#ComicWritersChallenge raises over $70,000 for Black Lives Matter as creators and fans donate rare art
The #ComicWritersChallenge has raised over $70,000 in support of #BlackLivesMatter and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. The project, started by comics writer Gail Simone, auctions off signed art and other related comics merchandise donated by both fans and comics creators alike. The project has already seen well over 100 items being donated, most of which are still available to be bid on.
In the wake of the George Floyd protests, Simone put up an auction containing a rare piece of signed Wonder Woman art by legendary artist George Perez. Along with the auction, Simone shared the story of just how much the art personally meant to her. After putting the art up for auction, Simone also challenged her fellow writers to donate items of their own. "You writers out there, my friends... I know it's an uncertain time. But I know almost all of you have an art collection, things gifted or purchased," Simone wrote. "I challenge you... take a piece that has special meaning to you and auction it off, right now, for #BLM. We have black retailers and readers and they're hurting. We have black creators and editors who were not always treated fairly. We can do this. Take the #ComicsWriterChallenge and trade something you love for something we need."
New items are being added to the project daily. The project is being organized by Dallin Anderson — known online as @JadeMuse — and his team, who are keeping track of the auction and how fans can bid on this spreadsheet. "I had previously finished tracking another auction campaign and when I saw her post my first thought was to help out. So I used the framework from that last event as a template for this one," says Anderson. "But I was not at all prepared for the wave of generosity and support that my sheet and the project has created. It has been an incredible experience beyond words and one I never expected to be in."
Anderson has a team of seven people working with Simone to keep track of bids, new items added to the auction and spreading the word. "Besides me, I have a team of 7 people working hard to update things as they release. @pcahiwat and @amQueerHeda were the first volunteers and my 'senior editors' who have been immensely helpful in creating scheduled tweets for each auction's conclusion. @ahtweet helped out on the spreadsheet itself making it more efficient and @TheSciFiBard created an amazing graphic for the event that is now my Twitter background. @JGiampietro, @NicetaMitra, and finally @Nica are our dedicated editors who have been updating events 24/7 across Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook."
"#ComicWritersChallenge has become an inspiration in many ways," says Anderson. "Proof that anyone with any type of skill can offer service to another, and that that service, though seemingly small, can change the world for the better. Proof that this world isn't the broken place we think it is but a place where good people can come together and offer their passions to benefit another."
You can check out the items available for auction here, or donate your own items by posting using the #ComicWritersChallenge.