Hero to autograph comic books for SCARE

On Wednesday, April 1, 2009 the Austin Police Department's resident superhero, The Defuser, will star in the first edition of "Who Wants To Be A Superhero: The Defuser" from Dark Horse Comics. The Defuser will be signing the comics to help raise money for Scare For A Cure from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Austin Books, 5002 N. Lamar Blvd. and then at Capstone Comics, 2121 W. Parmer Lane #107, from 6:15 until 8 p.m.

In "Who Wants To Be A Superhero: The Defuser," Detective Jarrett Crippen takes matters into his own hands when traditional police methods fail to stem the ever-growing tide of crime in his home city. Devising an astonishing array of non-lethal weapons and high-tech battle armor that boosts his performance to 110% of human capacity, Jarrett storms the streets as the Defuser. The criminals won't know what hit them!

"Who Wants To Be A Superhero: The Defuser," is written by Jeremy Barlow and artistically designed by Kajo Baldisimo. Keep up with The Defuser and all of his heroic adventures at www.thedefuser.net.

Author invites The Defuser to help raise funds for SCARE

Attention, Defuser fans! Author Joyce Schwarz has invited The Defuser to join her in turning a reading from her book The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life into a benefit for SCARE For A Cure. The book shows readers how to create change for themselves by creating "vision boards" to focus their goals and ambitions. In 2008, Joyce and her staff artist Annie Kaycora created a "gratitude board" to help SCARE For A Cure honor the volunteers who make its work possible.

The reading, part of the SXSW Interactive Festival at South By Southwest, will take place on Thursday, March 13 at 5 p.m. Email thevisionboard@aol.com for details.