO, on DAVE hunched over a drafting table and feverishly drawing away in a cramped studio space.
CAPTION 6
For now, I do what I can. Some days are better than others. It's tough to find the time and energy, whenever I can, I draw,
CAPTION 7
I know now I made a deal with the devil. I just didn't know I'd be rescued by angels.
Steve Dillon is clinically proven to be one of the ten nicest guys on Earth. He'll also be at Jim Hanley's Universe on Wednesday, June 24 on the Hero Initiative's behalf. Swing by and say "hi!"
For address, directions and whatnot, try the Jim Hanley's Universe Website.
Jim McLauchlin
Okay, call me hokey, but I’m a big believer in providing value for a dollar. Even if, as is the case with Hero Initiative, we’re a charity.
Now don’t get me wrong—we love what is known in the business as the “unsolicited donation,” that $50 check that shows up in the mail or the $10 outta nowhere that someone drops in the donation jar at a convention. We’ll take that all the live-long day, gladly. And we appreciate the hell outta it.
But we’re also not blind to the put-it-in-quotes “economy being what it is today.” Folks just don’t have the disposable income they had a year or two or three ago. And as we like to provide value for the dollar, we believe you should get full value out of a yearly Hero Initiative membership. So that said…
We are closing 2009 Hero memberships effective June 30, 2009. Bottom line, we’d just kinda feel badly taking your money for a yearly membership when you’re only there half a year. Now by NO means does this mean the membership program is going away! Quite to the contrary we’re already formulating 2010’s membership plan, which should be quite a humdinger. And if you are interested, we do encourage you to sign up NOW and before June 30, as…
• All 2009 members will get a discount on renewing their 2010 memberships!
• If you sign up on-site at Wizard Philly and Charlotte Heroescon, both June 19-21, there will be special incentive for you to sign up!
• 2010 will feature different premiums, and additional special members-only events at conventions and so on.
So there you be, folks. The clock is ticking. Don’t let it run out on ya!
Jim McLauchlin
We’re happy to report that legendary underground comix creator S. Clay Wilson is gettin’ better. Lorraine Chamberlain, S. Clay’s girlfriend and legal conservator, dropped some photos on us. Up top, left-to-right, that’s Paul Mavrides, Wilson, R. Crumb, and Spain Rodriguez. Spain has also been instrumental in helping out Clay and Lorraine.
Sayeth the Chamberlain: “I thought you'd like to see a couple of pix I took last week when Crumb, Spain and Mavrides visited him in the hospital. We had a lovely visit, and took him out nearby for coffee after having a picnic lunch Spain brought to the ward.
“I'm hoping he will be stabilized in the next few weeks. I hope to get him home by his birthday in July.”
Hero is fortunate enough to have slid some legal, financial, and technical help the way of Lorraine and Clay. And we think it would be a damn good idea of YOU continue to fund the S. Clay Wilson Special Needs Trust at: http://sclaywilsontrust.com/
And left-right, below, there’s Spain, Wilson, Lorraine, Crumb.
Jim McLauchlin
Folks,
Hero Comics will be about the swingin'est thing to swing since all those monkeys escaped the zoo and took over that vine factory. We've just established a Hero Comics "Hub" page on our Website, where we'll have links, previews, and you-name-it. Check it out.
And the SINGLE most important thing you can do: Scream at your local retailer that you think this is cool as heck, and you want a copy! It's in the June Previews for items shipping Auguest, 2009. Order code: JUN090950
Jim McLauchlin
Folks,
The full details on Hero Comics are here, and here's a piece of the puzzle that just rolled in yesterday—Matt Wagner's 100% kickass Grendel cover, as colored by maestro Dave Stewart!
Remember, Hero Comics, 32 pages of great and all-new material. Debuts San Diego con, 22 JUL, and in stores 29 JUL. August-ship Diamond Previews, 090950. If I was you, I'd get a copy. Seriously, I would!
Jim McLauchlin
Well, it’s in the books, and a splendid time was had by all!
Our pals at Collector’s Paradise in Winnetka, CA had a bountiful bevy of great creators (including Mark Waid and Marc Guggenheim, above, in a David Dearmore photo), and their beat goes on, as Hero-benefit auctions are still running via eBay.
Up Sacramento way, ace Hero vol Jason Waters beat the Hero drum to raise some bucks, and A-1 Comics of Sacramento even matched funds!
South Bay Hero vol Susan Weyl took care o’ business at the Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach, where there was face-painting (below) and all kinds of gimcracky!
Meltdown Comics on the Sunset Strip played host to Tim Sale, who raised many hundreds of bucks for Hero with great drawings.
4-Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga kicked out the jams with raffles, rides, and all kinds of events.
On Los Angeles’ all-charity Big Sunday, Countdown and Robin writer Adam Beechen even got into the spirit of things with “Heroic” photos, this one with girlfriend Mindy.
Thanks to all, kids!
Jim McLauchlin
Folks,
On that most joyous of all days, Free Comic Book Day, you should bring your Ralphs Rewards card to:
Collector's Paradise
7131 Winnetka Ave.
Winnetka, CA 91306
www.ComicsAndCards.net
or
The Comic Bug
1807 1/2 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
www.TheComicBug.com
If you do so and sign up your Ralphs card for the Hero Initiative, you'll get a FREE Mike Wieringo What If? book. You MUST bring your card, or you can sign up for a new one if ya don't have one! You CAN'T do it with phone number like you can do at a Ralphs store!
Long story short, Hero is part of the Ralphs Community Contribution program. Sign up your card with us, and Hero gets a nickel or two every time you shop at Ralphs with your card. It costs you, the consumer, NOTHING! It's all Ralphs taking dough outta bologna profit margins and putting it into comics, so DO IT!
Or if you wanna do in the comfort of your own home:
1) Sign in to Ralphs.com with your email and password
1a) If you have not created an account, create one now! Takes about 60 seconds!
2) Go to:
https://customer.ralphs.com/ManageCommunityRewardsStep1.aspx
3) Complete the three-step process; When signing up, our NPO # (non-profit organization #) is: 80680, and we're under our corporate name, "A Commitment To Our Roots." Don't let it throw ya!
And that's that.
In the immortal word of Elvis, thankyewverramuch.
Jim McLauchlin
Quick reminder: Marvel Editor Tom Brevoort is still looking to make comic trades until he can trade up to a coveted Fantastic Four #1. And in the true spirit of "If you love something, set it free," Tom will then descend Mount FF #1 and donate said book to the Hero Initiative. Details here, and you can follow Tom's Blah Blah Blog for constant updates.
All Tom's trades will also be accompanied by a Certificate of Meaninglessness, suitable for all your meaningless needs!
Jim McLauchlin
As Emerald City Comicon fades into the sunset, Paul Kirschner (above) and Bill Nolan (below) stroll off into that same sunset with a boatload of cool Hero swag. Lesson: Wear your Hero Hand pin at conventions, and our prize patrol may duly reward you!
Jim McLauchlin
We're concentrating on Metro L.A., ’cause that's where we are AND there's a super-cool, all-L.A. charity event called Big Sunday happening the same weekend we're participating in!
We suggest you check out Collector's Paradise in Winnetka, as they're pulling out all the stops with a boatload of crazy-cool events. Including Mark Waid, per the above.
Meltdown Comics on Sunset will have The Mighty Tim Sale!
4 Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga—Damn, but that's fun to say!—will have a smorgasbord of fun as well.
More to come!
Jim McLauchlin
A word to the wise: This year at the Emerald City Comicon in Seattle, WA, Hero Initiative is rewarding folks who are proudly displaying their “Hero Hand” buttons. The Hero prize patrol will be wandering the con floor, and each day of the con, one person spotted with the button will win a kickass Hero prize package filled with great stuff valued at over $135.
You can pick up at the Hero booth for a mere $1. That’s right, sports fans—one buck, American.
AND hang on to it! We’re banging a gong here, but we’ll also be quietly doing the same at other conventions. You never know—wear your Hero button, you could be richly rewarded.
And if you wanna stand out from the crowd, you might wanna bulk up on some of Hero’s other buttons as well, pictured below. Just sayin’.
Jim McLauchlin
The new and longer cut of "Introducing Hero Initiative" is now up and running. Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lroaGU-Y6oA
Jim McLauchlin
There will be 200 copies made. They will be individually numbered. They will be available exclusively at the Hero Initiative booth at Emerald City Comicon. Drop-dead gorgeous cover by Tim Sale, with colors by Dave Stewart.
I suggest you pick one up!
Jim McLauchlin
"Introducing Hero Initiative" is the mini-est of super-mini "documentaries" about The Hero Initiative. Very soon, we'll have 5- and 10-minute video versions of what Hero is all about that will be played at conventions, at comic stores, and more. To kick things off, consider this our 1-minute "trailer." There will be more testimonials from folks Hero has helped, more info from comic creators and retailers, and all sorts of stuff. You can view the initial 1-minute trailer on Hero's website, or YouTube.
Hero board member Brian Pulido, who has a killer film background, worked his ass off on putting this together. I don't know the names of all the magic elves who helped them, so we'll leave it to Bri to mention them so they can take a bow. Ace Hero vol Tony Tower, who's part of the stellar production crew at ABC's Good Morning America, laid in with his own magic elves on the Gene Colan bit. We thank them ALL.
If you'd like to run this video in your comic store or similar venue, please contact Hero's Christina Zietsman at peppera66@yahoo.com
Jim McLauchlin
The Hero Initiative
11301 Olympic Blvd., #587
Los Angeles, CA 90064
818-776-1918
Want to donate NOW? Do it through PayPal!
