Vote for Your Favorite Comics-On Tees Design in the Threadless Challenge!


Posted Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

by Betsy Gomez

Wow! The response to the Threadless Comics-On Tees vol. 6 design challenge has been phenomenal, with 73 artists having a go at designing the first in a series of four shirts featuring Neil Gaiman’s “The Day the Saucers Came.” The challenge isn’t over yet — the Threadless community of 1.8 million users is voting on their favorite design, and you can join their ranks! Voting ends in three days, so head over to the Threadless Atrium to pick your favorite now!

The winner of the contest will have his or her design debuted this summer at Comic-Con International San Diego. The artist will join Ben Templesmith (Fell, 30 Days of Night), Brandon Graham (Prophet, King City), and John Cassaday (Captain America, Planetary) in the four-shirt series that features Neil Gaiman’s story of zombies, aliens, and giants! CBLDF will receive 25% of the proceeds from the sale of the t-shirts to support its ever-important First Amendment work.

For more information on the Comics-On Tees design challenge and to vote for your favorite, head over to the Threadless website.

comiXology Joins CBLDF As A Corporate Member


Posted Monday, May 7th, 2012

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) announced today that comiXology — the world’s largest digital comics platform with over 60 million downloads to date — has become the organization’s newest Corporate Member. ComiXology joins industry leaders Dark Horse, DC Entertainment, Diamond Comic Distributors, Image Comics, Legendary Comics, Random House, and Threadless as Corporate Members supporting the CBLDF’s important work of protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers.

“There is no time like the present to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund,” said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. “With freedom of speech being encroached upon at every corner, especially as new digital content platforms arise, comiXology is happy to show our commitment to free speech and the comics industry with this donation. If you have yet to become a member and are a comic book fan, please do so today.”

“We’re grateful that comiXology is taking this leadership position in supporting the CBLDF’s important work,” says CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein. “We have already seen prosecutions resulting from comics delivered in the digital realm, and those prosecutions are still on the rise. The CBLDF maintains an active program of fighting back when those cases occur, and works hard to challenge unconstitutional laws that would restrict the rights of comics in this new environment. We’re gratified that comiXology recognizes the importance of our work in this area and are putting their financial support behind us.”

Recently, the CBLDF helped fund and guide the successful defense in R. v. Matheson, a case that involved a comic book fan who faced criminal charges in Canada relating to comic books on his computer. The total legal costs of this case exceeded $75,000. After taking the case last summer, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund contributed $20,000 to the defense and also participated in shaping the defense, including recruiting expert testimony for the trial. The CBLDF is currently seeking funds to help pay off the $45,000 debt the defendant incurred as a result of his case, and to create new tools to prevent future cases.

To make a contribution to these important efforts, please visit www.cbldf.org.

About Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.

About comiXology
Founded in 2007 with the mission of bringing comics to people everywhere, comiXology — in just five short years — has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel world. From creating the industry leading platform for digital comics to tools and services for brick and mortar retailers, comiXology has lead the charge in exposing new audiences to the rich history and culture of comic books. With the development of the Comics by comiXology digital comics platform — available across iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and the Web — comiXology provides the easiest way worldwide for people to enjoy comics at just the click of a button! Regularly ranking as the top grossing iPad app in the entire iTunes App Store, Comics by comiXology was recently selected as a preloaded app on Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Providing digital comics across multiple platforms, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the earth has been turned into a comic book fan.

# # #

Support CBLDF on FCBD!


Posted Friday, May 4th, 2012

by Betsy Gomez

Free Comic Book Day 2012 is this Saturday, May 5, and folks are ready to head to their favorite local comic shop to pick up a spectacular assortment of free comics! Among the offerings for this year’s FCBD: CBLDF and BOOM! Town’s The Censored Howard Cruse, a sneak peek of The Other Sides of Howard Cruse. ComicBooked.com is running a preview of this year’s books and took a moment to describe The Censored Howard Cruse:

Published in conjunction with the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), this book focuses on Howard Cruse, one of the more fearless creators in comics history. Being the first openly gay cartoonist, he was also the first editor of the anthology series Gay Comix. This book takes a humorous look at the man’s work as told in a world where the CBLDF didn’t exist and comics are censored for ‘our own good.’ Fortunately, and even though this censorship is funny on it’s own, this is merely a preview of the upcoming release The Other Side Of Howard Cruse from BOOM! Town (BOOM! Town is BOOM! Studios’ indie comics imprint). Naturally, this book isn’t for everyone, so if it isn’t for you then just don’t pick it up. There are references to homosexuality, politics and drugs. If these things offend you, then check out any of the other many books available on FCBD. Just don’t be one of those people who throws a fit and tries to make a federal case out of it because you happen to not get why this book is important. In all seriousness, however, this is a great preview for the upcoming release and we all know that the CBLDF does some great work in protecting not only readers rights but the rights and freedoms of creators around the country. They deserve our support.

4 Color Fantasies in Rancho Cucamonga, California (7172 Archibald Avenue), is upping the ante with their Fanboys vs. Zombies dunk tank! For $1 a throw, fanboys can have a go at dunking zombies, with proceeds benefiting CBLDF’s important First Amendment work. Store manager Chris Brady tells us that fanboys will get to make their throws using Thor’s hammer (a foam version, that is)! Brady expects 2,500 comics fans for a plethora of signings and events to celebrate FCBD. You can get all the details here.

Celebrate comics this Saturday, May 5, with CBLDF and fans everywhere. Happy Free Comic Book Day, everyone!

CBLDF Hosts Member Appreciation Signings & More at Stumptown Comics Fest!


Posted Friday, April 27th, 2012

By Charles Brownstein

This weekend, I’m heading off to Portland, Oregon, to represent the CBLDF at the Stumptown Comics Festival, where we’ll have signings with Craig Thompson, Dan Piraro, and Ron Randall, as well as a huge array of signed comics and graphic novels that you can get for making a donation in support of our important work! Stumptown is one of the great American independent comics festivals. In addition to the action on the convention floor, the entire Portland comics community goes all out, hosting a wide variety of parties, art exhibits, and special events that showcase the city’s unique comics culture.

CBLDF will be set up at booth 114, where we’ll be hosting the following signings:

Saturday
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.: Craig Thompson  (Free for card-carrying CBLDF Members, $10 donation for non-members)
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.: Dan Piraro (Free for card-carrying CBLDF Members, $5 donation for non-members)

Sunday
3:00 – 4:00 p.m.: Ron Randall (Free for card-carrying CBLDF Members, $5 donation for non-members)

In addition to the happenings on the show floor, there’s a vibrant schedule of off-site parties occurring throughout the weekend:

DRINK AND DRAW
Date: Friday, April 27, 2012
Time: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Bridge City Comics, 3725 N Mississippi Ave., Portland, OR 97227
Admission: Free
Facebook event

In celebration of the release of Peter Bagge‘s newest comics series, RESET, Dark Horse Comics and Bridge City Comics present the 2012 Stumptown Comics Festival kickoff event — a Friday night Drink and Draw for visiting and local artists, publishers, and all festival-goers!

Bagge will be in attendance as the guest of honor with copies of RESET #1 to sign, and party guests will be provided with complementary art supplies to draw to their hearts’ content. This Drink and Draw event is a fun, casual way for festival participants to get the weekend off to a friendly and inspired start. Snacks and drinks will also be served, compliments of Bridge City, Dark Horse, and Ninkasi Brewing.

CHARITY BENEFIT RAFFLE
Dates: Saturday, April 28, 2012, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. & Sunday, April 29, 2012, noon – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Stumptown Comics Festival, Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Blvd., Portland, OR 97232

As part of this year’s festival, Stumptown Comics is raffling off cool prizes to benefit our educational mission as well as two of our favorite nonprofits, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the IPRC’s Dylan Williams Scholarship Fund.

Stop by Booth A6 at the Stumptown Comics Festival, April 28-29, to buy raffle tickets for our special “Golden Ticket” prizes:

  • A Wacom Intuos 5 graphics tablet
  • A cameo appearance in an upcoming issue of iZombie or Madman, drawn by Mike Allred

Or any of the following prizes:

  • Original sketches from Friday’s Drink and Draw event at Bridge City Comics (featuring Peter Bagge and other festival guests)
  • DIY publishing basket, including a one-year membership to the Independent Publishing Resource Center and various art supplies
  • Steampunk gift basket, including passes to GEAR Con, autographed books, T-shirts, and art prints
  • Local publishers library, featuring books from Oni Press and Top Shelf Productions

Many thanks to our raffle sponsors: Wacom, Mike Allred, Muse Art and Design, the Independent Publishing Resource Center, Oni Press, Top Shelf Productions, Things from Another World, Anina Bennett and Paul Guinan, GEAR Con, and Rose City Steampunks.

ANNUAL PARTY
Date: Saturday, April 28, 2012
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Location: Jupiter Hotel, 800 E. Burnside Street, Portland, OR 97214
Admission: Free for all attendees and guests with badges; $5 without a badge
Facebook event

Oni Press and Stumptown Comics invite you to join us for the annual Stumptown Comics Festival party on Saturday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. at the Jupiter Hotel! Hosted by Bobby Roberts of the Cort and Fatboy Show, it’s a full night of music, art, beer, and fun inspired by comics and the awesome people who love and make them.

The party will feature a live musical performance by Stumptown special guest Mike Allred and his band The Gear, the Stumptown Comic Arts Awards, and the annual Stumptown Cartoon Art Battle hosted by Paul Guinan! Plus beer by Ninkasi Brewing! This is THE social event of the festival weekend, so don’t miss your chance to party down Stumptown style.

Proceeds benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Independent Publishing Resource Center’s Dylan Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund, and Stumptown Comics.

Special thanks to our party sponsors: Oni Press, Ninkasi Brewing, ThinkAV, Galaxy Sailor Productions, and the Jupiter Hotel.

***********
Stumptown Comics, Inc. is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to fostering a wider appreciation of the artistic, cultural, and educational value of the comics art form, through public events, educational workshops, and philanthropic activities.

Please come out to the Stumptown Comics Festival this weekend to support the Fund and take in all the great comics that Portland has to offer!

This weekend, I’m heading off to Portland, OR to represent the CBLDF at the Stumptown Comics Festival, where we’ll have signings from Craig Thompson, Dan Piraro, and Ron Randall, as well as a huge array of signed comics and graphic novels that you can get for making a donation in support of our important work! Stumptown is one of the great American independent comics festivals. In addition to the action on the convention floor, the entire Portland comics community goes all out hosting a wide variety of parties, art exhibits and special events showcasing the city’s unique comics culture.

CBLDF Attends 10th Anniversary MoCCA Fest This Weekend!


Posted Friday, April 27th, 2012

by Betsy Gomez

This Saturday and Sunday, the 10th annual MoCCA Fest takes place in New York City, raising funds to benefit the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. MoCCA functions to “promote the understanding and appreciation of comic and cartoon art as well as to detail and discuss the artistic, cultural, and historical impact of what is the world’s most popular art form,” and MoCCA Fest brings together an exciting array of creator guests, publishers, exhibitors, and fans of comics.

CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox will be on hand on Saturday, April 28, to present “A History of Comics Censorship,” a guided tour through censorship in comics, from Fredric Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent to today. The panel takes place in Room A at 12:15 p.m.

Photographer Seth Kushner and writer Christopher Irving, the creators behind Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins of American Comics, will also be at MoCCA Fest 2012. You can find both of them at the powerHouse Books table, B6, on Saturday (11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 – 4:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1:00 – 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 – 6:00 p.m).

Kushner and Irving will be signing books and selling exclusive Leaping Tall Buildings prints by Peter Kuper, Becky Cloonan, and Dean Haspiel. The sale of these prints benefits CBLDF’s First Amendment work. As an added bonus, Haspiel will be joining Kushner and Irving on Saturday from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m., and Peter Kuper will be signing all weekend at his table, I1. You can get more details on the signings here.

Please join CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox and creator supporters Seth Kushner, Christopher Irving, Dean Haspiel, and Peter Kuper this weekend for MoCCA Fest 2012 at the Lexington Avenue Armory (68 Lexington Ave, between 25th and 26th Streets)!

LA Times Festival of Books Tells A Success Story For CBLDF!


Posted Thursday, April 26th, 2012

By Alex Cox


Over the weekend, I had the great pleasure of representing the CBLDF at the LA Times Festival of Books, which was held on the campus of the University of Southern California. It was a gorgeous, breezy weekend, and the crowds were out, raising $3,000 in two short days.

The LAT FoB is a massive affair, taking over the campus of USC like kudzu. The CBLDF was situated in the “Hero Complex” section, alongside folks like Hi De Ho Comics and our friends at ONI Press. The Hero Complex is the realm of journalist Geoff Boucher, and he has built it into a terrific resource for anyone interested in comics and pop culture. The representative tents and panels at the LAT FoB were an extension of that, with programs featuring Jim Lee, Dan Didio, Robert Kirkman, and Ed Brubaker, among others. The quality of panels and speakers rivaled a lot of full-sized comic cons, and when you add the overall programming (Judy Blume, Susan Orlean, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), you can see how the Festival of Books is an amazing event for book lovers in Southern California.

This was my first trip to Los Angeles, so I took a short detour when I got off the plane, acclimating my brain to freeways rather than subways. My first stop was The Secret Headquarters in Silverlake, a store owned by The Two Daves, gentlemen I have been friends with for some time. Dave Pifer and David Ritchie are card-carrying CBLDF members, and were happy to receive and store several packages for us, so I got a quick tour of their store, as well as their newest venture, right next door, Vacation Vinyl.

The synthesis of Secret Headquarters and Vacation Vinyl is a classic combo. Comics and music have always been linked in my brain; the store that I loved most as a younger man was a combination of comics and vintage records, split by a small ramp between two rooms, one with walls covered in band posters, and the other plastered with mylar-bagged back issues. The similarities between record and comic collecting are deep, with an obsessive love for an art form making them both easy traps for the pop culture minded. Both comics and records are physical objects that can become unavailable and hard-to-find, and they are both mass market pieces of entertainment that transcend the object itself in the hearts of fans. Milk-crate album bins and cardboard back-issue boxes are part and parcel of the same impulse.

Both stores are beautifully curated, and I was glad they were the first piece of the LA landscape I spent time in.

My next stop was the Hollywood offices of Archaia Entertainment, publishers of now-classics like MOUSE GUARD, ARTESIA, and the newly Eisner-nominated TALE OF SAND. Marketing Manager Mel Caylo was there to greet me, despite suffering from the famous “con crud”; that mysterious illness that lives in convention centers, countless handshakes, and back-issue bins, thriving at comic shows across the country. Archaia has been incredibly generous in their support of the CBLDF, and there will be a few fundraising surprises in the coming months that they were awesome enough to donate.

Saturday morning, the festival began in full swing, at 10 AM sharp, with crowds ready to go as soon as the gates opened. ULTIMATES and OUR LOVE IS REAL author Sam Humphries stopped by to sign copies of his books, and spent some time waxing nostalgic with FRAGGLE ROCK fans, who were happy to have him sign the graphic novel collection he participated in. Sam is one of the CBLDF’s more vocal supporter-creators, and we were happy to host him.

Author Lev Grossman signed in the CBLDF booth on Sunday, giving up a precious stretch between speaking on a panel and heading to the airport, and we definitely appreciate him spending that time with us. Lev has not only written a great deal about comics for TIME Magazine over the years, but his novel THE MAGICIANS is one of the best books I’ve read in the past decade or so. Before he left, he signed a stack of copies of his latest book, THE MAGICIAN KING, which will be put to fundraising use over the next few weeks. (I’m still in the middle of reading it, but so far, it is easily as good as THE MAGICIANS.)

All told, it was an awesome weekend full of comic fans, bibliophiles, and a welcome and surprising number of CBLDF members who came by the booth to say hello. Expect to see many more people wandering through Los Angeles county wearing “I READ BANNED COMICS” shirts after last weekend.

Big thanks to everyone who helped make my life easier over the weekend, of which there are too many to name. But a special shout-out goes to Jim and Terri from the Comic Art Professional Society, who made sure I got a sandwich when the blood sugar was running low. My next stop for the CBLDF is MoCCA in New York City, where I’ll be presenting the CBLDF’s history of comics censorship. Please come by and say hello!

Alex Cox is the Deputy Director for CBLDF.

Comics-On Tees Submissions Online, Challenge Ends Soon!


Posted Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

by Betsy Gomez

Threadless and CBLDF announced the Comics-On Tees vol. 6 Design Challenge at C2E2, and submissions have started rolling in! Artists are creating their vision of Neil Gaiman’s original script, The Day the Saucers Came, and the winner of the contest will have their work printed on the first of four Comics-On Tees shirts, alongside Ben Templesmith (Fell, 30 Days of Night), Brandon Graham (Prophet, King City), and John Cassaday (Captain America, Planetary).

Threadless’s community of 1.8 million members will pick the final design, and the chosen shirt will be revealed at Comic-Con International in San Diego. Submissions are open until May 4, 2012, and fans can follow the submissions here. When the four-part series is released, 25% of the proceeds will benefit CBLDF’s important First Amendment work.

Artists: the challenge ends soon, so get to work on your submissions! For more details on the contest, visit the Threadless Atrium here. For more from CBLDF about the contest, check out this article.

Please help support CBLDF’s important First Amendment work by making a donation or becoming a member of the CBLDF!

CBLDF Heads to LA for the Festival of Books!


Posted Friday, April 20th, 2012

CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox is headed to the West Coast this weekend for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, joining a cadre of authors and book lovers for the annual celebration of the printed word! If you live in the area, head over the University of Southern California campus this weekend for sunshine and literature!

Come by booth #856 to show your support for CBLDF and mingle with fellow supporters of Free Speech. CBLDF will have a vast array of signed premiums on hand for readers of all ages. We’ll have some of the world’s greatest comics, including Maus, Watchmen, Sandman, The Walking Dead, and Understanding Comics, all signed by their creators to support the fight for Free Speech! And that’s just the beginning! You’ll also be able to pick up your own “I Read Banned Comics” t-shirt and other apparel, tote bags, button sets, and more.

CBLDF is also delighted to have some amazing creators signing at booth #856. On Saturday, at 2:00 p.m, you’ll be able to get autographs from Sam Humphries, the writer behind the cult hit Our Love Is Real and Fraggle Rock and The Ultimates. On noon on Sunday, we’ll be joined by Lev Grossman, the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Magicians and The Magician King!

The weather forecasts are sunny for this weekend’s Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, so please join CBLDF at booth #856 this weekend to support Free Speech and celebrate books!

Chicago Shows Huge Support At C2E2!


Posted Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

by Charles Brownstein

Last weekend the CBLDF team was at C2E2 in Chicago where we launched a huge t-shirt project with Threadless, delivered a presentation on the history of comics censorship, signed up dozens of new members, and raised more than $7,300 for our important work. Deputy Director Alex Cox and I were there alongside extraordinary volunteers Maggie Roll and George Folz whose hard work helped make this show such a great event.

To a large extent, the CBLDF’s roots are in the Chicago area. Our first case erupted in nearby Lansing, IL and was ultimately litigated by Burton Joseph, who appealed the case and won. Burt was a pillar of both the First Amendment community and the Chicago legal community. He was a lawyer for Playboy in that organization’s heyday, and had great stories to tell about that era. He went on to help establish both the Playboy Foundation and the Media Coalition, and was the Fund’s general counsel until he died in 2010. Because of Burt, and the Midwestern roots of organization founders Denis Kitchen and Greg Ketter, Chicago has always been a stage for CBLDF events, and remains one of the Fund’s most supportive cities. Evidence of that was apparent at this show where we signed up more memberships and gave away more member appreciation rewards to card-carrying members than we have at any other con this year.

On Friday night we hosted a party with Threadless, the Fund’s newest corporate member and another great Chicago institution. The Threadless Atrium is an amazing space, with art covering the high walls, a cool gaming area, and all kinds of other fun amenities. They opened their space to CBLDF members and supporters for a party with vintage video games and a fashion show kicking off the new Comics-On Tees line, featuring a story by Jeffrey Brown who was on hand to mingle with his fellow CBLDF supporters.

Here’s Jeffrey Brown watching his shirts being unveiled:

Ben Templesmith & Nate Cosby:

Lance Curran from Threadless & Alex Cox announcing our new project:

The crowd having fun:

The most exciting news of the night was that Threadless is going to be producing a benefit Comics-On Tees line for the CBLDF featuring the talents of Ben Templesmith, Brandon Graham and John Cassaday illustrating a poem by the one and only Neil Gaiman! A fourth shirt will be designed by a member of the Threadless community, and the line will launch this summer. To get in on the fun, check out the full project details here.

Back at McCormick Place, Alex had a magnificent booth display set up that was jam-packed with signed graphic novels, prints, and t-shirts. We’re extremely grateful to the folks at ReedPop who contributed our space and gave us an excellent spot on the floor where we were able to meet supporters. There were a lot of people new to the convention experience at C2E2, and who’d never heard of the Fund, which made the show a great opportunity for us to perform education work. We distributed hundreds of informative comics and pamphlets about the legal issues we manage.

We continued our education work on Sunday when I gave a panel on the history of comics censorship that was well attended. This is the first time I got to discuss the full details of the Ryan Matheson case as part of this presentation, and was also the first to include new research I recently did on the Zap #4 obscenity conviction. Joe Sergi wrote up a terrific summary of the program that he augmented with his own additional research. You should check it out here.

On the whole, this was the most successful C2E2 to date. After three years of building, attendance was finally strong, showing that it’s now on the Chicago comics community’s map. The Fund is grateful to ReedPop for contributing our space and programming time, to Archaia for assisting us with our freight, to our terrific volunteers George Folz & Maggie Roll, and most especially to the supporters who contributed to our work during the event.

Next up for CBLDF is the LA Times Festival of Books at USC where Alex Cox will be set up this weekend. My next trip is to Portland, OR in 2 weeks for the Stumptown Comics Festival. If you’re in either city, we hope you’ll come out and say hello – we love to meet our supporters!

Charles Brownstein is the Executive Director for Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  Lance Neilson of 2nd Shift Photography contributed photography to this article.

Ben Templesmith & Nate Cosby:Be

Threadless Design Challenge Opens Submissions to Comics-On Tees Vol. 6 by Neil Gaiman!


Posted Saturday, April 14th, 2012

Threadless kicked off the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) last night with a benefit party for Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at Threadless Headquarters where a new fundraising effort for the non-profit organization was announced. In July, Threadless will launch Comics-On Tees Vol. 6, a series of four tees based on the poem The Day the Saucers Came, written by bestselling author and CBLDF board member Neil Gaiman. Artists have a chance to design the first tee in the four-part series, and 25% of the proceeds from the chosen design will benefit CBLDF.

Submissions for the first The Day the Saucers Came t-shirt will be scored by the Threadless community, and its 1.8 million community members will help pick the final chosen design. Designs can be submitted through Threadless, and the chosen shirt will be revealed at Comic-Con International in San Diego. The other three tees in the series will feature art from John Cassaday (Planetary, Astonishing X-Men), Ben Templesmith (Fell, 30 Days of Night), and Brandon Graham (King City, Prophet). To submit designs & learn more about this project please visit: http://atrium.threadless.com/cbldf/

Threadless spokesperson Lance Curran said, “We are excited to be supporting the CBLDF on Vol. 6 of Comics-On Tees! As a community of artists and designers, we feel it’s important that their first amendment rights be protected, and are happy to launch this challenge in support of an organization who does just that.”

CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox said, “We couldn’t be happier to partner with Threadless on this project. Between Neil Gaiman and the artists involved, you couldn’t ask for a more talented group. It’s going to produce some amazing shirts, and we can’t wait to see the designs that are submitted over the next several weeks. This is going to be a great fundraiser, and an awesome way to see fans and supporters show off their creative chops!”

About Threadless:
Threadless is an online community of artists and friends. As the company explores new opportunities and canvases for its artists, it keeps true to the core of its business; anyone from any corner of the Internet can make and pick what Threadless sells. Since 2000, thousands of artists have submitted their work. And every single week, Threadless transforms their weird, geeky, and beautiful ideas into tangible art. Join their community of 1.8 million – make, pick, play, and shop at Threadless.com

About Comic Book Legal Defense Fund:
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.

Next entries »
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund are pleased to announce that the Crown has withdrawn all criminal charges in R. v. Matheson, the case previously described as the “Brandon X case,” which involved a comic book reader who faced criminal charges in Canada relating to comic books on his computer. The defendant, Ryan Matheson, a 27-year-old comic book reader, amateur artist, and computer programmer has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.

The total legal costs of this case exceeded $75,000. After taking the case last summer, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund contributed $20,000 to the defense, and the Comic Legends Legal Defense Fund contributed $11,000. The CBLDF also participated in shaping the defense, including recruiting expert testimony for the trial. The organization is currently seeking funds to help pay off the $45,000 debt Matheson incurred as a result of his case, and to create new tools to prevent future cases. To make a contribution to these important efforts, please visit www.cbldf.org. Learn more about the shocking details of this case and how you can support the CBLDF's efforts to fight back!Read the full post