Author: Betsy Gomez

Review Round Up: CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011

Since it’s release the week of New York Comic Con, CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 has been universally praised by reviewers, and they have plenty to say about the latest issue of CBLDF’s annual anthology!

Chris Arrant with CBR’s Robot 6 blog would gladly pick up a copy of CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 before eating, and Robot 6’s Graeme McMillan would also include the book in his buy pile.

Keep reading for more reviews…

CBLDF urgently needs to raise $100,000 for our important First Amendment work by the end of October! Be Counted and support CBLDF’s First Amendment legal work by bidding on original artwork, making a donation, or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

Find CBLDF at MID-OHIO COMIC CON This Weekend!

CBLDF is hot off a huge NYCC weekend and headed to Columbus, Ohio, for Wizard World Mid-Ohio Comic Con this weekend! Held at the Greater Columbus Convention Center October 22-23, Mid-Ohio Comic Con has an exciting array of comics and media guests!

Gib Bickel, founder of Laughing Ogre Comics (recent host of one of our CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 UNITED AGAINST CENSORSHIP signings), is carrying the standard for CBLDF, helping us raise the funds we need to defend Brandon X in the Canada Customs Case. For more information on CBLDF’s appearance at Mid-Ohio, visit Laughing Ogre at the show, at booth #211, or check out the Mid-Ohio Comic Con website here. See you at the con!

CBLDF urgently needs to raise $100,000 for our important First Amendment work by the end of October! Be Counted and support CBLDF’s First Amendment legal work by bidding on original artwork, making a donation, or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

CONAN letterpress print, signed by Becky Cloonan and Brian Wood!

With the announcement of writer Brian Wood and artist Becky Cloonan as the new creative team on Dark Horse Comics’ Conan the Barbarian, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is excited to unveil an exclusive letterpress print, limited to an exclusive run of 100!

This print features characters from Robert E. Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast,” the adaptation of which forms the basis of Wood and Cloonan’s first Conan arc. The print is based on the line art of an exclusive variant cover and is being used by CBLDF for this exclusive premium item through the gracious cooperation of the Robert E. Howard Estate and Dark Horse Comics.

Signed by Wood and Cloonan, these prints were hand-letterpressed by Letterpress PDX in Portland, Oregon, on heavy wet-press rag stock, and are beautifully textured. If you are a Conan fan, a fan of Wood and Cloonan, or simply want to support the CBLDF’s continuing fight for Free Expression, this print is a “must-have” item!

Get it now!

CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011!

CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011 collects incredible contributions, including original stories by superstars J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One), Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman), J.H. Williams III (Batwoman), Steve Niles (30 days of Night), Judd Winick (Catwoman), Mark Waid (Daredevil) and Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), and Carla Speed McNeil (Finder). Look for all-new tales featuring Grendel by Matt Wagner, Cowboy Ninja Viking by AJ Lieberman and Riley Rossmo, and Elephantmen by Richard Starkings and Shaky Kane. Plus: a massive and first-ever full-color story from independent comics master Craig Thompson (Blankets)! Marvel and DC Comics have stepped up to show their support, with all-new pin-ups of Batman by Dustin Nguyen, X-Men by Greg Land, Green Lantern by Ivan Reis, and the Avengers by Greg Horn! It’s all topped off by incredible covers by John Cassaday, Matt Wagner, and a special incentive cover by Frank Quitely!

Get your copy today!

MARK TWAIN’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY, 1910-2010, signed by Michael Kupperman

Created by humorist and cartoonist Michael Kupperman (TALES DESIGNED TO THRIZZLE), this mix of illustrated writing and comics follows Twain as he navigates the Twentieth Century and makes his way into the Twenty-First. His adventures are tense, scary, sexy, mischievous, and sometimes embarrassing. Twain spills the dirt on his secret love affairs with Marilyn Monroe and Mame Eisenhower, tells about his spying and private detective work, and dishes about his involvement in film, TV and advertising. The time he took LSD, the day he tried to hypnotize a donut clerk. Where he first met Einstein and how they travelled through time together. How to build your own raft and the life of a hobo. And who really killed JFK…? All this and much, much more!

This hardcover is signed by the author! Available now!

CBLDF’s New Fall Incentives Are Now Online!

With the announcement during NYCC that Becky Cloonan and Brian Wood would be taking the reins of Conan the Barbarian, CBLDF launched an exclusive letterpress Conan print. Limited to 100 copies, the print features characters from Robert E. Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast,” which forms the basis of Wood and Cloonan’s first Conan arc. The print is based on the line art of a variant cover and is being used by CBLDF for this exclusive premium item through the gracious cooperation of the Robert E. Howard Estate and Dark Horse Comics. Only a few of the prints remain, and you can get one here!

NYCC also saw the launch of CBLDF’s Fall Comics Grab Bag, sponsored by HeroesCon! Each bag contains 10 rare comics from the silver, bronze, and modern age to support the CBLDF. Comics included somewhere in these grab bags include Avengers #57 (1st Appearance of the Vision), X-Men #46, X-Men #48, Batman #185, Luke Cage #1, Nick Fury: Agent of Shield #3, Sub-Mariner #5, and dozens more. Signed comics were contributed directly from their artists, including Amanda Conner, Garth Ennis, Neil Gaiman, Jim Lee, Frank Miller, Jill Thompson, Gail Simone, and many more! You can get your grab bag here.

The CBLDF Liberty Annual 2011 debuted last week to rave reviews. If you didn’t have a chance to pick up a copy during NYCC or your local comic shop is sold out, you can get it from CBLDF! We have the John Cassaday and Matt Wagner covers, as well as Frank Quitely’s incentive cover, available here.

CBLDF has other hot items from the NYCC convention floor are now available online, including Mark Twain’s Autobiography, 1910-2010, signed by Michael Kupperman, and Bake Sale, signed by Sara Varon!

CBLDF urgently needs to raise $100,000 for our important First Amendment work by the end of October! Be Counted and support CBLDF’s First Amendment legal work by bidding on original artwork, making a donation, or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

CBLDF Raises Over $12,500 at NYCC!

Last weekend, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund raised over $12,500 at New York Comic Con!

The CBLDF booth hosted a number of creators throughout the weekend, including Francis Portela (Legion of Super-heroes) and Fernando Blanco (Marvel Zombies), Sara Varon, signing her new graphic novel Bake Sale from First Second Books, CBLDF President and Beanworld cartoonist Larry Marder, and a special appearance from Mark Twain himself (Michael Kupperman), signing his new autobiography from Fantagraphics.

Keep reading…

CBLDF urgently needs to raise $100,000 for our important First Amendment work by the end of October! Be Counted and support CBLDF’s First Amendment legal work by bidding on original artwork, making a donation, or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

Anime News Network Covers CBLDF’s Defending Manga Panel at NYCC

Over the weekend, Crystalyn Hodgkins from Anime News Network wrote about the CBLDF: Defending Manga panel from NYCC. CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein was joined by ALC Publishing’s Erica Friedman and about.com’s Deb Aoki for an informative panel about CBLDF’s history of defending manga — including the Jesus Castillo case, the Handley case, and the current Canada Customs Case — and why manga is frequently a target of censors. Aoki described why the latter often happens:

Aoki added that while many in the audience may be used to the manga style, people who aren’t familiar with manga would see many manga characters and think they looked like children, or younger than they really are. Brownstein also added that it is important to reach out to people to educate them about the manga style so as to help them to understand the style. Aoki also added that many of those who aren’t familiar with manga assume it’s hentai and perverted, and it’s important to educate people so they don’t have that stereotype.

You can read the full article here.

CBLDF urgently needs to raise $100,000 for our important First Amendment work by the end of October! Be Counted and support CBLDF’s First Amendment legal work by bidding on original artwork, making a donation, or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

Camilla d’Errico and Joshua Dysart Announce ‘Helmetgirls: Origins’ Guest Artists and CBLDF Benefit

At NYCC today, Camilla d’Errico and Joshua Dysart announced the guest artists for the Helmetgirls: Origins, a series based on d’Errico’s popular artwork. Because of the success of the Kickstarter campaign for d’Errico’s Tanpopo, d’Errico and Dysart are going to run a similar campaign for Helmetgirls. They are also going to contribute a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Helmetgirls to CBLDF!

Keep reading for more details in the official press release…

CBLDF Announces Exclusive CONAN Print by Becky Cloonan for NYCC!

With the announcement today of writer Brian Wood and artist Becky Cloonan as the new creative team on Dark Horse Comics’ Conan, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is excited to unveil an exclusive letterpress print, available throughout New York Comic Con at CBLDF booth #1158.

This print features characters from Robert E. Howard’s “Queen of the Black Coast,” the adaptation of which forms the basis of Wood and Cloonan’s first Conan arc. The print is based on the line art of an exclusive variant cover and is being used by CBLDF for this exclusive premium item through the gracious cooperation of the Robert E. Howard Estate and Dark Horse Comics.

Signed by Wood and Cloonan, these prints come in a limited numbered run of 100, and they were hand-letterpressed by Letterpress PDX in Portland, Oregon. If you are a Conan fan, a fan of Wood and Cloonan, or simply want to support the CBLDF’s continuing fight for Free Expression, this print will be available throughout the weekend of NYCC, October 14-16, for a $50 donation. Visit CBLDF at booth #1158 to pick up yours!

(Conan (r) (c) 2011 Conan Properties International LLC (“CPI”). Conan, Conan the Barbarian, The Savage Sword of Conan, Hyboria, and related logos, characters, names, and distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of CPI. All rights reserved.)