For all the people you hear blabbing about going to San Diego Comic-Con next week there’s tons more who aren’t. It’s a good thing lots of places are putting together parties and events for those not going to the con. Once such event was organized by Geek Girl On The Street’s Kate Kotler. It’s happening THIS Friday and it’s called “Heroes in Disguise: a San-Diego Comic-Con Pre-Party & Hero Initiative Benefit.” The press release is below.
Heroes in Disguise: a San Diego Comic-Con Pre-Party & Hero Initiative Benefit
Challengers Comics
http://www.challengerscomics.com/
1845 N. Western Avenue
Chicago, IL 60647
Pop culture webzine Geek Girl on the Street (geekgirlonthestreet.com) and Chicago’s own Challengers Comics (http://www.challengerscomics.com/) will be honoring the Hero Initiative with a pre-San Diego Comic-Con party and fundraiser on Friday, July 15 at the Western Avenue comic book shop. This event will feature:
- Complimentary cocktails provided by Desiree Vodka from Tipton Spirits
- Complimentary snacks provided by Geek Girl on the Street
- VIP Schwag (click link for complete list of schwag) packaged in reusable tote bags donated by Yelp, schwag items include pieces donated by EdenFantasys, FilmCatcher, Geek Girl on the Street, Luxury Lane Soaps, ThinkGeek and Threadless
- Three Tier Raffle/Auction (click link for current list of raffle items) featuring original artwork by Thom Zahler and Jeffery Brown, autographed books from Lynda Barry, Robert Kirkman and others, a Tauntaun sleeping bag donated by ThinkGeek (valued at $100) and a publishers package of books donated by Oni Press + among other great items.
- ALL PROCEEDS GO TO BENEFIT THE HERO INITIATIVE.
“When you give whatever you can spare to HERO, you must not think of it as just a donation. Think of it, instead, as a small payback to talented and deserving comicbook creators, now down on their luck, who have brought all of us so much reading pleasure for so many years. It’s far more than charity. Its a way for all of us to say — ‘Thanks.’”
—Stan Lee, former president and chairman of Marvel Comics and creator of Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and many other notable comic series
Most comic book writers and illustrators would agree that it’s a labor of love that drives them to create, not a goldmine, and for every new creator who signs a deal with DC or Marvel, there are exponentially more who can barely cover the cost of a booth at their local comic convention. The Hero Initiative (http://www.heroinitiative.org/) began in 2000 to create a “financial safety net” for comic book writers and artists to aid in covering basic needs and cost of living: A not-for-profit lead by gracious benefactors from within the comic industry, The Hero Initiative offers a chance to give back to the people who have given comic book lovers so much enjoyment over the years, and even provides an avenue back into paying work for unemployed comic creators.
Updates on this event will be posted to Geekgirlonthestreet.com as they come in.