Irmsubm1
Over at his blog, Clifford Meth continues to enlist aid for a benefit to help defray the medical costs of Gene Colan’s recent health issues:

Numerous artists and writers will be contributing drawings and/or signed books to help Gene and Adrienne Colan with their mounting medical costs. Items will be auctioned by ComicLink.com

This list will be updated regularly. So far, it includes (in alpha-order):

Neal Adams, Norm Breyfogle, Randy Bowen, Ed Brubaker, Adam-Troy Castro, Paty Cockrum, Peter David, Tom DeFalco, J.M. deMatteis, Pat DiNizio, Harlan Ellison, Mark Evanier, Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, Joe Kubert, Erik Larsen, Bob Layton, Jim Lee, Stan Lee, Leah Moore, Albert Moy, Michael Netzer, Josh Olsen, Tom Palmer, Mike Pascale, Jim Salicrup, Bob Shreck, Dave Simmons, Gail Simone, Walter and Louise Simonson, Jim Starlin, Juan Torres, Marv Wolfman and Ash Wood.


It should be noted that this benefit is being assembled by Meth; Colan’s wife, Adrienne hasn’t been asking for help publicly.

However, it should also be noted that when you drew comic books all your life, even comic books as lucrative as those drawn by Colan, like BLADE, you don’t get a pension or residuals or anything really. We’re not here to hang Marvel in effigy, since they have been an extremely frugal company since emerging from bankruptcy. However with reports circulating that Marvel Studios has already made some $200 million from IRON MAN, the #1 movie two weeks running, you would HOPE that a little fund raising could be set aside for one of the five or six greatest Marvel artists of all times. Better than Lenil Yu, even.

UPDATE: Dirk suggests you donate directly to the Colans via their Paypal account: [email protected].

1 COMMENT

  1. I just have to say, thank god for Clifford Meth. The guy just jumps in where he’s needed and makes good things happen for these heroic people like Gene and Dave Cockrum.

    You GO, Cliff!

  2. Marvel has two $100 hardcovers with well over 1000 pages of Colan’s TOMB OF DRACULA and HOWARD THE DUCK scheduled for later this year. At a bare minimum you’d think they could give him an advance on his reprint fees or royalties (assuming they give either) so he’ll have the money when it would do the most good.

  3. Adrienne may not have put out a public call for help, but it was from her that we learned about Gene’s medical bills and lack of coverage. She fully approves this auction.

  4. MANY companies make provisions for past employees of superior distinction and merit who have made lasting contributions to their ongoing financial health. It’s good business in all ways.

  5. “MANY companies make provisions for past employees …”

    But is Marvel one of those companies? Things might be different today … but decades ago … you drew a page, got your check, and signed off on all rights.