Posted in: Comics, IDW | Tagged: alex ross, Bill Sienkiewicz, billy tucci, idw, Jill Thompson, john layman, kurt busiek, louise simonson, mark waid, rocketeer, Scoytt Dunbier, sergio aragones, stan sakai, walter simonson, Zoop

The Rocketeer Meets Lyudmila Pavlichenko For Ukraine Benefit Comic

Published Wed, 03 Aug 2022 11:02:16 -0500

by Rich Johnston

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Comic book creator and publisher Billy Tucci has announced he is creating a new Rocketeer story for the upcoming Comics For Ukraine: Sunflower Seeds, a benefit anthology, with 100% of the proceeds being donated to Ukrainian refugees. And now getting an added funding run on Zoop which ends today. The fundraising effort created by Bleeding Cool favourite IDW Publishing's Senior Editor and Director, Special Projects, Scott Dunbier has so far raised over $160,000 with Dunbier presenting a check for $100,000 to Operation USA's Richard Walden at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.

Tucci's six-page story, The Rocketeer: Pavlichenko features Cliff Secord, The Rocketeer, encountering real-life Ukrainian Soviet spy and sniper, Lyudmila Pavlichenko in the Crimean Mountains. She was credited with 309 kills in World War II, making her the most successful female sniper in recorded history. She served in the Red Army during the siege of Odessa and the siege of Sevastopol, during the early stages of the fighting on the Eastern Front. Later, she trained other snipers and toured the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

"Lyudmila is not just the most recognized female sniper of World War II but perhaps the greatest sniper in history. It is an honour to remind today's readers of this true-life Wonder Woman and her gallant heroism in the face of invasion." The late Rocketeer creator Dave Stevens' sister Jenny Stevens Bawcum approved the character's appearance. Joining Tucci on The Rocketeer: Pavlichenko is colourist Brian Miller and designer/letterer Mindy Lopkin.

Other contributors include Kurt Busiek and Brent Anderson doing a new Astro City story, John Layman and Rob Guillory doing a new Chew story, Walter Simonson doing a new Star Slammers story, Howard Chaykin doing a new American Flagg story, Stan Sakai doing a new Usagi Yojimbo story, Matt Wagner doing a new Grendel story, Sergio Aragones and Mark Evanier doing a new Groo story, with Stan Sakai lettering, Jill Thompson doing a new Scary Godmother story

New stories include The Cost Of War by Louise Simonson & June Brigman, Hardrada by Dave Gibbons & Chris Spouse, an unnamed story by Mark Waid & Gabriel Rodriguez, Bombings by Emil Ferris, The Flowers Of Kyiv by Colleen Doran, cartoons and illustrations by Pia Guerra, Peter Kuper, Greg Hildebrandt, Joe Jusko and more.