LOS ANGELES, Calif., February 20, 2009 – The Hero Initiative announced today its plans for WonderCon, the West Coast’s second largest comics convention, taking place at the Moscone Center South from Feb. 27 to March 1 in San Francisco.

Celebrated artist Darick Robertson (The Boys, Transmetropolitan, Wolverine) will make the Hero booth (#913) his home away from home at WonderCon, appearing for five signing sessions throughout the weekend. He can also be found spending time at The Comic Outpost booth (#1108).

“As always, I’m looking forward to helping The Hero Initiative for aging and needful creators,” said Robertson. “They do great work, and I’m always happy to be a part of it.”

Fans will also be able to get their first opportunity all weekend to meet writer Matt Fraction (Invincible Iron Man, The Uncanny X-Men, Punisher War Journal, The Immortal Iron Fist), as the Marvel superstar will appear at the Hero booth first thing on Friday.

The Hero Initiative can be found at Booth #913. Fans can stop by to make donations, purchase exclusive signed items, sign up for memberships and get their items signed by Robertson, Fraction and some of their other favorite creators. Here is the schedule of appearances at The Hero Initiative Booth during the weekend (all times Pacific):

FRIDAY, February 27, 2009 (Show hours: 12 – 7 p.m.)
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Matt Fraction
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Darick Robertson
4:30 – 5:30 p.m. Roy Thomas and Gary Friedrich
6:30 – 7 p.m. Darick Robertson

SATURDAY, February 28, 2009 (Show hours: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Darick Robertson
5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Darick Robertson

SUNDAY, March 1, 2009 (Show hours 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.)
2:30 – 4:30 p.m. Darick Robertson

Darick Robertson will also be appearing at The Comic Outpost booth (#1108) each day at the following times: Fri, Feb. 27, 5 – 6 p.m.; Sat, Feb. 28, 3:30 – 5 p.m.; and Sun, March 1, 12 – 1:30 p.m.

The Hero Initiative creates a monetary safety net for yesterday’s 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 fans to give something back to the people who have given them so much enjoyment. For more information, visit www.heroinitiative.org or call 818-997-6114

Tickets for WonderCon are on sale at www.comic-con.org/wc.

About The Hero Initiative

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $400,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

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 yesterday’s 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.