Legendary Comic Artist Jim Lee is Overseeing the Creative Direction of Eight Individually Customized and Characterized Superhero Vehicles to be Unveiled at Major Events Around the Country Over the Next Ten Months

· Batman-themed Optima will be first to be unveiled the same week as New York Comic-Con on October 10

· As part of the partnership, Kia is teaming up with DC Entertainment’s “We Can Be Heroes” campaign to help fight hunger in the Horn of Africa

IRVINE, Calif., Oct 3, 2012 - Kia Motors America (KMA), one of the fastest-growing car companies in the U.S has joined forces with renowned comic book publisher DC Entertainment, to bring the World’s Greatest Super Heroes to life by combining automotive styling with comic book art. The partnership, which will yield eight individually customized vehicles, harnesses the talents of legendary comic book artist and DC Entertainment Co-Publisher Jim Lee, who has collaborated on the design of each car with his vision for each iconic member of DC Comics’ Justice League.

Each core member of the Justice League line-up – Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg – has been matched to a Kia vehicle based on key attributes and character traits to create custom, one-of-a-kind rides to be unveiled over the next ten months at major auto shows and comic conventions across the U.S.

The Kia-DC Entertainment partnership will yield a total of eight vehicles timed to be unveiled around five major events around the U.S., including New York Comic-Con, SEMA Show in Las Vegas, North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Wonder-Con and San Diego Comic-Con. Many of Kia’s most recognizable and decorated models – the Optima, Soul, Sorento, Sportage, Rio and Forte will wear the iconic colors and marks of the legendary Justice League Super Heroes and be built by West Coast Customs, RIDES magazine, Import Tuner magazine and others.

“Kia and DC Entertainment are both global brands sharing a youthful and creative mindset, and both serve to inspire and exhilarate their respective fan bases.” said Michael Sprague, executive vice president, marketing & communications, KMA. “This partnership will allow us to band these two great brands together in an effort to make the world a better place through the ‘We Can Be Heroes’ campaign. And with Jim Lee’s vision combined with the efforts of some of the best customizing shops in the business, it’s going to be a lot of fun unveiling these cars around the country.”

The partnership between KMA and DC Entertainment was conceived to benefit “We Can Be Heroes” (www.WeCanBeHeroes.org), a giving campaign, dedicated to helping fight hunger in the Horn of Africa and inspired by the heroism of the iconic Justice League characters. “We Can Be Heroes” encourages everyday people to join the fight by getting involved and donating to bring help and hope to the people most affected by the hunger crisis. Each vehicle will feature a customized piece of Lee’s specially-designed artwork to be auctioned at the conclusion of the program with all net proceeds going to the “We Can Be Heroes” program. In addition to the seven vehicles inspired by the individual superhero characters, the Kia-DC Entertainment partnership will culminate with a fully-drivable custom car that encompasses each member of the Justice League that will be auctioned off to raise money for the cause. Kia will help to raise awareness for the “We Can Be Heroes” campaign throughout the partnership through customized “We Can Be Heroes” license plates, signage, collateral materials and in-vehicle video displays.

“DC Entertainment is pleased to be partnering with Kia on this program to help raise awareness and funds for the devastating hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa,” said Amit Desai, SVP of franchise management, DC Entertainment. “Each of the iconic members of the Justice League is a superhero in his or her own right, but when they band together as the Justice League, they become an unstoppable force for good and right. The Justice League reminds us that when we combine our efforts with others, we can create a world of change. And that we can do all that and more with style and panache. The Justice League characters look amazing on some of Kia’s best-looking and technologically-advanced vehicles.”

To learn more about “We Can Be Heroes” and ways to get involved, visit www.WeCanBeHeroes.org.



