LOS ANGELES, Calif., October 22, 2008 – Top Cow Productions, Inc. and The Hero Initiative proudly announced today a limited-edition variant cover for The Darkness #7 drawn by Phil Hester would be available for sale at Wizard World Texas, taking place November 7-9 at the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the books will benefit The Hero Initiative.

The Hero Initiative is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping comic creators in need. It provides them with emergency medical care, funds for essentials in life and assistance to get back into paying work.

The Darkness , a long-running series from Top Cow that was adapted into a hit videogame in 2007, is the continuing saga of Jackie Estacado, a former mob hitman-turned-crime boss who inherited a curse that allows him to create and control nearly anything he can imagine as long as he’s in darkness. The series is currently written by Phil Hester (FireBreather, Green Arrow ) and drawn by Michael Broussard (Unholy Union ). For this issue, however, guest artist Jorge Lucas (Pilot Season: Ripclaw ) gives Broussard a spell, but Hester happily agreed to donate his art skills to create a special variant cover.

“Phil Hester is not just an amazing writer and top-flight artist, but a heckuva nice guy,” beamed Jim McLauchlin, president of The Hero Initiative. “We’re very pleased that Top Cow has helped us out in creating this killer cover.”

“The Hero Initiative does a great service to the comics community by helping creators in need,” said Mel Caylo, Top Cow’s VP Marketing and Sales. “We are more than happy to help keep their mission going.”

The Darkness #7 variant issue will be available for sale exclusively at The Hero Initiative Booth at Wizard World Texas, taking place during the weekend of November 7-9 at the Arlington Convention Center in Arlington, Texas. Hester is attending the event and will appear at the Hero booth, where he will be available to sign purchased copies of the special issue. “We’re beyond happy to host him at our convention booth for the weekend,” said McLauchlin.

Fans who are unable to attend the convention can purchase a very limited amount of the books after the show from the special Hero Initiative section on the Atomic Comics website at www.atomiccomicstore.com/heroinitiative.html . Regular copies of The Darkness #7 go on sale in comic shops Nov. 5.

About The Hero Initiative
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. For more information, call 310-909-7809, or visit www.HeroInitiative.org .

About Top Cow Productions Inc.
Top Cow Productions, Inc. ( www.topcow.com ), a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, was founded in December of 1992 by artist Marc Silvestri, who also co-founded Image Comics earlier that same year. Top Cow currently publishes its line of comic books in 21 languages in over 55 different countries. The company has launched 20 franchises (18 original and two licensed) in the industry’s Top 10, seven at #1, a feat accomplished by no other publisher in the last two decades. Its flagship franchise, Witchblade, was TNT’s #1 original film of 2000 and the subsequent TV series was released on DVD on July 29, 2008. A feature film, co-produced by Platinum Studios, Inc. and Arclight Films, is slated to begin production in Australia with director Michael Rymer. Witchblade is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga by Studio GONZO in 2006. Top Cow’s other flagship property, The Darkness, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. Wanted, an Eisner-nominated miniseries published by Top Cow from 2003-2005, is now a major motion picture from Universal Pictures starring Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman. Virtually all of Top Cow’s other properties are in development as feature films, live-action television, animation or video games. Top Cow has also successfully licensed and merchandised its franchises into toys, statues, clothing, lithographs, puppets, posters, magnets, shot glasses, lighters, lunch pails, wall scrolls, mouse pads, die-cast cars, calendars, Christmas ornaments, Halloween masks, trading cards, standees, video games, and roleplaying games.