The Color of Money for Moose

The perpetual content machine of the comic industry churns out dozens of new, expensive books every Wednesday, so it is easy to forget that for the individual artists creating books, the pay isn't always so great (assuming there is ANY pay) and the work isn't steady. Even a fan-favorite colorist who works on high-profile books can get overwhelmed by the extreme cost of sudden illness.

Popular colorist Moose Baumann (Green Lantern, Flash, 52) needs our help to pay down a massive healthcare debt! This isn't some something-for-nothing cry for charity. Moose is selling prints of his (beautiful, masterful) work to cover those expenses. Baumann-colored pieces include work by Andy Kubert, Ivan Reis, Ethan van Sciver, and more.


From the Nerdy Bird via Newsarama:

"A few years back my wife had breast cancer. She had chemo and a partial mastectomy, and we thought things were good. A year later we found out that it had spread, and she went in for more chemo and surgery. Several months prior she had lost her job and her insurance, and because of her “prior condition” she no one else would insure her. So we’ve been working on paying off the full cost of her medical bills for the past two years, just north of $90 grand.

"Right now work is scarce and money is super tight, and on June 1st it looks like we may lose our home because of all of this. I’m trying to sell some prints of my work online to make some quick cash, and hopefully keep my home. I’m reluctant to ask for help, it’s embarrassing, but I’m at the end of my rope."

Baumann is currently selling prints of his work which you can preview here. People can email the artist at moosebaumann [at] mediacombb [dot] net to place orders. He’s accepting both Paypal and money orders. If you’ve enjoyed any of his work, please consider helping the guy out.

UPDATE: I ordered this Cyborg Superman pic by Moose and Simone Bianchi, which happens to be one of my favorite comic covers, plus two more that are hella good. Love 'em. Good luck, Moose!

Medors Working Through Rare Cancer to Help You Help Him

Josh Medors was working with my old Division 18 publisher, Christian Beranek, on the werewolf comic Willow Creek, when he began treatment for his cancer.

My last bit of comic writing was for a Hero Initiative benefit collection, Hope: The Hero Initiative, published by Ronin Studios.

Hero Initiative has been helping Medors, as they do with other comic artists and creators in need, through auctions and events for a few years now. Here's the latest.
Official Press Release

Artist Josh Medors continues to battle against a rare form of cancer in his spinal column. And Spider-Man’s coming to help save the day.

The Hero Initiative in conjunction with Marvel Comics has created a limited edition print featuring Josh Medors’ recreation of the classic AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #33 cover by Steve Ditko. Proceeds from sales of the print, available at Medors’ hometown comic store, Packrat Comics of Hilliard, Ohio, will go directly to Josh to offset medical expenses.

Only 250 individually numbered prints will be available. Of these, 50 will be autographed by both Medors and Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee at $100 each. The remaining 200 will come autographed by Medors alone at $20 each. Prints will go on sale on Free Comic Book Day, May 7, 2011 at Packrat Comics, and will also be available at Packrat Comics.

Medors created the artwork for the cover of issue #105 of Alter Ego magazine, on sale October 2011 from Two Morrows Publishing. “It’s an honor to feature Josh’s work on our issue about the Comics Code, which Spider-Man helped bring up to date in the early 70's,” said Alter Ego editor Roy Thomas. “His reinterpretation of Ditko’s original drawing literally took my breath away.”

“Josh Medors is proof that you don’t need a costume and super powers to be a hero,” said Tim Dillon, Marvel Business Development Manager. “We’re all inspired by his fight against cancer and glad to help support him by joining Hero Initiative on this limited edition print. “

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 yesterdays' 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. For more information, call 626-676-6354 or visit http://www.heroinitiative.org/

More on Marvel.com: http://marvel.com/news/story/15809/spider-man_swings_to_josh_medors_aid#ixzz1LsYwBoFc

Cosplayers Kick it for Cancer Charity

Via The Daily Echo:

Everyone from superheroes to cartoon characters to muppets showed up. He-Man took part. Even Jesus Christ took time out of his traditional Easter Sunday obligations to participate. And it was all for the Sporting Compass FC Charity Fancy Dress Football Match in aid of the Wessex Cancer Trust. Video and original article at the source.

This is the sort of goofy event I'd love to see more of here in the U.S. But "Geek" is global, so good on the old chaps who put this together and pulled it off.

'Godzilla' Attacks Japan (with kindness)!

Via Digital Spy:

IDW Publishing has announced an Ebay charity auction of all 83 variant editions of Godzilla: Kingdom Of Monsters #1 to raise money for disaster victims in Japan.

Godzilla: Kingdom Of Monsters #1 is written by Eric Powell and Tracy Marsh with artwork from Phil Hester. It marks the iconic monster's return to the medium of comic books, and this auction marks an ironic twist in the radioactive lizards relationship with his homeland.


The auction includes designs by Alex Ross and Eric Powell, a rare retailer incentive cover, a WonderCon exclusive, and four previously unreleased IDW covers.

A Tale of Two Diagnoses

Warren Ellis is comics to a lot of fans, so the fact that I learned about this tragic tale of a Brooklyn couple each diagnosed with advanced-stage cancers through one of his tweets is more than enough to land it here on Comics Cure.

Join the Friends of Nathan and Elisa to help in their fight.

Turning (our attention to the) Japanese

From the Power Rangers to Ranma to the Ring, and every Super Mario in between, we geeks owe the world to Japan!  So it is awesome that the geeks are uniting in so many ways to help that ravaged country. Japan has been and will continue to be a critical influence of fanboys and fangirls worldwide in so many ways--video games, manga, anime, kaiju, film, fashion. If you're part of the Comic Con Crowd, you've got a little Japanese in your heart and soul.

What follows here is just a retread of all the comic community efforts to raise money for Japan relief that the Bleeding Cool bleeding hearts committee already reported on. (Click the original link for images plus the BC comments thread.) BC gets the credit for the reporting. The community gets the credit for rising up and doing what it can to help those in need. Comics Cure just wants to help spread the word a little bit further.

• Japan Needs Heroes is a new Kickstarter comics project to raise money for the Japanese Red Cross. The funding will paty for the printing (at cost) and creators include Aaron Williams,Benny Powell & Weilin Yang,Bill Walko,Brion Foulke,Chris Crosby & Owen Gieni, Cory Brown & Ran Brown, Courtney Huddleston, Dale Mettam and Matt Keltner, Dave Zero1 & Gisele Lagace, David Campiti, David Reddick, Gar Molloy, Genzoman, Jason M. Burns, Jennifer Brazas, Jinky Coranado, Ken Johnson, Mark McKenna, Rae Baade, Rob Haines & Jenny Sargent, Scott Story, Tarol Hunt and Tracy Bailey.
• The Comic Book Alliance is launching a comic book called Spirit of Hope with Mike Allred cover and lots of familiar professional work, like the above piece by Chris Weston.
• Genre for Japan is running a series of auctions, including signed proofs of Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman.
• The Geek Girls Network is raising money for the Mercy Corps.
• Ladbroke Radio is creating a fundraising audiobook of Japanese fairy stories that’s three and a half hours long.
• A collection of voiceover artists from Japan are running a series of fundraising events in Japan this weekend.
• We Love Japan are running a music and comedy concert in London on April 2nd with karaoke and cosplay.
• 43 big manga creators are having a big fundraising sale of work on April 3rd in Utsunomiya.
• Heart Japan and J Pop are holding a manga/anime fundraiser at the Vibe bar in Brick Lane, London on April 20th and will, amongst many other things, be auctioning off original Bryan Lee O’Malley artwork.
• We Heart Japan ran a comcs/manga/anime fundraiser at Meltdown Comics last week, with a repeat performance soon.

And, of course, in addition to supporting or contributing to any of the above efforts, you can help directly by donating to the Red Cross disaster relief effort. Fill out the form at the link for donations of any amount, or simply text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

So let's go, do-gooders--time to do some good!

Mmm, Pamcakes!

Stick it to the legions of Hell by celebrating National Pancake Day with IHOP. Check the site for details.

Proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals®, an organization that raises funds for 170 children's hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it's needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Since 1983, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $4 billion, most of it $1 at a time. These donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn more at CMNHospitals.org.

Apologies/thanks to Hellboy creator and artist Mike Mignola and publisher Dark Horse Comics for the brilliant comic short above.