Gene the Dean gets help

Artist Gene Colan, who started drawing comics in the 1940s and drew such mainstream comic hits as Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Batman, Wonder Woman, Tomb of Dracula, Howard the Duck and Wolverine, was hospitalized for liver failure recently and in need of financial help to pay the medical bills. Writer Clifford Meth quickly organized a benefit book sale and auction, and soon after was able to report that Marvel has  stepped in to offer "immediate and long-term relief" for Colan and his wife, Adrienne. (Marvel deserves credit for doing this, both for Colan and previously for late X-Men artist Dave Cockrum.) Tom Spurgeon wonders if this won't become a frighteningly common occurrence in coming years, which is as good a reason as any to help out The Hero Initiative, which exists to help creators like Colan who face financial and medical difficulties in their later years. 

COMICS IN FILM: Io9 explains How Superhero Movies Made Comic Books Cooler (If Not Better), though I don't necessarily agree with all the reasons cited, particularly decompression, which was on the rise long before comic movies, and more realistic art, which could maybe only be said about DC/Marvel style books. ... Comic Book Movies.com has three new TV spots for Marvel's "The Incredible Hulk." ... Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead is said to be in talks to star opposite Michael Cera in the film adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's "Scott Pilgrim." ... Some recently spied production art suggests that Hank "Beast" McCoy will appear in the long-rumored "Magneto" prequel David Goyer is set to helm. ... You may have missed that actor Paul Bettany provided the voice of Jarvis in "Iron Man." Turns out, he did the gig for Jon Favreau and had no idea what movie he was working on until recently. ... The "Justice League" movie may be on hold for now, but Adam Brody — cast as The Flash in the pic — talks about the superhero training camp the cast members attended in Sydney. ... Sony has won a bidding war for the big-screen rights to "Flash Gordon," with Breck Eisner set to direct. ... Comics Waiting Room gets a sneak peak at the pilot for "The Middleman," which apparently survived the journey from spec pilot script to comicbook to full skein-dom pretty much intact.

ODDS AND ENDS: Top Shelf is the latest publisher to jump into the webcomics arena, with a site it calls Top Shelf 2.0. ... If you've ever wanted to know the political affiliation of your favorite DC heroes, then you'll be sure to check out DCU Decisions, a four-part series shipping in September and October. The series draws its heroes into a political situation and for the first time, nails down where they stand on the issues, though it stops short of having them endorse real-life candidates.