#Creators4Comics Auction to Benefit Comic Shops and Bookstores Hit by COVID-19

A coalition of artists, authors, comics creators and other supporters join forces to support comic retailers and independent bookstores

Organized by Kami Garcia, Brian Michael Bendis, Gwenda Bond, Sam Humphries & Phil Jimenez, #Creators4ComicsRaised over $400k in a week is a group of comics writers, artists, authors, and others who are coming together to help save comic book retailers and independent bookstores by organizing a Twitter auction to directly benefit the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC). This is the foundation to which DC Comics, Jim Lee, James Patterson, Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club, Boom Studios, and many others have recently contributed. BINC is accepting applications from stores now and they will begin providing direct aid to stores starting at the end of the month.

How does it work? (FAQs)

• Creators/people run their own individual auctions by tweeting items with the hashtag #Creators4Comics.
• Auctions/tweets should be posted on Wednesday, April 15th (or anytime after the 15th if you’re joining late). Be sure to state the opening bid amount for valuable items.
• Twitter users scroll through the auction items under the hashtag and reply to individual item threads to place their bids until the auction ends on April 20th, at 12 PM EST.
• The winning bidder donates directly to BINC and provides the donation receipt to the auctioneer to claim their item.

The Press Release:

(April 14, 2020) Over 130 comics writers, artists, authors, and other supporters are coming together to provide financial help to comic book retailers and independent bookstores hit hard by COVID-19 with the #Creators4Comics Twitter auction to benefit the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC).

With permission, #Creators4Comics is borrowing the successful Twitter auction format used by #AuthorsForFireys, which raised over $500,000 in less than a week to assist Australian firefighting efforts. The Twitter-based auctions will offer everything from signed comics to artwork to unique events and experiences from Wednesday, April 15, to Monday, April 20, under the hashtag #Creators4Comics.

Among the more than 100 well-known creators and authors already committed to participate are Neil Gaiman, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Marv Wolfman, Geoff Johns, Joe Hill, Shannon Hale, Brad Meltzer, Mariko Tamaki, Scott Snyder, Greg Capullo, Donny Cates, Tom King, Mitch Gerards, Danielle Paige, Gene Luen Yang, Jason Aaron, Gabriel Picolo, Mark Guggenheim, Gail Simone, Jeff Lemire, Vita Ayala, David Mack, Ryan North, Meg Cabot, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Cassandra Clare, James Tynion IV, Marieke Najkamp, Margaret Stohl, Greg Rucka, Jock, Alyssa Wong, Stephanie Garber, Mico Suayan, and G. Willow Wilson. The auction effort is being coordinated by Kami Garcia, Brian Michael Bendis, Gwenda Bond, Sam Humphries, and Phil Jimenez.

“Print is the heart of comics and books and the brick and mortar stores that keep print alive are struggling, so I reached out to other concerned creators/friends,” said Garcia, #1 New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels and graphic novels. “They enthusiastically agreed we needed to help.”

“These stores have supported us throughout our careers,” said Bond, New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels and graphic novel creator. “Now is our chance to support them. Comic shops and indie bookstores are at the heart of our industry and our neighborhoods.”

“The phenomenal response we’ve seen so far from creators makes it clear that comic book stores are the foundation of our industry,” said Sam Humphries, superstar comic book writer of Harley Quinn, and co-host of television show DC Daily. “But we can’t do this alone — anyone who loves comic stores can join us and create an auction of their own!”

If you have any questions or need anything else please don’t hesitate to ask!

All the best!

Mike Negin

REEDPOP Global Comic Talent Manager

mikenegin@reedpop.com

@MightyMikeNegin

Ph: 347-276-5594

http://www.reedpop.com

Founder and Editor-in-Chief of AmberUnmasked.com and Vodka O'Clock Podcast. Author of The Farrah Wethers Mysteries, comic book short stories, prose, and non-fiction. Cosplayer and figure model.