Here's to you, HEROES

Charity auctions net 20K for Hero Initiative.

Marsha and I are very proud to report that our second annual "12 Days" auctions for the Hero Initiative were successful beyond our wildest dreams. This year, we were able to raise just over $20,000.00! This is a stupefying number, literally doubling last year's amount.

Your help will go a long way to making life easier for some of the older creators out there, who aren't in the social safety net.

This speaks to the generosity and good will of my fans and readers alike in a way I can never repay. You guys are simply amazing, and I want to thank everyone who bid this year.

I want to give a special tip of Santa's chapeau to my dear friend and Art Dealer, Albert Moy. Albert likes to act like a hard-nosed businessman, but the big softy laid out high numbers to win 6 of the auctions. Thanks, man. You're my hero this year.

BTW- the image is a piece my genius cartoonist buddy Mike Holmes did for me this year. As you can see, I love orange pants. Thanks, Mike! You're the best.



Anyway,love to all y'all and thanks so much

Darwyn and Marsha

Ho Ho Holiday Auctions

The 12 Days of Christmas auctions have been a huge success so far! Thank you to everyone who has been bidding and spreading the word about them. It looks like we are going to shatter last year's totals.

Still tons of great things available, including:

Fantastic Four

Spiderman (times three)

We'll be donating all of the proceeds from these 12 Days of Christmas auctions to two comic industry groups. The majority are in support of The Hero Initiative, and we've put up some extra pieces this year to benefit The Shuster Awards

You can see all of the auctions here

Have a safe, happy Christmas and holiday season

Christmas Auction Action Update

The first four auctions to benefit Hero are live!

Day 1: Parker


The Parker Martini pack includes a signed Parker Martini edition, a limited edition Parker t-shirt, a set of 4 limited edition, stemless Parker Martini glasses with a custom designed label and the original art for pages 148-149 of The Outfit


Day 2: Boston

The original art from the promotional piece Darwyn did for Boston Comic Convention this past year, including tons of DC Characters in a cool Boston logo. Boston Con was a great time and if you have a chance to go, you should!

Day Three: Batman 197 Cover Recreation

This pack included a huge piece (19 x 13) recreating the Carmine Infantino/Mike Esposito original, a Catwoman action figure and a signed copy of Batman:Ego and other tails TPB.

Day Three and a half: Batman 84 cover recreation

Batman/Catwoman pack, redux. Another huge cover recreation, this time we have Winslow Mortimer's Batman 84, featuring Batman, Robin, Catwoman, and the Sleeping Beauties of Gotham, a Catwoman limited edition statue, and a signed copy of Batman Ego and other Tails.

More to come, thank you to everyone who has bid so far and good luck.

On the first day of Christmas

Hi everybody!

It’s that time of year again, our 2^nd annual 12 Days of Christmas art auctions to benefit the HERO Initiative. It’ll be the same deal as last year…over the next 12 days we will be putting up 12 eBay auctions, each with an amazing art pack.

There is one difference this time around. We are throwing down a challenge to every other person in the industry to get on board. You too, websites and publishers. Throw your hat (or art) in the ring and help a great cause. HERO tirelessly works to assist industry pros in circumstances none of us would want to be in.

So…without further ado..

On the first day of Christmas

Parker

The Long Beach MARTINI

Hi everybody.

After months, I'm resurfacing for a quick update and and to promote this weekend's Long Beach Comic Con.

Scott and I will be proudly presenting the Parker Martini at IDW over the weekend. Because Scott is a maniac, the Long Beach show will feature a variant slipcase with a limited number of 200 copies.

Long Beach Limited Slipcase

Stop by and say hi, maybe pick up a book. I'm showing off a couple images here from the interior portfolio of Parker films.

Lee Marvin in Point Blank

Jim Brown in The Split

The other real big part of the show for us is that we are guests of the Hero initiative this year. I'll be signing at Hero all weekend, and we're offering fans a hand-pulled silk screen print of Parker that I will hand tint at the booth.

HERO Limited Silk Screen Print

PLEASE drop by Hero's booth and give whatever you can. With the Holidays coming up, think of the older creators that are struggling with the basics of life and throw a few bucks in the pot.

Marsha and I are looking forward to seeing all you left coasters this weekend.

Best,

Darwyn

Parker: Martini update

Hey everyone,

Hope this finds you all well. This is the kind of post that I’m not used to writing, so bear with me. It has become apparent that the Parker: Martini Edition, which was scheduled for a July release, will not be ready to ship on its’ scheduled date. I wanted to break this news here on my blog, because this is 100% my fault. I wanted to make sure everyone understood that my publisher (IDW) and fabulous editor (Scott Dunbier) weren’t blamed for this delay.

It’s a rare occurrence for me to ship something later than it was supposed to. I want to assure everybody looking forward to this book that it is shipping late because of my commitment to making this a very special product and not just a reprint edition. This simply has taken me more time than I anticipated. After much consideration, Scott and I decided the best time for release would be during the Long Beach convention in October.

I’d like to apologize to all of the readers who’ve advanced ordered this book. I want you to know that I am doing everything I can to make sure the Parker:Martini edition will be worth the wait.

Thanks,

Darwyn

Free Comic Book Day & Teenage Satan

Hi Everyone,

Tons of news since our last update!

Free Comic Book Day:

Darwyn will be appearing at The Toronto Comics Arts Festival for Free Comic Book Day and throughout the weekend. If you are in the Toronto area, make every effort to get to TCAF. Look for the debut of Chester Brown's new book, Jeff Lemire and the Doug Wright Awards. Chris has put together a fantastic show over the years that highlights the Art of Comics. And most events are FREE! Darwyn did the artwork for DC Comics' Free Comic Book Day shirt so make sure you pick one up.

I will be at appearing at Free Comic Book day here in Halifax at our local, Strange Adventures. Why would I be at FCBD you ask!?!

It's only the MOST EXCITING THING EVER (for me anyway)

This weekend at Boston ComicCon, Stephanie Buscema. Darwyn's niece Candis and I debuted our new, creator owned, project: TEENAGE SATAN. Candis and I are writing, Steph is our art master, we've been at this since the end of last year. We have a new multi-media method planned with games and interactive content aimed at tween and teens. Have a look at the video Darwyn put together for us. Yes, that's right, Darwyn Cooke animating Stephanie Buscema. HELL-O



Yes, it's true. We're about to change comics forever. Our website is up and running so check us our over there. TEAM SATAN

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this project so far. We have called on many favours from many friends and you all helped us immeasurably. Inquiries about teenage Satan can be directed to 666@teenagesatan.com

See you all tomorrow. READ MOAR COMIX

Marsha (& Darwyn)

Spring Update, Convention Update and a few teases!

Hi everyone,

Hope all is well in your world. Thanks to everyone for the help on the HERO Christmas auctions, one last drawing to finish! Next year....well that can wait until the fall.

We thought it'd be a good idea to let you in on our Convention Schedule this year and take a look at some upcoming projects.





First up is Megacon, our annual pilgrimage to Orlando. Come by this weekend to say hi to Marsha and me, as well as Jimmy Palmiotti, Miss Amanda Connor, Frank Tieri, Nelson DeCastro, Rev. Dave Johnson and tons more. Beth and Richard put on one of the finest shows of the year so we're happy to be heading back for more.




Next is Boston Comic Con. Here's the spiffy T-Shirt they let me do for them. By Boston I'll be able to announce some big news we've been holding, it should be a hell of a good time ;-) Can't say more, 'cause someone out there would kill me.




Come May, I'll be at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival, one of the great events for creator owned & indie comics on the continent. As some of you may know, Toronto is my hometown, and this makes it all the more special for me.

If you've never gone, come see why it's growing so quickly in size and reputation. I'm lucky enough to be a special guest this year, a humbling position for me amongst greats like Chester Brown, Adrian Tomine, Brian Boswell and Natsume Ono. So many friends and cartooning geniuses are going, I'll just urge you to the site to see the guests.

That's it for shows for now. I'll leave you all with a couple pieces of artwork. The first is my cover for JSA #50. Hope you like the image and the message. The second is a penciled page of...Vigilante? That's right, owlhoot. Vigilante. What the heck could this be for? I'm not telling.






A couple final notes, since I'm here.

My colleagues and I traffic in the nature of heroism, some would say. I just want to take a moment to say that the workers at the Fukishima Power Plant are the bravest people on the face of the planet. May their Gods bless them and keep them.

And more personally, I want to mention the passing of my Aunt Helen. A wonderful woman and loving sister to my Mom. She will be sorely missed.

Best to you all
Darwyn

TCAF - Toronto Comic Arts Festival

from the TCAF newsletter:

TCAF Welcomes Featured Guest Darwyn Cooke!

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is proud to announce that award-winning, New York Times best-selling cartoonist Darwyn Cooke will be a Featured Guest of the 2011 Festival. Darwyn has a long and very special history with the Festival, having three times previous been a Featured Guest of the event, and having designed the 2005 and 2007 Festival posters.

Cooke has had an impressive and varied career in comics, despite his relatively short tenure in the medium after having had successful careers in both graphic design and animation. From the time of his debut with 2000′s Batman: Ego, fans have thrilled to his stylized and classic depictions of the pantheon of DC Comics Superheroes in projects like The New Frontier (which netted him several Harveys and Eisners, and the animated adaptation of which was nominated for an Emmy), Jonah Hex, and Catwoman, and in 2006 he took on the task of re imagining Will Eisner’s classic character The Spirit for a new generation.

Cooke’s most recent works are his New York Times best-selling graphic novel adaptations of Richard Stark’s PARKER novels, published by IDW. Parker: The Hunter and Parker: The Outfit (released 2009 and 2010 respectively) debuted to enormous critical acclaim, and Cooke’s vision of the character was enjoyed the special privilege of being approved and enjoyed by the series’ author Donald Westlake (who wrote the series under the pseudonym Richard Stark), before his passing in 2008. Currently, Cooke is hard at work on the third Parker adaptation, The Score, expected for release in 2012.

Darwyn Cooke will be exhibiting for both days of The Toronto Comic Arts Festival with a dedicated exhibition space, and will also be participating in programming and panels (to be announced).

If you're interested in attending TCAF, they have a wonderful section on their website devoted to helping get you all the info you should need. Check it out - torontocomics.com/attending

TCAF takes place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (so get your passports if you're from away!)
Saturday May 7th, 9am-5pm
Sunday May 8th, 11am-5pm
@ Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge St., Toronto, Canada
416-533-9168
Admission to TCAF is Free.

stuff and such from hither and yon

Good Sunday morning to you all, or whatever time of day it is in your part of the world!

It's about time for some updated info on what Darwyn is up to these days. Most of the winter, he's spent logging and trapping deep in the wilds of eastern Canada to provide vittles for the family. Now that there's a touch of spring in the air, Darwyn's back at the homestead gearing up for convention season.

Boston Comic Con is on April 30th through May 1st. Looks to be a great line-up of comic book folks in attendance including Joe Kubert (Sunday only), Frank Quitely, Adam Hughes, Art Adams, Frank Cho, Tim Sale, and Matt Wagner. I've never been to the Boston Con but always hear great things about it and Boston is a cool spot to visit as well!

A week later, it's TCAF! The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is on May 7th and 8th and is a fabulous show. An amazing line-up of cartoonists will be there including Chester Brown (who will be debuting his newest book "Paying for it" at the show), Kate Beaton, Becky Cloonan, Faith Erin Hicks, Seth, Jay Stephens, Raina Telgemeier, Jim Zubkavich and Chris Ware! AND that's just a few! Check out the website for more info. This is a spectacular show that is engaging and inviting to the hard-core comic fans as well as being very appealing to folks who'd like to dip their toes into the comic book world.

If you're not from or living in Canada, you may not be familiar with Canada Reads, a literary "survivor" style competition where people nominate their favourite books and they get "championed" or supported by "someone of note", often a musician, author, actor. Check out the CBC website for more background on Canada Reads; the reason I bring it up is that a graphic novel, Jeff Lemire's Essex County, made it into the "final five" but, sadly, was the first to have it's "torch extinguished" during the debates. Darwyn was interviewed by the National Post along with Jeet Heer and Chris Butcher about the highs and lows of getting graphic novels some mainstream attention.

If you need an injection of comic book goodness, be sure to check out Vertigo's House of Mystery #35 and #36 as both have short stories illustrated by Darwyn; and Justice Society #50 is out in April with a "you may order 1 variant for every 10 regular editions you order" cover by Darwyn.

I think the February blahs can be kept at bay by reading some damn fine comic books, so go out to your local comic book store, website, friend's house and get yourself some comics!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Dee!

Great to meet you in New York.