Mad Cave announces ‘Lower Your Sights’ line-up

The charity anthology to benefit children impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine arrives in September.

Mad Cave Studios has recruited a solid list of comics creators for their upcoming charity anthology, Lower Your Sights, including Matt Kindt, Jim Zub, Richard Pace, Justin Greenwood and Liana Kangas, among many others.

The book will raise money for the Voices of Children Foundation, a nonprofit seeking to help children affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. And several Ukraine creators will be featured in the collection.

“We’re incredibly proud to highlight industry greats, indie darlings, rising stars, and, most importantly, numerous Ukrainian creators,” said Mad Cave Studios Editor Chas! Pangburn. “Watching the industry come together to tell these powerful and poignant tales is a great reminder that the pen really is mightier than the sword.”

Continue reading “Mad Cave announces ‘Lower Your Sights’ line-up”

‘Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds’ anthology supports Ukraine relief efforts

A comics anthology featuring an impressive line-up of talent that’s being offered through Zoop will benefit Operation USA.

A new anthology featuring the works of Walt Simonson, Kurt Busiek, John Layman, Rob Guillory, Stan Sakai, Sergio Aragones, Dave Gibbons and more will benefit relief efforts in the war-torn Ukraine.

Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds can be purchased in several variations from the comics crowdfunding website Zoop, which will donate proceeds to Operation USA. The charitable organization is raising money to support Ukrainian refugees on the ground in Poland and other nearby countries.

The project is being edited by Scott Dunbier, who currently works at IDW and heads up the Artist’s Edition line. The campaign ends in May, when funds will be collected and sent to Operation USA, and delivery of the final books is expected to be wrapped up by December.

“Like everyone, I have been sickened by the atrocities perpetrated on the Ukrainian people for nearly two months,” said Dunbier, “and I had to do something, anything, to try and help. The comic-book community is full of good and caring people who have stepped up to say, ‘I stand with Ukraine,’ and to contribute to this book.”

Continue reading “‘Comics for Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds’ anthology supports Ukraine relief efforts”

Humanoids will donate some proceeds from new graphic novel to benefit Ukraine

Portions of proceeds from ‘Makhno: Ukrainian Freedom Fighter’ will benefit the Ukrainian nonprofit Razom.

Makhno: Ukrainian Freedom Fighter arrives in stores this week, and publisher Humanoids has announced plans to donate some of the proceeds they make from it to the Ukrainian nonprofit Razom, which supplies medical aid to Ukrainian fighters on the front lines.

The graphic novel was created by Philippe Thirault and Roberto Zaghi, and was published through Humanoids’ Life Drawn imprint. It arrived in stores today.

It’s a fitting choice, as the graphic novel spotlights Nestor Makhno, the real-life Ukrainian revolutionary from the early 20th century, who served as the commander of an independent anarchist army in Ukraine. They fought the Ukrainian National Republic, the Central Powers of Germany and Austro-Hungary, the Hetmanate state, the White Army, the Bolshevik Red Army and other factions that sought to impose their authority over southern Ukraine.

Continue reading “Humanoids will donate some proceeds from new graphic novel to benefit Ukraine”

Buy this ‘Gideon Falls’ shirt to support Ukraine relief efforts

Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino announce efforts to support Unicef’s efforts to help Ukrainians during the Russian invasion.

Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino are raising money to support Unicef’s efforts to support Ukrainian children with a special Gideon Falls T-shirt that’s now available on their Threadless shop.

Proceeds from sales of the shirt will be donated to the organization’s efforts to provide humanitarian aide to children and families affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Lemire said in his Substack newsletter that he also plans to donate any profits from sales of his original art through Cadence Comics Art to the organization for the next two months.

Continue reading “Buy this ‘Gideon Falls’ shirt to support Ukraine relief efforts”

Hero Initiative will bring ‘JLA/Avengers’ back into print

Marvel and DC’s biggest and arguably best crossover event returns to print next month in honor of artist George Perez.

JLA/Avengers, arguably one of the greatest comics crossover events ever and, hell, probably a contender for one of the greatest Avengers AND Justice League stories of all time, will find its way back into print later this year thanks to the Hero Initiative.

The organization announced a special limited-edition reprint collecting the stellar miniseries by Kurt Busiek and George Perez, with the intent to honor “one of George Pérez seminal bodies of work and his long-time support of Hero.” Perez is a founding member of their board of directors and has served as chair of its Disbursement Committee, and this of course follows the news from last year that the legendary artist was diagnosed with Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer.

JLA/Avengers walked a long and winding road to publication, with many speed bumps and false starts along the way.

Continue reading “Hero Initiative will bring ‘JLA/Avengers’ back into print”

Cartoonists confront the pandemic for a good cause in ‘Pandemix’

Dean Haspiel and Whitney Matheson spearhead an anthology benefiting the Hero Initiative.

Dean Haspiel and a group of cartoonists have used their downtime during the pandemic to create an anthology for a good cause.

Pandemix: Quarantine Comics in the Age of ‘Rona is a benefit anthology that’s raising money for the Hero Initiative. Haspiel is editing the book along with Whitney Matheson (USA Today’s Pop Candy blog), as well as contributing a story that features his character The Red Hook.

“When COVID-19 sparked a global pandemic and national quarantines, I worried about my creative colleagues,” Haspiel said. “Many of us lost freelance work, and the comic book industry shuttered for a while. But I felt compelled to rally cartoonists to confront the pandemic and make art out of it. Art that can help comic creators in need.”

Continue reading “Cartoonists confront the pandemic for a good cause in ‘Pandemix’”

Gerry Conway’s Skulls for Justice shirts raise $45,000 for Black Lives Matter so far

The Punisher co-creator uses the skull symbol ‘for the cause of equal justice and Black Lives Matter;’ the campaign runs through June 30.

The death of George Floyd and the protests against police brutality that followed have also once again put the spotlight on the use of the Punisher logo by police officers. The skull logo, often altered to include a blue line, has become a popular symbol with some members of law enforcement, with many websites selling bootleg merchandise.

While Disney hasn’t done anything (yet) to stop the sale of this merchandise, Punisher co-creator Gerry Conway has taken matters into his own hands. He has a campaign up on the website Custom Ink call Skulls for Justice, and has teamed with several artists to sell shirts featuring altered versions of the Punisher logo, in support of Black Lives Matter. And so far, he said, they’ve raised more than $45,000 for the organization.

Continue reading “Gerry Conway’s Skulls for Justice shirts raise $45,000 for Black Lives Matter so far”

Quarantine Comix to be collected in September

‘Ice Cream Man Presents: Quarantine Comix’ #1 will collect stories by W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo, Chris O’Halloran and more.

If you’ve been waiting for all the fun Quarantine Comix released by the Ice Cream Man team to come to print, have I got some good news for you, with sprinkles on top — Image Comics will release Ice Cream Man Presents: Quarantine Comix in September.

Originally started to help raise money for retailers who had to close down their shops during the corornavirus pandemic and shelter-in-place orders, Quarantine Comix was the brainchild of the team behind Image’s crazy horror anthology, Ice Cream Man. W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo, Chris O’Halloran and Good Old Neon created six minicomics that they released and sold online, with half of their profits going to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, or BINC. Those were followed by a “guest series” that wraps up this week with a new comic by Christopher Cantwell and Eoin Marron.

Continue reading “Quarantine Comix to be collected in September”

Creators, publishers raise money for protestors + related causes

Creators offer commissions, comics and more, with proceeds going to Black Lives Matter and other organizations.

As protests against policy brutality continue around the United States, many comics creators and publishers are currently helping to raise money for Black Lives Matter, the Bail Project, the Minnesota Freedom Fund and other organizations dedicated to this cause or, in some cases, helping the protestors.

Here’s a rundown of several we’ve seen who are drawing commissions or selling their comics, with proceeds going to these organizations. If you see others, let us know on social media or in the comments below.

Continue reading “Creators, publishers raise money for protestors + related causes”

Kevin Colden draws a comic for the Children’s Tumor Foundation

For NF2 Awareness Day, the CTF releases a new comic they produced with the comics studio Bottled Lightning.

In honor of NF2 Awareness Day, the Children’s Tumor Foundation has released an educational comic to help inform people about neurofibromatosis type 2, which is characterized by the development of benign tumors on the hearing nerves.

The comic was written by CTF’s Director of Communications Vanessa Shealy Younger and drawn by Fishtown creator Kevin Colden, who has previously worked on comics like The Crow and The Sweetness. Colden has a personal connection to NF through his wife and fellow comic creator, Miss Lasko-Gross. “My wife’s second cousin has NF1, so I’ve personally seen how NF can affect families. Working with this script and being able to bring Billy’s story to life was a wonderful opportunity,” Colden said.

Continue reading “Kevin Colden draws a comic for the Children’s Tumor Foundation”

Shalvey, Camp, Topilin contribute to Quarantine Comix

The imprint started by the “Ice Cream Man” team kicks off a new “Quarantine Comix Guest Series.”

Along with Animal Crossing and a new season of Dead to Me, the weekly Quarantine Comix releases have been one of the highlights of the coronavirus pandemic. Created by the team behind Image’s Ice Cream Man anthology series, they’ve now broadened their umbrella to include guest contributors through the aptly named Quarantine Comix Guest Series.

The first two guest comics are by Declan Shalvey of Moon Knight and Savage Town fame, and the team of Deniz Camp (Maxwell’s Demons) and Artyom Topilin(Long Rain).

Continue reading “Shalvey, Camp, Topilin contribute to Quarantine Comix”

Quarantine Comix promises ‘a nice little surprise’ after sixth issue arrives

Support a good cause and get some great comics.

The creators of Image’s bonkers horror title Ice Cream Man — W. Maxwell Prince, Martin Morazzo, Chris O’Halloran, Good Old Neon — have been selling four-page comics to help support comics retailers over the past few weeks, with issue #6 arriving this week.

If you’re a fan of Ice Cream Man — or just good, kinda creepy, out-there comics — then you should check out Quarantine Comix. Half of their profits go to the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, aka BINC, so you get a quick read and a good cause, all for less than $2.

Continue reading “Quarantine Comix promises ‘a nice little surprise’ after sixth issue arrives”