SDCC 2013: Thursday Events with CBLDF

Panels

CBLDF: Banned Comics!
Thursday, July 18 • 12:00pm – 1:00pm • Room 30CDE
Every year comics are banned in libraries all over the United States; learn how you can fight back! In recent years, comics that have been targeted for bans include all-ages classics like Bone by Jeff Smith and Dragonball by Akira Toriyama, as well as acclaimed books for adult readers like Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and others. Learn more about what comics have been banned and challenged, why comics are banned, and how you can help by being a part of CBLDF’s efforts for Banned Books Week!

CBLDF’s Comics on Trial, Part 1-A National Disgrace: Moral Panic and the Birth of the Comics Code
Thursday, July 18 • 1:00pm – 2:00pm • Room 30CDE
CBLDF proudly debuts Comics on Trial-a new lecture series covering the history of comics censorship and the court cases that changed the medium. In part 1, witness how comics were under attack from the very beginning! Attacks in the popular media gave way to comics burnings in the 1940s. This sparked a wildfire of moral panic culminating with the U.S. government investigating comics before a national audience in 1954 where the face-off between Fredric Wertham and William Gaines changed the medium forever. CBLDF executive director Charles Brownstein tells the sordid tale.

Signings

5:00 p.m.: Chip Kidd

Chip Kidd is not only an author, editor, designer, and bon vivant — he is also a member of the CBLDF Advisory Board! And he will be appearing to sign copies of Batman: Death by Design, Neil Gaiman’s Make Good Art, and The Passion of Gengoroh Tagame, copies of all of which we will have on hand.

Comic-Con Welcome Party

CBLDF_PartyPostcardSDCC13-webStart your Comic-Con with the greatest stars in comics at the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s Comic-Con Welcome Party, sponsored by Image Comics, comiXology, and Aces Weekly, with special gallery displays from TFAW.com and Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab! The fun starts at 8:00 PM on Thursday, July 18, at the Westgate Hotel, when CBLDF welcomes you to Comic-Con for a night of amazing creators, astonishing artwork, and outstanding exclusives!

Meet Great Creators: Every year the greatest creators in comics drop in at the CBLDF Welcome Party. Confirmed attendees so far this year include John Layman, David Lloyd, Nick Pitarra, Paul Pope, Amy Reeder and Brandon Montclare, and Nick Spencer, and even more expected to drop in over the course of the night!

Get the Exclusive Goods: The first 300 attendees will receive a free gift bag, with exclusive releases from Image Comics. The first 100 attendees will also receive a copy of the rare comiXology variant of Invincible #100!  RSVP Now to guarantee your gift bag.

Smell Awesome at the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab Trading Post: BPAL will make their only Comic-Con appearance at the party, setting up a one-night-only display of fragrances, including world premiere fragrances benefiting CBLDF!

Get First Dibs on CBLDF Exclusives: Here’s your chance to get copies of the extremely rare CBLDF Liberty variants of Adventure Time #18, with art by Chrystin Garland, or Quantum and Woody #1, with art by Tony Millionaire, only available at Comic-Con!

Preview the Incredible Items in CBLDF’s Comic-Con Auction, Sponsored by TFAW.com: Get a first look at the amazing original art up for grabs at Saturday’s CBLDF Comic-Con Auction, including pieces by Jim Lee, Paul Pope, Jill Thompson, Charlie Adlard, Richard Case, Francesco Francavilla, and many, many more!

Come support Free Speech and experience the best of Comic-Con at the CBLDF Comic-Con Welcome Party, Thursday, July 18, at the Westgate Hotel (1055 Second Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101), from 8:00 – 11:00 PM! This party is FREE for CBLDF Members. Non-members: Suggested $10 – $20 donation at the door, please. You can RSVP here.