Benefits

Have you ever wish you could be stylish AND help save the world all at the same time? If only such a thing was possible, you thought. And if only I could do it...

Via PR, but it's a great cause! George R.R. Martin, the celebrated creator of GAME OF THRONES and WILD CARDS  is celebrating Banned Books Week by supporting the important work of the Comic Book Legal...

It's no secret that for the greater part of his later years, Jack Kirby was greatly concerned with leaving a financial legacy for his family. His whole life he'd worked night and day creating entire universes...and although his creations had gone on to become multimedia sensations, because of the way the comics industry was set up, he was in no position to benefit from it.

As you may know, the metro Manila area has been hit by severe flooding of late, due to monsoon season, and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced as a result. Local bookstore Fullybooked is organizing a fundraiser for the flood victims.

This super sweet story about artist Karl Kesel and his wife adopting a baby and then selling his Silver Age comics collection to pay for medical bills is a great way to end the week. The Kesels had been assigned a drug affected baby and this meant their child was born with a methadone addiction and has to be hospitalized for six weeks:

Lobo-co-creator, Roger Slifer. Slifer, who was struck by a hit-and-run white sedan in Santa Monica, Calif., on June 23, remains hospitalized and faces a very long recovery. As of last Friday, he was moved to Barlow Respiratory Hospital, a facility that specializes in respiratory issues. Slifer still cannot breathe on his own, but it is hoped that in 3-6 weeks he'll be able to do that, and can start rehab in 3-6 months. Slifer's cousin, Emma, has further updates on his medical condition on Facebook.

As always, our pals at the CBLDF will be offering fantastic member benefits, throwing a great party and fighting to keep our speech free. Saturday's art auction includes some of their best items yet, with art by Paul Pope, Walt Simonson, Billy Tucci, and more.

Basically if you go to the Darkness and Light gallery on 5th Street on Friday you will see Lego builder recreating a Jim Lee painting in Legos. You don't see that every day. No sir.

Sad news. Writer Roger Slifer is still in a coma following a hit and run accident two weeks ago. Jim Salicrup has been updating his condition on Facebook, and on Sunday posted this from a friend of Slifer's:

Just before his death a few days ago, former comics writer Robert L. Washington III gave an interview to CBR that makes for very sobering reading.

Legendary Filipino creator Tony DeZuniga recently had a severe stroke, and he is currently in critical condition. And his family does not have health insurance—yeah, this stuff happens in the Philippines, too. HIs wife Tina wrote of the details in the link below.

Hero Initiative is the non-profit organization that aids comic creators in medical and financial need—and if you've been reading the Beat lately you know that they are more needed than ever. Tonight, as part of the Emerald City Comicon, they are having a bowling fundraiser which sounds like a great time for a great cause, as they say. Although spots have already been auctioned off, you can still go watch the fun: