A Benefit for Ed Hannigan at WonderCon

 The Cartoon Art Museum and The Hero Initiative present the museum’s Annual WonderCon Weekend Party, which will be held on Friday, April 2, from 8 PM to 11 PM. A portion of the proceeds from this special event will go to comic book artist Ed Hannigan, whose work is featured in the CartoonArt Museum’s current exhibition Ed Hannigan: Covered.

Tickets for this event will be sold on a sliding scale. Ed Hannigan, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis, will receive a portion of the proceeds of all ticket sales above $20. Those who donate $35 or more will receive a special gift bag courtesy of the CartoonArt Museum. A silent auction will be held at the party, and all proceeds from the auction will go directly Hannigan.

Many of the top talents from DC Comics and Marvel Comics will be in attendance as special guests of the CartoonArt Museum and the Hero Initiative. Confirmed guests at press time include Arthur Adams, Amanda Conner, Sergio Aragones, Joyce Chin, Jimmy Palmiotti, Greg Rucka, Gail Simone, Jen Van Meter, and more to be announced.

Food and beverages will be provided by San Francisco-area vendors. Please visit www.cartoonart.org for a list of additional sponsors as they are announced.

Hannigan worked extensively for Marvel Comics and DC Comics throughout the 1970s and 1980s, on such fondly remembered titles as Green Arrow, The Defenders, and Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man. Today, Hannigan is 58 years old and has multiple sclerosis. The Hero Initiative, a charitable organization that provides financial assistance to comic book professionals in need, and Marvel Comics have collaborated on a tribute book, Ed Hannigan: Covered, that features highlights from Hannigan’s artistic career. The CartoonArt Museum will display some of Hannigan’s most notable covers alongside the cover and complete interior artwork for one of his most famous single-issue stories, The Spectacular Spider-Man #64, which introduced the crime-fighting duo Cloak and Dagger.
Sponsorship for this exhibition has been provided by The Comic Outpost.

The Comic Outpost, located on 2381 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA has been fulfilling the needs of comic book lovers for well over 15 years. Current owners Gary Buechler and Roger Yan firmly believe their customer service and subscriber program is second to none. For more questions, visit their website at www.comicoutpost.net or call (415) 239-2669.

About the Cartoon Art Museum
Founded in 1984, the Cartoon Art Museum is the only museum in the western United States dedicated to cartoons and comics.  The Museum was started by a group of cartoonists and collectors who wanted to share their appreciation of this unique art form with the rest of the world.  The Museum is dedicated to the collection, preservation, study and exhibition of original cartoon art in all forms to benefit historians, cartoonists, journalists, artists, collectors and the general public. The Cartoon Art Museum is located at 655 Mission Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Hero Initiative Offers Hero Comics at SDCC

Top Writers and Artists Create Hero Comics, a Hero Initiative Benefit Book

Industry superstars Howard Chaykin, Bill Willingham, J. Scott Campbell, Matt Wagner and more contribute with all proceeds benefiting Hero

Los Angeles, CA (May 18, 2009)—Hero Initiative is very proud to announce the release of Hero Comics.

The 32-page, no-ads comic, edited and produced by Scott Dunbier, special projects editor at IDW Publishing, will be released in late July with two covers, Eve by J. Scott Campbell, and Grendel by Matt Wagner. The fundraising book will contain great, all-new content including an original American Flagg! story by Howard Chaykin, and original stories by Gene Ha, Bill Willingham, David Lloyd, and Kaare Andrews.

In addition, Arthur Adams will recreate three classic Marvel Comics covers, and Hero Initiative beneficiaries such as Gene Colan, Bill Messner-Loebs and Josh Medors will tell their own personal stories, detailing their severe struggles, and Hero’s involvement.

An excerpt from Josh Medors’ story reads:
“When I am feeling almost ready to give in to my cancer, ready to throw my hands in the air and say ‘I quit!,’ I get a call from the Initiative. ‘Just wanted to see how you are doing.’ It may not seem like much, but let me assure you—When the monster bites and the pain pills aren’t working, a call like that is more effective than a Super-Soaker filled with holy water against the ol’ Count.”

This special edition comic retails for $3.99, and will be on sale at comic stores worldwide on July 29, 2009. It’s available in the Diamond Previews catalog for August-shipping items in the IDW section, order code JUN090950 .

“I’ve been an active supporter of the Hero Initiative since I was first asked to help out,” stated Howard Chaykin. “It’s particularly important in this volatile era that we remember the men and women who made our industry, and make certain that they have the happy endings they richly deserve.”

Fans will be able to get their hands on this epic treasure early at the San Diego Comic-Con, July 23-26, 2009 as well. Copies will be on-sale at the Hero Initiative booth, #907.

“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to work on a book like Hero Comics. The job that the Hero Initiative does, helping comics creators in need, is a noble endeavor, one all of us should get behind,” said Dunbier.

All proceeds from the book benefit Hero Initiative, as all creators involved have donated their services. IDW is donating its publishing services, Comicraft is donating lettering and book design, and Try Vision Company, Inc. of Los Angeles is donating printing.

About IDW
IDW is an award-winning publisher of comic books, graphic novels and trade paperbacks, based in San Diego, California. As a leader in the horror, action, and sci-fi genres, IDW publishes some of the most successful and popular titles in the industry including: television’s #1 prime time series CBS’ CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Paramount’s Star Trek; Fox’s Angel; Hasbro’s The Transformers, and the BBC’s Doctor Who. IDW’s original horror series, 30 Days of Night, was launched as a major motion picture in October 2007 by Sony Pictures and was the #1 film in its first week of release. In April 2008, IDW released Michael Recycle, the first title from its new children’s book imprint, Worthwhile Books. More information about the company can be found at http://www.idwpublishing.com.

About The Hero Initiative
The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterday’s creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 626-676-6354.

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