Los Angeles, CA (December 18, 2006) – Pre-orders are now being accepted for the release of a full-featured DVD presentation of last weekend’s The Hero Initiative benefit production of MARVEL THEN AND NOW: An Evening with Stan Lee and Joe Quesada.

The DVD’s official Web site is www.thenandnowdvd.org, and, like the live event, proceeds from the sales of the DVD will go to the The Hero Initiative. The DVD is expected to be released no later than March ‘07.

The evening’s program, hosted by Kevin Smith, will be the heart of the DVD, currently in post production, but the final product is planned to contain nearly 5 hours of total runtime, at a price of $24.95. Special features will include:

* Behind the scenes reel
* VIP Room footage
* Extra interviews with guests, including: * Stan Lee
* Joe Quesada
* Kevin Smith
* Jeph Loeb
* Brian Pulido
* Commentary by The Hero Initiative President Jim McLauchlin and others
* Edited version (for little ears)
* Backstage on onstage photo gallery
* Trailers for other related releases and events

“Part of the downside of live events is that only the people near the venue can see them,” said Jim McLauchlin, president of The Hero Initiative. “With this DVD, everyone will have the opportunity to watch this historic, if not surrealistic, event. It had everything – Stan was en fuego, Joe was eloquent and passionate, and Kevin made a lot of comments involving flatus events and male genitalia. It was both sublime and ridiculous at the same time, and I think that was the heart of its charm. And the special features are going to take the fans backstage so they can see how this kind of show comes together.”

About The Hero Initiative

In late 2000, a consortium of comic publishers came up with the idea to create a financial safety net for comic creators, much in the same fashion that exists in almost any other trade from plumbing to pottery. By March of 2001, the federal government approved The Hero Initiative as a publicly supported not-for-profit corporation under section 501 (c) (3).

Since its inception, The Hero Initiative (Formerly known as A.C.T.O.R., A Commitment To Our Roots) has had the good fortune to grant over $200,000 to the comic book veterans who have paved the way for those in the industry today.

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 yesterdays’ creators who may need emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work. It’s a chance for all of us to give back something to the people who have given us so much enjoyment.

Hero is served by two boards of directors:

Writer Jim McLauchlin, CGC (Comics Guaranty Corp.) President Steve Borock, filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, Atomic Comics owner/operator Mike Malve, Lady Death Creator Brian Pulido, Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada and Orlando MegaCon owner/operator Beth Widera comprise the Executive/Fund Raising Board which administers all the fund’s operations and raises money.

Dick Giordano, Charlie Novinskie, Dennis O’Neil, George Pérez, John Romita Sr., Roy Thomas and Jim Valentino make up a peer group Fund Disbursement Board that hears petitions and disburses funds to worthy applicants. Pérez is the Chairman of that board.

For more information on the DVD, please visit www.thenandnowdvd.org. For more information about The Hero Initiative, please visit us at www.heroinitiative.org

Joey Lauren Adams says she got tired of waiting for the phone to ring with acting job offers, so she decided to go behind the camera for her directorial debut “Come Early Morning.”

“I spent 19 years in Los Angeles and 16 of those acting, and for 16 years I’ve been sort of at the mercy of Hollywood,” said Adams, who has appeared in films including “Chasing Amy” and “Big Daddy.”

“You’re waiting for them to call and I needed to feel a little more proactive with my life,” she said.

Though it took about seven years to go from script to screen, Adams said she was excited to have a hometown audience see her film, starring Ashley Judd, at its Arkansas premiere Thursday.

“I’m so proud to be from Arkansas, and I’m very proud of this film. I tried to depict Southerners in a very honest way,” Adams told the moviegoers.

“Come Early Morning” is about a small town woman who has never committed to a serious relationship. It was filmed in central Arkansas and made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January.