MattBrady
11-05-2002, 09:58 AM
<img src="http://classic.newsarama.com/Creators/pic_jlee.jpg" width="109" height="166" align="right">Bidding opens today on one Jim Lee, artist and Editorial Director of Wildstorm – condition: as is.
As previously <a href="http://classic.newsarama.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000001" target="_blank"> reported</a>, Lee is taking part in an auction to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, wherein he will fly himself, at his own expense to the store making the winning bid, which is, in reality, a donation to the CBLDF. Newsarama caught up with Lee to ask just why he’s willing to sell himself for the Fund.
“Recognizing the fact the CBLDF is indispensable and vital to the health and growth of our business and art form, I've supported the fund through cash contributions and donated artwork off and on over the last six or eight years,” Lee said. “I've always looked up to what creators like Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, and George Perez have done for the cause and thought this would be a good time for me to step up and play a more active role in helping raise funds.”
Lee also noted that, in light of the <a href="http://classic.newsarama.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000028" target="_blank"> announcement</a> by the Fund that it will be appealing retailer Jesus Castillo’s case to the Supreme Court, the Fund can never have enough money stockpiled for its legal battles in support of comics and the First Amendment.
“Given what I have read about that particular case, it seems absurd that it has to go the highest levels of our judicial system for justice to prevail,” Lee said. “Of course, that’s assuming the Supreme Court even decides to review the decision. If allowed to stand, it will set a dangerous precedent for our industry and invite other opportunists to further their extremist views at the expense of our artform.”
On a lighter note, along with signing and greeting fans at the store which places the winning bid, Lee said that he’s up for other activities as well – and didn’t rule out bagging and boarding books, or running the register. “I think I can multitask with the best of them,” Lee said. “I'm game for making it as unique an appearance as possible.”
As previously announced by the Fund, the winning store will not only host a signing by Lee, but the winning retailer and a small number of guests will have dinner with Lee after the signing, making it, according to Lee, a much different experience than meeting fans at a convention.
“Cons have many more distractions that compete the time you spend with the fans,” Lee said. “Pitch meetings, panels and other business meetings are the norm for major comic conventions these days. Store signings allow a more intimate experience. A more relaxed pace, more time to interact with fans adds up to a more personal and unique experience.”
For retailers thinking of bidding, not only is the winning bid tax-deductible, but Lee feels, rather self-depreciatingly, that he might go for a bargain price. “I just sat down with fellow oddsmaker Scott Dunbier and ballparked the auction at anywhere from 500 to 1000 dollars,” Lee said. “If it goes to more, it will be because bidders will realize the money is going to a good cause - a cause which ultimately helps their own side of the business. And I think stores could get innovative in terms of how they decide to bid.
“I could envision a store raising money from its patrons to maximize the amount they could bid...maybe for a donation each contributor would get a raffle ticket to win the free sketch that comes with the winning bid. Stuff like that. Anything but an admission fee, as I think that would limit the amount of people who can come to the signing. But maybe they could do in-store auctions for the dinner. Stuff that political parties do to raise campaign funds. I think there
are a number of creative ways for stores to make some very strong bids.
“And I will say here and now that I will personally match up to the first 2000 dollars, assuming it goes that high or higher, of the winning bid.”
As this is the first time the Fund has auctioned off a creator as a fundraiser, Lee said it shouldn’t be the last, and had some words for his contemporaries. “I think as creators, we should strive to be creative in even our business ventures so yes, I would love to see other creators get
involved with fundraising,” Lee said. “The challenge would be to do each event with a slightly different spin so that we are not repeating ourselves; we need to keep each event as different and exciting as possible.
“As far as anyone in particular...well, I would donate good money to see Bob Wayne, head of marketing at DC, go to a store and sing karaoke for the fans. And maybe announce to the fans at the store--live and in person--a cool DC event or project for the first time anywhere.”
The auction, open to retailers of legitimate brick and mortar stores, opened this morning, and can be accessed <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=732401516" target="_blank">here</a>.
As previously <a href="http://classic.newsarama.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000001" target="_blank"> reported</a>, Lee is taking part in an auction to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, wherein he will fly himself, at his own expense to the store making the winning bid, which is, in reality, a donation to the CBLDF. Newsarama caught up with Lee to ask just why he’s willing to sell himself for the Fund.
“Recognizing the fact the CBLDF is indispensable and vital to the health and growth of our business and art form, I've supported the fund through cash contributions and donated artwork off and on over the last six or eight years,” Lee said. “I've always looked up to what creators like Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, and George Perez have done for the cause and thought this would be a good time for me to step up and play a more active role in helping raise funds.”
Lee also noted that, in light of the <a href="http://classic.newsarama.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000028" target="_blank"> announcement</a> by the Fund that it will be appealing retailer Jesus Castillo’s case to the Supreme Court, the Fund can never have enough money stockpiled for its legal battles in support of comics and the First Amendment.
“Given what I have read about that particular case, it seems absurd that it has to go the highest levels of our judicial system for justice to prevail,” Lee said. “Of course, that’s assuming the Supreme Court even decides to review the decision. If allowed to stand, it will set a dangerous precedent for our industry and invite other opportunists to further their extremist views at the expense of our artform.”
On a lighter note, along with signing and greeting fans at the store which places the winning bid, Lee said that he’s up for other activities as well – and didn’t rule out bagging and boarding books, or running the register. “I think I can multitask with the best of them,” Lee said. “I'm game for making it as unique an appearance as possible.”
As previously announced by the Fund, the winning store will not only host a signing by Lee, but the winning retailer and a small number of guests will have dinner with Lee after the signing, making it, according to Lee, a much different experience than meeting fans at a convention.
“Cons have many more distractions that compete the time you spend with the fans,” Lee said. “Pitch meetings, panels and other business meetings are the norm for major comic conventions these days. Store signings allow a more intimate experience. A more relaxed pace, more time to interact with fans adds up to a more personal and unique experience.”
For retailers thinking of bidding, not only is the winning bid tax-deductible, but Lee feels, rather self-depreciatingly, that he might go for a bargain price. “I just sat down with fellow oddsmaker Scott Dunbier and ballparked the auction at anywhere from 500 to 1000 dollars,” Lee said. “If it goes to more, it will be because bidders will realize the money is going to a good cause - a cause which ultimately helps their own side of the business. And I think stores could get innovative in terms of how they decide to bid.
“I could envision a store raising money from its patrons to maximize the amount they could bid...maybe for a donation each contributor would get a raffle ticket to win the free sketch that comes with the winning bid. Stuff like that. Anything but an admission fee, as I think that would limit the amount of people who can come to the signing. But maybe they could do in-store auctions for the dinner. Stuff that political parties do to raise campaign funds. I think there
are a number of creative ways for stores to make some very strong bids.
“And I will say here and now that I will personally match up to the first 2000 dollars, assuming it goes that high or higher, of the winning bid.”
As this is the first time the Fund has auctioned off a creator as a fundraiser, Lee said it shouldn’t be the last, and had some words for his contemporaries. “I think as creators, we should strive to be creative in even our business ventures so yes, I would love to see other creators get
involved with fundraising,” Lee said. “The challenge would be to do each event with a slightly different spin so that we are not repeating ourselves; we need to keep each event as different and exciting as possible.
“As far as anyone in particular...well, I would donate good money to see Bob Wayne, head of marketing at DC, go to a store and sing karaoke for the fans. And maybe announce to the fans at the store--live and in person--a cool DC event or project for the first time anywhere.”
The auction, open to retailers of legitimate brick and mortar stores, opened this morning, and can be accessed <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=732401516" target="_blank">here</a>.