In an effort to raise money for the residents of Flint, Michigan, freelance writer and musician Jonathan Diener has put together a creative team to pen stories of hope. This anthology, Hope: A Comic For Flint, features the literary and artistic talents of five writers and artists from the Flint area. 

Published by Source Point Press, this comic will also raise funds for The Compass, a program of Michigan Community Services Inc. aiding adults with developmental disabilities.

“I’ve been wanting to make a jump from music to comics for years, especially after seeing my peers like Max Bemis of the band Say Anything and former record label owner Matthew Rosenberg both writing for Marvel and making a big name for themselves,” said Diener. “My band, Baggage, has been raising money for the city of Flint through our releases, so it only made sense to do good for our city with my favorite medium: comics.”

This is the latest in Diener’s large-scale charity projects, having already helped raise over $9,000 for the Flint Child Health & Development Fund with the Not Safe To Drink music compilation.  

“The Flint Water Crisis is something everyone has heard about, but we have yet to see a resolution,” continued Diener. “When we realized the millions of dollars being pumped into Flint from donations around the world were not necessarily going where it was supposed to, we decided to focus on underfunded nonprofits that could make a difference. We see what happens the second we hand over a check and that’s why working with The Compass was a no-brainer.” 

The creative team behind Hope includes writers Diener, El Whitcombe, Sam Moore, Robb Anthony, and Carl Mizell, alongside artists Emily Woodruff, Kadee Spangler, Craig Horky, Michelle Lukezic, and Miranda Ireland. The array of creators includes freelance music writers, a playwright, graphic designers, a tattoo artist, and a comic shop manager.

“There’s beautiful work in this book, we’re very proud to be publishing it. And as a Michigan publisher who believes in giving back to the community, having an opportunity to play a role in helping Flint is something we couldn’t pass up,” Source Point Press Art Director Joshua Werner added.

Hope: A Comic For Flint will be released on September 1, 2018 at a release party and concert at Foster Coffee Company in Flint, Michigan. The bands performing (Copneconic, Baggage, The Apology Tour, and The Dead Serious) all feature one creator of the comic. 

Doors open at 6:30 PM and $10 admission also comes with a copy of the comic.