Read about Bill Mantlo’s tragedy; donate to his ongoing care

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By Greg Pak
LifeHealthPro’s Bill Coffin has written a tremendously moving article about the great comic book writer Bill Mantlo, who was struck by a hit-and-run driver in 1992 and suffered traumatic brain injury. Please, go read the article, then click the button below to send your donation to Bill’s brother Mike for Bill’s ongoing care.

Bill Mantlo has had a huge influence on me as a writer and reader. His “Micronauts” stories blew my mind as a kid and his “Incredible Hulk” run laid the groundwork for the themes I explored my five-and-a-half year run with the character. In the afterward to “Incredible Hulk” #635, I dedicated my run to Mantlo, and a couple of months ago devoted my Newsarama column to singing his praises and letting folks know how to donate to his ongoing care.
Thank you so much, Bill Coffin and LifeHealthPro, for shining a light on someone who brought so much joy to so many people.
And here’s a note from Bill’s brother Mike, reprinted from that Newsarama column:

First off, I send out a big THANK YOU to everyone that has helped support Bill over these past 19 years (!). Every donation, no matter how big or small, and every card or letter is greatly appreciated. Bill’s condition remains the same (he suffers severe cognitive impairments, anger, and depression), and these factors keep him very much isolated from “the outside world.” Aside from my visits, and the kindness of my beautiful wife and some of the attendants at the nursing home/rehabilitation facility he resides in, his contact with other human beings is virtually non-existent. But the support and encouragement of fans, and industry professionals like yourself, helps to bring a little ray of sunlight into his dark and dreary days. When I (or my wife) engage Bill in conversation, his spirit emerges and is as strong and pure as it ever was! So, once again, I can’t thank ALL of you enough!! I strongly believe in the power of practicing random acts of kindness, and with that belief I hope that ALL of your kindnesses will be returned to you many, many times over!
Cards, letters or donations to Bill Mantlo can be sent to:
Mike Mantlo
26364 East Pintail Road
Long Neck, DE 19966
Please make out any checks to “Michael Mantlo” — Bill’s legal guardian.

MTV Geek names “Dead Man’s Run” one of the 10 Best Comic Books of October!

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MTV Geek’s Alex Zalben has named “Dead Man’s Run” #0, written by Greg Pak with art by Tony Parker, one of the top ten comics of the month. An excerpt:

Leave it to writer Greg Pak to introduce an awesome new world we can’t wait to see more of in any media, whether it’s comics, TV, movies, or video games. The idea? Jailbreak. From Hell. And if that wasn’t awesome enough, the author deftly introduces one of the most bad-ass new characters in any media, and brilliantly sets up the series with a #0 issue that actually feels like a prologue, rather than a repurposed number one.

Click here to read the whole thing.
“Dead Man’s Run” #0 hit comic stores October 26. Ask your local store to hold a copy for you today!

Greg Pak’s Centaur Crossing: All Hail the Public Library!

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In his latest column for Newsarama, Greg Pak praises the public libraries he visited as a kid in Dallas and celebrates the children’s literature that blew his mind. If you remember “It’s Like This, Cat” or “Taran Wanderer,” you’re going to love this.
Click here to read the whole thing.
And click here to buy tickets for Pak’s appearance at the Friends of the Dallas Public Library benefit dinner this Friday.

2011.11.04 – Greg Pak at the Friends of the Dallas Public Library fundraiser

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By Greg Pak
Hey, Dallas! I’m coming to town for a November 4 benefit dinner for the amazing Friends of the Dallas Public Library. I grew up in Dallas making weekly trips to the public libraries and I’m enormously proud and excited to be part of this event, which will be moderated by the great Robert Wilonsky.
I’ll be talking about that what, why, and how of comic books — and attendees will walk away with a free “Vision Machine” graphic novel.
Please check it out and reserve your seat today!
http://www.fodpl.org/index.aspx?id=Events

More raves for “Dead Man’s Run” #0

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“Dead Man’s Run” #0, written by Greg Pak with art by Tony Parker, picks up some more rave reviews. Check ’em out, and ask your local retailer to hold a copy for you today! The book hits stores on October 26.

“Supernatural overtones, check. Fascinating, if slightly goofy, high concept? Check. Terrifically fitting, “Twilight Zone”-type ending for this prelude? Check. A killer creative team to propel us along this insane journey? You bet.”
— Gary M. Miller, Delusional Honesty
“…it’s clear that Pak and Parker will be bringing us a story with immense depth of character, an incredibly stylized take on the traditional jailbreak narrative and absolutely gorgeous art. All of that combined makes this book one to watch in 2012!”
— Joshua Mocle, Multiversity Comics
“There is so much promise in this issue alone that I cannot contain my excitement for what is to come!”
— Cassandra Rose, Daily Blam
“Dead Man’s Run is setting up to be the ultimate in prison break serialized fiction. Issue 0 builds the Hellish prison as a character in the story like Captain Romero or Sam Tinker. Pak sets the stage of the ongoing series by introducing interesting characters and an intriguing mystery to keep you hooked. Parker’s art is beautiful and highly detailed which gives the story its gravitas and instantly makes the world recognizable. ”
== David Suiter, LA Examiner
“I haven’t been so excited to have a mystery to dissect since first season of Lost.”
— Team Hellions
“I think this book is rife with possibilities, and will certainly be plunking down the dough for it.”
— The Mean Geek
“Parker’s art, with amazing color from Peter Steigerwald, really jumps off the page. The smoke, the fire, the shadows; Hell has been crisply translated to the page.”
— Comic Book Informer
“…one hell of a story.”
— Comic Bastards