⮕ UPDATE: Jesse James Comics/Comic Book Shopping Network auction in partnership with eBay open through Dec. 11
GIVE COMICS HOPE, the charitable initiative announced earlier this fall, today sends out a call to action for bidding on the first round of high value, unique items donated by industry professionals for the first of two upcoming charitable auctions. The initiative was created by and headed by comic book industry veteran Bill Schanes and designed for all members of our community to rally together to provide vital aid to comic book shops, the frontlines of the comic book industry, negatively affected by nationwide shutdowns earlier this year.
“It’s really heartwarming to see all areas of the comic book community come together to voice their overall support for comic book shops” says GIVE COMICS HOPE founder, Bill Schanes. “We have fans stepping up and donating items from their personal collections, publishers donating hard to find or rare collectibles, creators donating artwork and other signed rarities, licensing agents and the studios they represent donating shown on screen props, and influencers not only lending their voices, but also making donations.”
GIVE COMICS HOPE’s charitable efforts are focused on two auctions designed to raise an initial slate of funds to be distributed to independent comic book retailers in early 2021. GIVE COMICS HOPE has listed the first wave of items with an estimated value of $500 or more via the prestigious Heritage Auctions website, the world’s largest collectibles auctioneer, with these items closing on Wednesday, November 11, 2020. The initial auction include donations from industry insiders including paintings by legendary artist Bill Sienkiewicz, Star Wars original art by award-winning artist P. Craig Russell, original art from New Mutants #88 by Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld, original art from X-Factor #55 and Amazing Spider-Man #326 signed by New York Times bestselling artist Colleen Doran, original art from “Sunset in Sunshine City” by legend Will Eisner, one-of-a-kind memorabilia from film and television like Tim Burton’s Batman, Breaking Bad, Supergirl, and Saban’s Power Rangers, and many, many more.
The second auction will be conducted by Jesse James Comics/Comic Book Shopping Network in partnership with eBay. All public donations with an estimated value of $499 or less will be offered through public auctions and “Buy It Now” opportunities on eBay between Wednesday, November 11, 2020 and Friday, December 11, 2020.
GIVE COMICS HOPE has partnered with the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to assisting comic retailers and booksellers, to oversee the management and disbursement of the funds raised by GIVE COMICS HOPE. The initiative will take no organizational fees, and will only deduct any actual, direct costs incurred from the funds raised. Since its inception, Binc has provided over $9 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 9000+ families. Support for the Foundation’s programs and services comes from all sectors of the book and comic industries. The Foundation was imagined and built by booksellers and proudly continues to be their safety net. In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the book and comic industries came together in an extraordinary way allowing Binc to help 2,191 booksellers, comic retailers, and stores with $2.7 million in urgently needed assistance.
Schanes concludes “What’s next? It’s now time to spread the word, activate your social media feeds, tell your friends, business partners, and fellow fans to post on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Let them know about the amazing variety of collectibles donated in the Heritage Auction, ending on November 11th, as our eBay auctions being hosted by Jesse James begins, with hundreds of fabulous items available. Join us to GIVE COMICS HOPE!”
Additional information regarding GIVE COMICS HOPE, including details on how to donate, ideas for what to donate, suggestions for how to support the initiative without a collectible donation, and testimonial videos, are available at www.givecomicshope.org. The GIVE COMICS HOPE logo was created by Craig Yoe of Yoe Studio. The GIVE COMICS HOPE website was designed and is managed by Gary Smith of AtPlay Creative.
ABOUT GIVE COMICS HOPE
Give Comics Hope was founded by Bill Schanes in 2020 as a direct response to the impact felt by comic book retailers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Give Comics Hope is an ambitious charitable initiative that calls on all members of our community to rally together to provide vital aid to these small businesses. By uniting together and giving back, we can pay it forward to those who nurtured our love of comic books for ourselves and for future fans to come. Please visit www.givecomicshope.org for more information.
Instagram: @givecomicshope
Twitter: @comicsgive
Facebook: @givecomicshope
ABOUT BINC
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that coordinates charitable programs to strengthen the bookselling community. Established in 1996, the core program provides assistance to store employees and owners who have a demonstrated financial need arising from severe hardship and/or emergency circumstances. Since its inception, the organization has provided over $9 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 9000+ families. Support for the Foundation’s programs and services come from all sectors of the book and comic industries. The Book Industry Charitable Foundation’s mission is to strengthen the bookselling and comic retail community through charitable programs that support employees and their families. The Foundation was imagined and built by booksellers and proudly continues to be their safety net. It is our vision to be a caring community of book and comic people. Additional information can be found at http://www. bincfoundation.org.
ABOUT HERITAGE AUCTIONS
Heritage Auctions is the largest collectibles auctioneer and third largest auction house in the world, as well as the largest auction house founded in the U.S. We are also the undisputed Internet leader in our field, with more than 1 million online bidder-members registered on HA.com. This loyal and growing community of collectors is a testament to the usefulness of our website, our reputation for professional business practices and our vast expertise in the field of art and collectibles.
Established in 1976, Heritage offers a wide range of U.S. & World Coins, Rare Currency, Fine & Decorative Art, American Art, Illustration Art, Vintage Comic Books & Comic Art, Movie Posters, Entertainment & Music Memorabilia, Jewelry & Timepieces, Vintage & Couture Handbags, Sports Collectibles, Historical & Political Memorabilia, Rare Books & Manuscripts, American Indian Art, Air & Space Memorabilia, Civil War Memorabilia, Vintage & Contemporary Photography, Nature & Science Specimens, Fine and Rare Wine, URL domain names and other Intellectual Property, Luxury Real Estate and more.
We give our customers unprecedented access to our services by featuring the latest advancements in technology and maintaining a strong presence in the collectibles community.
Our knowledgeable staff of more than 130 experts and 400 additional service-oriented professionals, utilize our suite of services to help our customers develop the best collections possible.
We are always looking to acquire interesting items, whether through consignment or by outright purchase. On average, we spend or disburse millions of dollars every business day while satisfying our clients’ demands.
ABOUT JESSE JAMES COMICS/COMIC BOOK SHOPPING NETWORK
Jesse James Comics LLC is one of the leaders in both social networking and e-commerce sales, as well as boasting a 8000 sq. brick and mortar store in Glendale, Arizona. Originally established August 28th, 2009 as a retail comic book store in Glendale, today the company operates one flagship store in Glendale, Arizona. Jesse James Comics serves customers through its online presence of its highly rated eBay store as well as its “Best Customer Service Award winning” brick and mortar store. Jesse James Comics has also created, or participated in, approximately 275+ exclusives since opening its doors in 2009. He is the President of Comic Book Shopping Network, CBSN. CBSN sells over 800+ books a day on its live stream platforms. Ultimately, our goal is very simple: We offer the lowest prices, with a massive amount of product while providing the best service on the planet.