PR: KIETH DONATES WOLVERINE/HULK ART TO ACTOR

[Eric J. Moreels]

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolvhulk1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/wolvhulk1t.jpg" align=left alt="Wolverine/Hulk #1"></a>ACTOR (A Commitment To Our Roots), the non-profit organization dedicated to helping older comic creators in need, is pleased to announce that writer/artist Sam Kieth is making a major donation to the fund.

Kieth will donate all the original art from two books' worth of his current Wolverine/Hulk Marvel Comics mini-series to ACTOR. The other two books of the four-issue series will be donated to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF).

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/wolvhulk_3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/wolvhulk_3t.jpg" align=right alt="Wolverine/Hulk #3 preview"></a>"I've always thought there are four pillars of the comic book industry," Kieth said. "The publishers, distributors, retailers and creators. The publishers and distributors are often large organizations, but retailers and creators stand by themselves on the front lines. By making this donation to ACTOR and the CBLDF, I hope I can help support the creative and retail pillars."

Kieth will use his usual art agent, Albert Moy Original Art, to turn the artwork into money. Albert Moy Original Art will sell the art via conventions and its Website at www.albertmoy.com (http://www.albertmoy.com/) starting Thursday, March 28 and continuing throughout 2002.

ACTOR Executive Committee member and Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada said, "I love Sam Kieth's art, and I’ll probably buy some myself. Not a lot of people know this, but when we auctioned Sam's Hulk piece in the Twin Towers Fund 'Heroes' auction, it was so popular that three other people commissioned an identical piece from Sam. I was one of them. I'm sure this sale will raise a lot of money for ACTOR."

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0502/wolvhulk_4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/previews/0502/wolvhulk_4t.jpg" align=left alt="Wolverine/Hulk #4 preview"></a>ACTOR Disbursement Committee Co-chairman and CrossGen Senior Artist George Pérez said, "What a truly awesome contribution! As an artist I know that Sam could have netted a substantial amount of money selling this artwork. After all, the Hulk and especially Wolverine are two of the greatest comic book icons in print today and Sam's rabid fan following would have assured him an enormous personal payday. The fact that Sam has decided to donate all that money to ACTOR speaks volumes not only for Sam's character and integrity, but the worthiness of ACTOR and all it represents. It's people like Sam that make me proud to be in this business."

About ACTOR
ACTOR (A Commitment To Our Roots) is dedicated to providing relief and support to many of the talented creators who helped found the comic book industry. Many Golden Age or Silver Age creators toiled in comics' earlier days for low pay and with a nonexistent pension plan. Today, many of these people who laid the groundwork that today's industry works on may be in financial need. Be it due to age, health, or just low salaries with no retirement plan, they may need a hand. ACTOR provides a safety net for former comic creators in need. ACTOR is dedicated to helping creators with emergency medical aid, financial support, and entrance back into paying work.

ACTOR's 501 (c) (3) paperwork, making it an official non-profit organization, was approved by the federal government in February, 2001.

For more information or to send donations to ACTOR please contact:
ACTOR (A Commitment To Our Roots)
11301 Olympic Blvd, #587
Los Angeles, CA 90064
310 268 1530

For more information or to contact Albert Moy Original Art:
718 225 3261
albert@albertmoy.com

[Al Harahap]

Originally posted by X-Fan
"I've always thought there are four pillars of the comic book industry," Kieth said. "The publishers, distributors, retailers and creators. The publishers and distributors are often large organizations, but retailers and creators stand by themselves on the front lines..."

...I think he forgot one: fans--who not only are the lifeblood of the comics industry, but one of which will be the one to actually buy Kieth's donated work so that the money can go to ACTOR's fund.

Anyway... I'm rather touched by the concept of ACTOR. It's like: the 401k for comic creator veterans. Good to know that today's players are willing to maintain a sense of acknowledgement of their predecessors--something that doesn't happen, or minimally, in other industries. Good for them.

[number1958]

Originally posted by Doop


...I think he forgot one: fans--who not only are the lifeblood of the comics industry, but one of which will be the one to actually buy Kieth's donated work so that the money can go to ACTOR's fund.

The industry caters to fans, and fans support the industry, but the two are separate. Unless a fan gets work in the industry ;)
But back to the subject, I do applaud Sam's donation, knowing he could have gotten at least several thousand dollars from the art from the two books.

[Anthony Lucynski]

Sam can donate that art to me if he wants...

Anthony L

[strangerx]

It's nice to see things like this. I think that ACTOR is an important thing and it's nice to see that an artist is willing to donate some of his work for the cause.

[Brian Wilkinson]

I really like it when comic writers/artists get more involved in their own community and especially when they help out others in need. A lot of them seem to have forgotten that this isn't the easiest industry to be a part of and their efforts often go unnoticed by the general population.

If it weren't for these people, the enduring legacy of heroes such as Superman would have gone unnoticed. The character is an icon, obviously, but it is these men and women that have helped make him so.