MattBrady
09-06-2006, 06:28 AM
<img src="http://www.newsarama.com/Actor_Hero/HeroInitiativemd.jpg" align="right">Following a name change, The Hero Initiative (formerly ACTOR) has named its new Executive Board of Directors. Founding members Jim McLauchlin, Brian Pulido, and Joe Quesada remain on board, with new members being:
<b>Steve Borock</b>, <i>President and primary grader for the Comics Guaranty Corporation (CGC)</i> – Steve has stopped at nothing to support the Hero Initiative, including sponsoring trade show booths, offering special editions for sale and even putting his money where his mouth is as a chronic charity auction bidder.
“I am extremely honored, as well as surprised, that I was picked to be on the board of directors for this wonderful organization,” Borock said. “As we all make a living in a hobby that we love, I truly believe that we owe it to those that made this possible to help them every chance we get. For years now, CGC and I have supported this organization, now I can help support it even more working side by side with the amazing people who already work so hard for the Hero Initiative. My first goal will be to help bring in the thousands of people in the vintage comic book community and have them start donating comic books for upcoming Hero Initiative auctions that CGC will certify for free.”
Hero Initiative President Jim McLauchlin told Newsarama: “Steve Borock is a great link to collectors, and a tremendous touchstone to that 'vintage' community. The folks at the CGC forums have been some of our greatest supporters as well. Every year, they've done a fundraiser via their message boards, which they've done totally on their own and without any prompting. It's hard to find a guy with as much knowledge and love for comics as Steve. You should see him—he's memorized all the <b>More Fun Comics</b> covers! You throw out a number, he'll tell you what the cover is. He's a nerd, yeah, but a delightful nerd.”
<b>Guillermo del Toro</b> – <i>Writer and film director (Hellboy) and comics fan</i> – del Toro brings with him all the enthusiasm that Hollywood has for comic book stories with a seasoned love for the genre.
"Comic books have long been a tremendous influence on me, both as a reader, and now as a writer and director,” del Toro said. “The works of creators such as Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Richard Corben, John Stanley, Carl Barks and many, many more have fueled my creative engine. I'm very happy to join in with this great organization and give something back to the amazingly rich field of comic books. Simply put, I'm a fan."
McLauchlin: “I get together for breakfast with Guillermo del Toro about once a month, and a few months ago, I asked him if he might be inclined to accept a nomination to join the Board of Directors. I don't think I even finished the sentence before he said he'd be honored to. Guillermo has to be about the most astute reader I've ever met. I love talking books and authors with him. He's amazingly well-read, particularly in the works of Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury and Victor Hugo, among about a zillion others. But the thing that blows my mind is that he's also <i>forgotten</i> more about comics than I might ever know. He'll quote Will Eisner lines word-for-word or give you a half-hour dissertation on John Stanley's Little Lulu, and it's just…nuts. The guy just loves this stuff.”
<b>Mike Malve</b>, <i>Owner and proprietor of comics retailer Atomic Comics</i> – Malve’s perspective as a retailer adds a strong industry component to the table, especially for an organization like Hero Initiative which has relied heavily on fans and retailers alike in generating funds to help creators.
"I want to thank all involved with bringing me on board to such a worthy cause” Malve said. “Being part of this organization truly makes me feel like a Hero. We at Atomic Comics pride ourselves on coming up with some of the most exciting and innovative promotions in the business, and I look forward to making The Hero Initiative part of them in the future."
McLauchlin: “Mike Malve is about the hardest working sumbitch I think I've ever met. He's a real self-made success story who started working in a grocery store when he was 14 years old, and now owns a chain of four comic stores all his own—and I think they're going to expand to five or six. He's a natural-born leader, and his enthusiasm definitely carries over into the entire Atomic staff—they're great stores staffed by great people! I'm lucky, because Phoenix is only one hour and a $100 plane ticket from L.A. When Malve runs events at Atomic, I go sometimes, just ’cause they're so damn much fun. This guy understands promotion and understands grass roots like no one else.”
<b>Beth Widera</b>, <i>Owner and general manager of MegaCon</i> – Widera has never asked Hero Initiative for a dime for its massive booth at the Orlando MegaCon, and she has always been a gracious and accommodating host for the yearly charity auction at MegaCon, which has long been Hero Initiative’s anchor event. As much to anyone else involved in the Hero Initiative’s genesis, the organization owes a debt of gratitude not only for her support then, but for her ongoing support today.
“I am honored to be part of such a wonderful organization,” Widera said. “This is a great opportunity for me to give back to an industry that has become such an important part of my life. As a convention manager, I’ve been fortunate enough to play host to some of the builders of this industry we all call home, and so I feel it is more incumbent upon me to stand up and support the Hero Initiative’s mission.”
McLauchlin: “Beth Widera has perhaps the most noble soul I've ever met. Personally speaking, I value education highly, and Beth spent 18 years as a schoolteacher, which scores her a lot of points in my book. The Orlando MegaCon is a wonderful, wonderful family operation, quite literally. Beth runs it every year with her husband, daughter, mother, and about 53 sisters. The family resemblance is uncanny, so you think you're seeing Madrox the Multiple Man all weekend, and it just doesn't matter. They're all the nicest folks possible. Beth has been a massive, massive supporter of then-ACTOR, now-Hero since Day One, and were going to be doing a lot more at MegaCon in the future.”
“We're excited to welcome our new board members,” Pulido said. “Not only are each one of them leaders in their respective fields, but they are ready to roll up their sleeves and do the work to turbo-charge Hero and spread our message across the globe! Expect big things to come.”
“What else could I possibly say that these people and what they bring to our organization hasn’t already spelled out in big neon letters?” Joe Quesada asked. “These are people who have been there since day one, and to have them on board to help us steer this vision is a blessing beyond what any of us could have imagined back in the days of cataloguing art at 3 a.m. the night before our first auction. We’ve come a long way since then, and these folks are a good part of the reason, so who better to help us plan our future?”
The Hero Initiative is also served by a peer group Fund Disbursement Board that hears petitions and disburses funds to worthy applicants. Former Executive Board member Jim Valentino moves to that Board, where he joins continuing members Dick Giordano, Charlie Novinskie, Dennis O'Neil, George Pérez, John Romita Sr., and Roy Thomas.
<i>For more on Steve Borock and CGC, visit www.CGCComics.com
For more on Guillermo del Toro, visit www.DelToroFilms.com
For more on Mike Malve and Atomic Comics, visit www.AtomicComics.com
For more on Beth Widera and MegaCon, visit www.MegaConvention.com
About the Hero Initiative
The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 310-909-7809</i>
<b>Steve Borock</b>, <i>President and primary grader for the Comics Guaranty Corporation (CGC)</i> – Steve has stopped at nothing to support the Hero Initiative, including sponsoring trade show booths, offering special editions for sale and even putting his money where his mouth is as a chronic charity auction bidder.
“I am extremely honored, as well as surprised, that I was picked to be on the board of directors for this wonderful organization,” Borock said. “As we all make a living in a hobby that we love, I truly believe that we owe it to those that made this possible to help them every chance we get. For years now, CGC and I have supported this organization, now I can help support it even more working side by side with the amazing people who already work so hard for the Hero Initiative. My first goal will be to help bring in the thousands of people in the vintage comic book community and have them start donating comic books for upcoming Hero Initiative auctions that CGC will certify for free.”
Hero Initiative President Jim McLauchlin told Newsarama: “Steve Borock is a great link to collectors, and a tremendous touchstone to that 'vintage' community. The folks at the CGC forums have been some of our greatest supporters as well. Every year, they've done a fundraiser via their message boards, which they've done totally on their own and without any prompting. It's hard to find a guy with as much knowledge and love for comics as Steve. You should see him—he's memorized all the <b>More Fun Comics</b> covers! You throw out a number, he'll tell you what the cover is. He's a nerd, yeah, but a delightful nerd.”
<b>Guillermo del Toro</b> – <i>Writer and film director (Hellboy) and comics fan</i> – del Toro brings with him all the enthusiasm that Hollywood has for comic book stories with a seasoned love for the genre.
"Comic books have long been a tremendous influence on me, both as a reader, and now as a writer and director,” del Toro said. “The works of creators such as Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Richard Corben, John Stanley, Carl Barks and many, many more have fueled my creative engine. I'm very happy to join in with this great organization and give something back to the amazingly rich field of comic books. Simply put, I'm a fan."
McLauchlin: “I get together for breakfast with Guillermo del Toro about once a month, and a few months ago, I asked him if he might be inclined to accept a nomination to join the Board of Directors. I don't think I even finished the sentence before he said he'd be honored to. Guillermo has to be about the most astute reader I've ever met. I love talking books and authors with him. He's amazingly well-read, particularly in the works of Roald Dahl, Charles Dickens, H.P. Lovecraft, Ray Bradbury and Victor Hugo, among about a zillion others. But the thing that blows my mind is that he's also <i>forgotten</i> more about comics than I might ever know. He'll quote Will Eisner lines word-for-word or give you a half-hour dissertation on John Stanley's Little Lulu, and it's just…nuts. The guy just loves this stuff.”
<b>Mike Malve</b>, <i>Owner and proprietor of comics retailer Atomic Comics</i> – Malve’s perspective as a retailer adds a strong industry component to the table, especially for an organization like Hero Initiative which has relied heavily on fans and retailers alike in generating funds to help creators.
"I want to thank all involved with bringing me on board to such a worthy cause” Malve said. “Being part of this organization truly makes me feel like a Hero. We at Atomic Comics pride ourselves on coming up with some of the most exciting and innovative promotions in the business, and I look forward to making The Hero Initiative part of them in the future."
McLauchlin: “Mike Malve is about the hardest working sumbitch I think I've ever met. He's a real self-made success story who started working in a grocery store when he was 14 years old, and now owns a chain of four comic stores all his own—and I think they're going to expand to five or six. He's a natural-born leader, and his enthusiasm definitely carries over into the entire Atomic staff—they're great stores staffed by great people! I'm lucky, because Phoenix is only one hour and a $100 plane ticket from L.A. When Malve runs events at Atomic, I go sometimes, just ’cause they're so damn much fun. This guy understands promotion and understands grass roots like no one else.”
<b>Beth Widera</b>, <i>Owner and general manager of MegaCon</i> – Widera has never asked Hero Initiative for a dime for its massive booth at the Orlando MegaCon, and she has always been a gracious and accommodating host for the yearly charity auction at MegaCon, which has long been Hero Initiative’s anchor event. As much to anyone else involved in the Hero Initiative’s genesis, the organization owes a debt of gratitude not only for her support then, but for her ongoing support today.
“I am honored to be part of such a wonderful organization,” Widera said. “This is a great opportunity for me to give back to an industry that has become such an important part of my life. As a convention manager, I’ve been fortunate enough to play host to some of the builders of this industry we all call home, and so I feel it is more incumbent upon me to stand up and support the Hero Initiative’s mission.”
McLauchlin: “Beth Widera has perhaps the most noble soul I've ever met. Personally speaking, I value education highly, and Beth spent 18 years as a schoolteacher, which scores her a lot of points in my book. The Orlando MegaCon is a wonderful, wonderful family operation, quite literally. Beth runs it every year with her husband, daughter, mother, and about 53 sisters. The family resemblance is uncanny, so you think you're seeing Madrox the Multiple Man all weekend, and it just doesn't matter. They're all the nicest folks possible. Beth has been a massive, massive supporter of then-ACTOR, now-Hero since Day One, and were going to be doing a lot more at MegaCon in the future.”
“We're excited to welcome our new board members,” Pulido said. “Not only are each one of them leaders in their respective fields, but they are ready to roll up their sleeves and do the work to turbo-charge Hero and spread our message across the globe! Expect big things to come.”
“What else could I possibly say that these people and what they bring to our organization hasn’t already spelled out in big neon letters?” Joe Quesada asked. “These are people who have been there since day one, and to have them on board to help us steer this vision is a blessing beyond what any of us could have imagined back in the days of cataloguing art at 3 a.m. the night before our first auction. We’ve come a long way since then, and these folks are a good part of the reason, so who better to help us plan our future?”
The Hero Initiative is also served by a peer group Fund Disbursement Board that hears petitions and disburses funds to worthy applicants. Former Executive Board member Jim Valentino moves to that Board, where he joins continuing members Dick Giordano, Charlie Novinskie, Dennis O'Neil, George Pérez, John Romita Sr., and Roy Thomas.
<i>For more on Steve Borock and CGC, visit www.CGCComics.com
For more on Guillermo del Toro, visit www.DelToroFilms.com
For more on Mike Malve and Atomic Comics, visit www.AtomicComics.com
For more on Beth Widera and MegaCon, visit www.MegaConvention.com
About the Hero Initiative
The Hero Initiative is the first-ever federally chartered not-for-profit corporation dedicated strictly to helping comic book creators in need. Hero creates a financial safety net for yesterdays' creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It's a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 310-909-7809</i>