The Department of Ability Comic book challenges disability
Artist Dan White has transformed his nine year old daughter Emily into a crime fighting comic book superhero. Emily suffers from spina bifida – which affects the development of her spine and spends her life in a wheel chair – but her father hopes the comics will help people see that disabled children do not have to be held back by life-changing conditions.
To visit the Kickstarter page CLICK HERE
Dan states that “the Department of Ability are Disabled Superheroes! I am a very proud father to 9 year old Emily, who has Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus and uses a wheelchair to get around…she is, like the kids in the groups we move around in, strong, independent, funny and brilliant! However several years ago Emily and I noticed that there were no real, strong disabled characters for kids in comics or on T.V…..so I made my own. I have created and drawn them. This is all my artwork.
With the help of www.strongbones.org.uk the prospect of a printed Disabled Superhero comic is close! The characters and situations are totally accessible for ALL kids, it promises to be loud, strong and fun! The demand for this comic from parents groups, schools, celebs, and charities WORLDWIDE is such that I have had to give up full time employment to finish it and make it happen! Of course this means me and my family have to live whilst I draw, write and hopefully change the perception and views of our disabled kids through the comic, and hopefully TV!
Strongbones have been so supportive of this project, I have drawn several of their children, with their parent’s permission, and included them in the story.”
Strongbones are paying for the comic to be printed and distributed and Dan is not being paid at all for creating the comic, but as the comic has gotten bigger and bigger from all of the interest he has got, he has had to give up his full time job to concentrate on it:
” I was the sole earner, as my wife is the fulltime carer for Emily. Therefore I haven’t got any income to support my family. However, my family and I are so passionate and believe in the project, we decided it was worth the risk.
Since the D.O.A has gone online via Facebook and Twitter the response to the idea has been incredible! From celebs to sportstars to charities, the premise and the message behind this has struck a chord worldwide! A few famous paralympians have even agreed to appear in the final showdown with the bad guys!”
They even appeared on BBC news:
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More from our friends at the Department of Ability D.O.A