CEO in Nebraska auctions off ‘Spider-Man’ comic book collection to fund hunger education

OMAHA, Neb. (NBC, KYMA) - A CEO from Omaha, Nebraska is ready to auction off a "Spider-Man" comic book collection worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to help educate people on how to feed the hungry around the world.

An NBC affiliate in Omaha first met Nate Blum, who is the CEO of Sorghum United Foundation, back in 2017. He was being fitted for an artificial eye, and he donated his glaucoma-damaged one to science, for medical research and education.

"I've always hoped that my experiences could somehow help educate," Blum expressed.

Eight years later, Blum continues to educate through comic books he's written, creating his own super heroes.

"It's a worldwide adventure. I say it's like Indiana Jones meet Captain Planet," Blum shared.

These books target young children around the world, focusing on very serious issues.

"We don't sugarcoat things...We talk about climate change in this book, and we talk about the fact that people don't have enough to eat in this book. In this book, we talk about how farmers can't grow a grain if they don't have a market to sell it," Blum explained.

The high nutritional grain is sorghum, and Blum has traveled the world talking about its importance.

"These grains we know can address not only our changing climate right but can also address the health needs and the food security for these regions. And we develop systems in which these communities can learn not just how to grow grain and grow it more efficiently right, but how to actually create a product with it or semi-finished product."

Nate Blum, CEO, Sorghum United Foundation

To get all that done, Blum plans to auction off his "Spider-Man" comic book collection more than 2,000 from the first edition on. He started collecting the books when he was a teenager.

"I'm from York Nebraska small town. At the time, we had a Pamida, and I remember walking in seeing the comic book rack there. The very first issue I bought which I still have was a 'Web of Spider-Man' #96. I think it was the Hobgoblin holding Spider-Man up and I was hooked ever since then," Blum remembered.

Blum placed more than $100,000 worth of comics on this table. He's hoping the entire collecting will bring in big dollars to support his non-profit.

"We're asking probably a little more than the collection is worth at $1.5 million because is a tax deduction, but two because of the good work it's going to allow us to do," Blum said.

Blum says selling one set of comic books to continue spreading the word of the importance of feeding the hungry through another set comic books is worth the sacrifice of his "Spider-Man" collection.

"How I look at it is if you are in a position to do something good. You can do something good and still take care of your family do the things you need to do, but if you are put in that position to do something good you have a responsibility to do it," Blum remarked.

Blum is taking bids on his Spider-Man collection now. Serious bids only can be sent to nate@sorghumunited.org. Blum's books are also available on Amazon.