COMMUNITY COMICS WEATHERS THE TEMPEST

Community Comics, the studio behind such popular titles as ArmorQuest, David: The Shepherd’s Song, and David’s Mighty Men, has joined with Alias Comics in launching a different kind of project, titled TEMPEST, to benefit the continuing relief efforts on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Currently offered as a Featured Item in this month’s Previews catalog and scheduled to be released in stores in February 2006, TEMPEST tells the story of an artist who, while trying to work on his stories of heroics and tragedy, finds himself facing a real life tempest of calamity and heartbreak. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be given to the Salvation Army.

“The Salvation Army was the first in there when these things hit,” artist Sherwin Schwartzrock said, “so it was a no-brainer that was where we wanted the money to go.”

“This is one of the most important projects I’ve ever worked on,” said writer Ben Avery. “Not only because of the fundraising – although that was the original motive – but also because of the message. My hope for this project is that people will be encouraged to get involved. One person alone may not be able to do much, but, and this is the theme in the book, we are stronger together.”

The book itself is also a collaborative project, bringing together creators from Marvel, DC, Image, Crossgen, Dark Horse, Alias, and Archie Comics. In total, over a dozen people volunteered their time and talent to the project.

The fund raising portion of this project is two fold. First, there will be the profits from the sale of the book. A second source of fund raising will be the sale of TEMPEST’s original artwork, via eBay, when the book is released in February 2006.

Almost six-months will have passed since Katrina and Rita devastated the United States Gulf Coast when this book hits shelves. Avery says they took that into account, though, and in fact it became part of their plan. “Katrina will have been off the front page for a while and the victims of this horrible tragedy will be off the radar when this book hits. And that’s another part of the message of TEMPEST – to continue helping those in need, even after it’s no longer fashionable, both in the southern states and in our own neighborhoods.”

Written by Ben Avery (ArmorQuest, The Hedge Knight, Lullaby), TEMPEST features art by Randy Green (Witchblade, Emma Frost, Dollz), Javier Saltares (David’s Mighty Men, Wolverine, G.I. Joe), Sherwin Schwartzrock (ArmorQuest, Deal with the Devil), Sergio Cariello (Batman, Sojourn, and Spider-Man), Mike Worley (The Simpsons, Archie Comics), Tom Bancroft (Opposite Forces), Phil Hester (Nightwing, Green Arrow, and The Wretch), Tim Kane (Wildguard, Super Crazy TNT Blast!!), Mario Ruiz (Samson, Testament), Gary Shipman (Pakkins’ Land, Amazing True Life Stories), Darren Brady (Handel’s Messiah, HeroTV), Jesse Hamm (Bitten Apple, Savage Daisies), and Gary Martin (The Moth, Nexus).

Previews of the TEMPEST artwork can be found at http://www.communitycomics.com/comics_tempest.html