Tag: Hero Initiative

Mariko Tamaki, Jeff Smith, Elsa Charretier, ‘Monica’ + more win at the 2024 Ringo Awards

The winners were announced during a ceremony held at the Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend.

This year’s Ringo Awards winners were announced last night during a ceremony at the Baltimore Comic-Con.

This marks the eighth year for the awards program named for artist Mike Wieringo, the artist of Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Tellos and more who died in 2007.

Besides the Ringo Awards themselves, other awards were given out during the ceremony, including three from the Hero Initiative. Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort received The Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award, while artist Klaus Janson received the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.

Artist Tom Raney received the first Brogan Fidelity Award. According to the Hero Initiative,”this new award honors creators who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the comic book medium and its fans, embodying the spirit of perseverance, passion and excellence, in the spirit of the late Dr. Kevin Brogan.”

 The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Spirit Award went to the comic The Hunger and the Dusk, by G. Willow Wilson and Chris Wildgoose, and published by IDW. This award is selected every year by perennial jurors Todd Dezago, Craig Rousseau, Mark Waid and Matt Wieringo, Mike’s brother.

Congratulations to this year’s winners:

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Rest in peace, Karl Moline

The co-creator of ‘Route 666’ and Joss Whedon’s ‘Fray’ passes away at 51.

Karl Moline, the artist known for his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for CrossGen and more, has passed away at the age of 51. No cause of death has been reported.

“In a week of awful news, there is unfortunately more,” Marz wrote on social media. “I learned that artist Karl Moline has passed away. Lovely guy, beautiful artist, one of my studiomates at CrossGen. Gone much too soon, deepest condolences to his family.”

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Slugfest | ‘Justice League Unlimited’ + related titles top DC’s November solicitations

November brings new titles featuring Batgirl, Black Lightning, the Question and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. This edition focuses on DC’s November 2024 solicitations. Hit the links for more information.

DC’s November 2024 solicitations arrived late last week, sharing more information on several titles that tie into the DC All In initiative that were revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con last month.

I pulled out some of the highlights below, including launching series and milestone issues. To see DC’s full solicitations, you can find them over on The Beat.

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Kate Beaton, Ed Brubaker, Evan ‘Doc’ Shaner and more win at the 2023 Ringo Awards

The winners were announced during a ceremony held at the Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend.

The winners for the 2023 Ringo Awards were announced last night at the Baltimore Comic-Con. This marks the sixth year for the awards program named for artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away in 2007.

Nominees were selected earlier this year by an open nomination process and a jury that consisted of Diamond’s Troy-Jeffrey Allen, artist Richard Case, comics creator and instructor Amy Chu, writer Abby Denson and Valiant sales manager/former retailer John Petrie.

Besides the Ringo Awards themselves, a few other awards were given out during the ceremony, including two from the Hero Initiative. Chris Claremont received the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award, while Al Milgrom received the Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award.

The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Spirit Award went to the comic World’s Finest by Mark Waid and Dan Mora, and published by DC. This award is selected every year by perennial jurors Todd Dezago, Craig Rousseau, Mark Waid and Matt Wieringo, Mike’s brother.

The Ringo’s fan award categories, which are selected by open voting, were also presented:

  • Fan Favorite Hero: Sam Young, Let’s Play
  • Fan Favorite Villain: Adam, The Guy Upstairs
  • Fan Favorite New Series: Nevermore
  • Fan Favorite New Talent: artist/colorist Ellie Wright
  • Fan Favorite Publisher: Dark Horse

You can see the rest of the winners below.

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Winners announced for the 2022 Ringo Awards

The winners were announced in a ceremony held at the Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend.

The winners for the 2022 Ringo Awards were announced last night at the Baltimore Comic-Con, making this the sixth year for the awards program named for artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away in 2007.

Nominees were chosen by fans, along with a panel of judges that included artist Jim Calafiore, Finder creator Carla Speed McNeil, writer Jarrett Melendez, retailer Joe Murray and author/comics professor Qiana Whitted.

Besides the Ringo Award themselves, a few other awards were given out during the ceremony:

  • Mike Wieringo Spirit Award: Jonna and the Unpossible Monsters, Oni Press
  • Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year Award: Scott Dunbier
  • Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award: Steve Geppi

And here are the winners, in bold:

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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.

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Winners announced for the 2021 Ringo Awards

The winners were announced in a ceremony that was livestreamed from the Baltimore Comic-Con this weekend.

The winners for the 2021 Ringo Awards were announced last night at the Baltimore Comic-Con, marking the fifth year for the awards program named for artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away in 2007.

Nominees were chosen by fans, along with a panel of judges that included retailer and online host Amy Dallen, Teaching Graphic Novels author Dr. Katie Monnin, podcaster/broadcast journalist John Siuntres, cartoonist Steenz and artist Brain Stelfreeze.

In addition the Ringos, a few other awards were presented during last night’s ceremony:

  • Artist Gene Ha was presented the Hero Initiative’s Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award.
  • Marvel’s Joe Quesada received the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.
  • The Mike Wieringo Spirit Award, which is voted on by the professional jury as well as three additional, perennial jurors: Matt Wieringo, Todd Dezago, and Mark Waid, went to Folklords by Matt Kindt and Matt Smith.

You can find the replay of the event’s livestream on YouTube. The rest of the winners are:

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2020 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award winners announced

The Hero Initiative, creators4comics, the Comicbook United Fund and Binc will all be honored later this week.

The Hero Initiative, creators4comics, the Comicbook United Fund and Binc have been named the recipients of the 2020 Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award. Named for Beany and Cecil creator Bob Clampett, the award is given out annually as part of the Eisner Award ceremony each July.

The Hero Initiative received the award for its ongoing charity efforts; the organization has been helping comic creators in need for more than 20 years.

“Hero Initiative is honored to receive the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award for 2020. Now more than ever, organizations such as Hero Initiative, which helps comic book creators in medical and financial need, are desperately needed,” Jim McLauchlin, on behalf of the Hero Initiative, said in a statement. “We continue to focus on this mission, and continually build for the future. Hero Initiative would not exist without the widespread support and assistance of creators, fans, and publishers all over the world. We share this award with them. We are grateful, humbled, and very appreciative of the recognition.”

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Exclusive: Read Morgan Pielli’s story ‘Protection’ from the ‘Pandemix’ anthology

The anthology benefits the Hero Initiative and is available via Patreon.

Last week Dean Haspiel and Whitney Matheson announced Pandemix: Quarantine Comics in the Age of ‘Rona, an anthology of comics about life during COVID-19.

“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.”

One of the creators featured in that anthology is Morgan Pielli, whose work has appeared in The New York Times Online, Comixcast, Sundays and Side B, as well as in the pages of the self-published Indestructible Universe Quarterly. We’re pleased to feature his contribution, “Protection,” which you can read below.

If you’re interested in buying Pandemix, it is now available digitally via Patreon. All proceeds benefit the Hero Initiative.

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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.”

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Mail Call | Defend-ing the Hero Initiative, new ‘Bad Karma’ and more

Plus: News from DC, Image, Humble Bundle and more.

Mail Call is a roundup of the announcements we’ve received from publishers in our mailboxes recently. Hit the links for more information.

DC Comics has announced a change in the variant covers for the upcoming The Dreaming: Waking Hours #1. The cover shown below, by Yanick Paquette and Nathan Fairbairn, will replace one from Bill Sienkiewicz that they first showed us in May.

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Mail Call | Archaia to adapt Roxane Gay story

Plus: a new Shonen Jump series, Skybound’s ‘Fire Power’ plans and a new ‘Clone Wars’ series at IDW.

BOOM! Studios announced a new graphic novel, The Sacrifice of Darkness, based on Gay’s short story “The Sacrifice of Darkness.” In addition to Gay, the creative team includes writer Tracy Lynne Oliver, artist Rebecca Kirby, and colorist James Fenner, and the pub date is October 2020.

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