Ever since last month, DC Publisher and CCO Jim Lee has steadily been sketching iconic characters for charity auctions to benefit comic book retailers nationwide during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Lee's latest sketch for the charity campaign is Atrocitus, the leader of the Red Lantern Corps created in 2007's Green Lantern #25 by Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver. Lee's headshot sketch has Atrocitus baring his fangs as he channels his immense rage, with the Red Lantern logo seen in the background.
Put on sale for open auctions online, the proceeds from each charity auction directly benefit the Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC). The nonprofit organization provides financial support to bookstores and comic retailers in need around the country, with the organization seeing a sharp increase in requests, with much of the industry in a holding pattern due to the global health crisis.
Lee's charity sketch auctions have raised over $100,000 for BINC, and other superstar artists have joined in with Lee's campaign. Lee has pledged to draw a charity sketch daily for 60 days while DC itself has donated $250,000 to BINC to help ensure the financial livelihood of retailers affected by the pandemic.