It’s Monday, with all that entails. But you know what? I’m still having a good day, and hope that you are, too. I’m especially glad to be the 3,473^rd person to report that Scott McCloud is recovering at home from his gotta-be-Mr-Unique sudden medical condition that made last week suck for him. Everybody feel good for Scott!

• It’s become somewhat redundant, what with the amazing similarities year after year, but Child’s Play 2010 kicked off over the weekend, and is already showing nearly US$200,000 in donations. Okay, yeah, a big chunk of that it probably mass-donations from the various bigwig sponsors listed at the bottom of the page; don’t care. That’s because history has shown that over the next five-six weeks, individuals will increase that amount approximately fivefold. Go get ’em.
• Which is not to say that webcomics only involves itself in these massive, world-wide spasms of giving; Team Webcomics at Kiva maintains its position in, on average, the top 50 in the world in terms of total giving, giving per member, and loans per member. And there’s a new kid on the webcomics charitable block, with a tip-off courtesy of Stephen Geigen-Miller. Geigen-Miller writes:
  

  I don’t know if you’re familiar with fantasy author and avid webcomics reader Patrick Rothfuss. He wrote an amazing fantasy novel called The Name of the Wind that quickly and deservedly became a huge success.

  Mr. Rothfuss blogs via his website, and one thing he does with his blog is an annual charitable fundraiser that he calls Worldbuilders. It benefits a charity called Heifer International, which provides real, concrete help to families in developing countries (especially in Africa) by giving them farm animals and training in how to care for them and use their products in an environmentally sustainable way that also provides long-term benefits. It’s a really great cause.

  Patrick (and his friends colleagues in writing and publishing; Neil Gaiman is a supporter, for instance) provide items to the fundraiser which are given away via a draw to people who donate to Heifer International. Last year Worldbuilders raised over a quarter of a million dollars.

  Short form for those that didn’t read all the links:

  1. Donate to HI, Worldbuilders will bump up your contribution by 50%, and you’re in the lottery once for every $10 in your donation
  2. The lottery draws are on 13 December for fabulous prizes
  3. The fabulous prizes are donated by authors — signed books
  4. Alternately, you can just outright purchase swag or big on auctions directly from Worldbuilders

  Creators, you could have your books in that list of fabulous prizes, next to books from some of your favorite writers (including — just sayin’ — Phil and Kaja Foglio); you can also use your powers for good instead of evil, enticing your audience to bid/donate in the hopes of getting said fabulous prize while benefiting subsistence farmers around the world. FAQ here (including how to donate towards the fabulous prizes).

• New Discovery O’ The Day, via Box Brown‘s twitter:
  

  Only 11 comics in, but I’m totally digging this new comic #newwebcomic

  Rock Manlyfist by Johan Wanloo reads like Jason Fox gave up on his long-cherished Slug-Man comics, and I mean that in the most awesome way possible. Bit of the aforementioned Fox, bit of John K, and weirdly, a bit of Jay Ward in the art. Worth checking out.