Mission of Benevolent Greed

This is a chronicle of the professional working relationship and personal friendship between Rodney Schroeter and William Messner-Loebs. Schroeter wrote a comic book and hired Messner-Loebs to illustrate it, a project of six years. Messner-Loebs and his wife had previously lost their home, their personal effects going into storage lockers. Years later, with rents long past due, the lockers were about to go up for auction. Schroeter stepped in, paid the lockers’ back rent, and saved a large body of Messner-Loebs’ work. Items including comics and original art were sold to Messner-Loebs’ loyal and appreciative fans, in a win-win-win situation. The book is profusely illustrated with a wide-ranging, celebratory sampling of work by Messner-Loebs which was saved from the auction block. Some pieces are in full color. The book’s title refers the fact that Schroeter acted on the principles of Objectivism (the philosophy originated by Ayn Rand), and to how rational self-interest, integrity, honesty, and justice benefitted both Schroeter and Messner-Loebs. Proceeds from the sale of this book will go to William Messner-Loebs.