A few days ago, we announced The "Let's Restore Len Wein's Comic Book Collection" Project. The goal, of course, is to replace Len's collection of comic books he wrote…a collection that was lost, along with many other things, in a recent house fire. The response has been terrific. I just uploaded an amended list of what we need. If you take a look at it, you'll be amazed and impressed by how much we don't need — how many comics have been "pledged" by Len's friends and fans. Go on. Take a look at the list I just uploaded.
There are, as you can see, still a lot more we do have to locate…but I'm sure impressed at what's been offered so far.
A few other points…
- Please don't mail us anything until we tell you. A couple of folks have already shipped us books that I know are already in the mail from someone else.
- Folks are writing to ask if condition matters. Well, sort of. If you have a beat-up copy of a book we need, I may ask you to hold onto it for a bit and see if someone else comes up with a better copy.
- Folks are also offering Len copies of comics that he once autographed to them. The gesture is appreciated but he'd rather you held onto those, thanks.
- No, we are not asking for money. I'm going to stand the cost of a Public Storage Locker for the year or so it's going to take Len to get his office back. The locker will be necessary because not only are so many of you sending copies of comics that Len wrote but several publishers are sending crates of books that Len didn't write but lost in the fire. Imagine that! Generous, compassionate publishers!
- Our list does not include most comics Len edited but did not write. Frankly, I thought that we'd be doing well just to get the comics he wrote…but people are also offering books he edited. I don't have a list ready of them but if you have some of those you'd like him to have, we'll take 'em! Send me a note (the address is on our special webpage for the cause) and let me know what you've got.
- We will have folks at upcoming comic conventions who are deputized to accept donations for the cause. If you have something on our "wanted" list, you can give it to them and they'll get it to us. First up is Sunday, April 26 — the MCBA MicroCon Comic Book Party in St. Paul, Minnesota. If you're there and you have something for Len, seek out Melissa Kaercher or Christopher Jones, both of whom will have tables there. They'll gladly accept your funnybooks and send them on. Thanks, Melissa and Christopher!
- I will be appearing next weekend (April 25-26) at the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo. Methinks someone there might have comics they'd like to have go to Len but I'm going to be travelling light. Is there someone who'll be there who'd be willing to take home whatever comics people there wish to donate and then ship them to me?
- Lastly for now: I'm swamped with deadlines and such at the moment so it may be a few days, maybe even a week or more before I respond to some offers and inquiries. It's not that we don't appreciate your offers. It's just that some days, I'm juggling a few too many cats here. If you write, you will hear back…eventually.
That's about it for now. Thanks to everyone for helping Len and doing your part to destroy my long-held belief that comic fans are cheap.