Rich Faber is a comics creator who had work with DC in the 90’s, but these days is better known for his work on the indy superhero series Buzzboy with John Gallagher. I went to college with him in the early 90s and I remember when he started getting work as an inker on Steel with Chris Batista (another college acquaintance). I was especially pleased to see him go the creator-owned route with Buzzboy, a fun all-ages series with an old-school feel to it, and I know that it’s a source of great pride for him.

Anyway, Rich is in a bit of a bind right now and he could use some help. I’ll let him explain it:

“…Back in August, my wife Traci was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. Yeah, it’s a tough one, and while the diagnosis stinks, we’re not the sort of people who give up, despite what statistics say. We hate statistics (well, except in baseball, where they’re pretty useful!), and anyone who knows both of us will tell you that we’re both really stubborn. I mean REALLY stubborn! Challenging diagnosis? Yeah, well, we’ll see about that!

“…mostly, we’re good, in light of everything, but lately things have gotten a little hairy, financially. While we have health insurance, it’s not covering everything. Medical bills and co-pays can truly be a drag. It’s been tough for us to maintain our regular work schedules between treatments (and Traci’s ensuing fatigue), doctor visits, and caring for our two year old son. So, as a result, our bank account is beginning to say, ‘Um, hey? Guys? What the HECK is going on!?’ So we’re looking for ways to generate more income, in order to keep afloat.

“We’re not in the habit of asking for money (or anything, for that matter), so I came up with a game plan (another baseball analogy. I’m sensing a theme) to ask for your help, and you’ll get something cool in return. Everyone wins!

“Here’s what I have in mind: I have a backlog of 15 years worth of comic book art that I’d like to make available to finance some of the expenses. In addition, while I do have work on my desk, I’m looking to take on a little extra commission work (illustration, comics, etc.), and even more ideally, new illustration projects for clients. Ongoing work would be especially cool, but I hear we might have a little problem with our economy right now, so I’ll understand if that’s not feasible at the moment.”

Details on payment methods (along with the rest of his post) here. If you can help out, please do – Rich is a terrific guy and Buzzboy is a dynamite book that you can share with your kids.