SPIRIT OF HOPE CHARITY ANTHOLOGY FOR JAPAN AND NEW ZEALAND DISASTER VICTIMS

The British comics community has come together to help raise funds for disaster victims of New Zealand and Japan’s earthquakes and tsunami with a stunning new graphic novel anthology, Spirit of Hope. Comic Book Alliance Chair Tim Pilcher, said, ‘When the earthquake hit Japan on the afternoon of 11 March 2011 the CBA, like the rest of the world, was stunned. Overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the disaster we felt impotent to do anything. But standing idly by was simply not an option. So we did what comics people do best, we put a call out to the artistic community and asked for a strip, pin-up or anything that encapsulated that devastating situation for them.’ Over 85 writers, artists, colourists, letterers and editors from across the globe all donated their time and work free of charge, to produce a powerful statement, all within an incredible two and a half weeks after the Japanese tsunami hit. Consequently, the stories have a raw emotiveness and impact that can only come from such immediacy. Just a few of the big name contributors include: Nick Abadzis (Laika, Hugo Tate) Mike Collins (Dr. Who), Sean Michael Wilson (AX), Alan Grant (2000AD, Batman) Al Davison (The Spiral Cage, The Minotaur’s Tale) Leigh Gallagher (2000AD) Darick Robertson (Transmetropolitan, The Boys) Liam Sharp (Judge Dredd, Gears of War), Peter Hogan (Tom Strong) and Chris Weston (Fantastic Four, The Twelve). Plus, there are moving contributions by manga artists who experienced the Japanese earthquake first hand including, Michiru Morikawa and Akiko Shimojima. The whole project has been edited by Alan Cowsill. There are two covers available, a bookshop edition by Jimmy Broxton (Knight & Squire), and a limited edition for comic shops by Michael Allred (Madman, I, Zombie). Copies of the 112pp book can now be ordered in advance at £14.99 + £3.00 p&p. Please state your preference of cover - Jimmy Broxton or Michael Allred. Advance orders will be sent out and will include three small limited edition prints of the covers and a print by Mark Buckingham (Fables). The address is: The Comic Book Alliance, PO Box 165, Marple, Cheshire SK6 7BL. Cheques & Postal Orders should be made out to 'The Comic Book Alliance'. The book can also be ordered online at: http://www.comicbook.org.uk/spirit-of-hope/ The book will be on sale from Monday 27 June in all good comic and bookshops. Further information can be found at the CBA website: www.comicbookalliance.co.uk All the profits are being donated to the New Zealand Red Cross (www.redcross.org.nz) and Second Harvest in Japan (www.2hj.org). The Spirit of Hope is being printed by Ukomiks (www.ukomics.co.uk). The list of contributors is almost literally too long to list here- but trust us, you are going to want to buy this book!