The Hero Initiative exists because many Golden Age or Silver Age creators toiled in comics' earlier days for low pay and with a nonexistent pension plan. Very often, writers would work for a penny a word, or artists for $5 a page with no chance of ownership and no pension. Today, many of these people who laid the groundwork that today's comic industry works on may be in financial need. Be it due to age, health, or just low salaries with no retirement plan, they may need a hand. Hero provides a safety net for former comic creators in need. Hero is dedicated to helping creators with emergency medical aid, financial support for essentials of life, and an avenue back into paying work.