MARVEL, CREATORS AID REAL HEROES WITH BENEFIT BOOK
Consumer News - Week of 9/24/01

The world's greatest super-hero creators will honor the world's greatest real-life heroes from the September 11 terrorist attack against America in Marvel Comics' 64-page benefit book, Heroes (OCT011843, $3.00), which is solicited in this week's Previews Update, and on page 61 of the October Previews Order Form.

Scheduled to ship on October 17, this perfect bound magazine -- similar in format to the Marvel Poster Book -- will carry an SRP of $3.50. All profits from the project will go to the New York City Fire and Police Departments and the American Red Cross.

At press time, the creators who have signed on to take part in this worthwhile venture include Neal Adams, Kurt Busiek, Garth Ennis, J. Scott Campbell, John Cassaday, Alan Davis, Mike Deodato, Jr., Steve Dillon, Evan Dorkin, Neil Gaiman, Jae Lee, Stan Lee, Frank Miller, Todd McFarlane, George Perez, Alex Ross, Steve Rude, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Kevin Smith, among others.

"We called an impromptu meeting and it was swiftly agreed: we would create a one-shot magazine that would gather all-new images and words by the best creators," explained Marvel Marketing Communications Manager Bill Rosemann, concerning the origin of the project. "But this wouldn't be a collection of pin-ups celebrating our brightly clad characters. No, we would instead ask the artists and writers to comment on the theme of 'Heroes'... the brave souls that ran to save those in need ... and tragically perished in the process.

"It was the police, firemen, EMS workers, and the Red Cross that ran into the danger that others fled from," Rosemann added, "and so, we would attempt to give something back by donating the profits that this one-shot generated to the Widows' and Children's Fund of the Police Department, Widows' and Children's Fund of the Fire Department, and the Red Cross."

One of the creators involved in the project -- Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada -- said, "Artists are [also being] asked to donate the original art, and we will have an auction as well for the [aforementioned] charities. Writers are being asked to contribute a sentence, a paragraph, or what-have-you that is suitable for the moment -- inspirational, hopefully."

In a break with recent policy, Marvel will overprint this book, Quesada said, adding that, "this is one time that I want people to buy three or four copies!"