Conventions

Dragon Con

Dragon Con is North America's largest annual convention for fans of science-fiction and fantasy, as well as aficionados of comics, gaming, art, animation, science, music, television, and film. This year's show offers over 500 hours of panels, workshops, demonstrations, and discussions about comics, Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, X-Files, and much more! The show takes place in Atlanta, GA and runs from September 3rd to the 6th.

Dragon Con also includes S.T.A.R.S., the Southeast Trade and Retail Symposium, which takes place on Wednesday, September 2nd and Thursday, September 3rd. This industry trade show allows retails, publishers, and creators the chance to meet and discuss strategies for the coming year.

Some of comicdom's finest will be in attendance at Dragon Con '98, including Peter David (Young Justice), Kurt Busiek (Astro City), Joseph Michael Linsner (Dawn), Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise), Matt Wagner (Mage), J. O'Barr (The Crow), and Jim Lee (WildC.A.T.S.). Other scheduled guests include authors Ray Bradbury and Larry Niven, illustrators Rob Prior, Rowena, and Roger Dean, filmmakers Kevin Smith, John Carpenter, and Ray Harryhausen, and Babylon 5 stars Claudia Christian, Jeff Conaway, and Patricia Tallman. Acclaimed author and critic Harlan Ellison is this year's guest of honor and will provide the show's keynote address.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund will be attending both parts of Dragon Con. We'll be at Booth #7, right next to Kitchen Sink Press, and we'll be offering some exciting premiums, including the long-awaited Frank Miller shirt and the new Free Speeches collection from Oni Press. We'll also be featuring Day of the Dead, a deluxe volume which reprints Neil Gaiman's acclaimed Babylon 5 script along with his notes and an introduction by B5 creator J. Michael Straczynski.

Dragon Con will also host this year's Defender of Liberty Award. This award, presented by the CBLDF, serves to recognize and honor outstanding efforts to promote the principles of free speech. Previous recipients include Dave Sim, Paul Mavrides, and Neil Gaiman. The award itself, designed by sculptor Randy Bowen, will be presented by CBLDF founder Denis Kitchen and board member Peter David. The ceremony will take place on Friday evening.

Also in attendance will be CBLDF executive director Chris Oarr. In addition to manning the booth with a staff of able volunteers, Oarr will participate in a S.T.A.R.S. panel on marketing adult comics (3 pm Wednesday, September 2nd). Oarr will also lead a presentation on the current state of the CBLDF and answer questions about the Fund and censorship issues affecting the comics community (10 am Friday, September 3rd).

"I'm really looking forward to Dragon Con," said Oarr. "Atlanta is a beautiful city, the cultural center of the New South. The show gives the Fund a great opportunity to reach comic fans and retailers in the South.

And with its unique mix of comics and sci-fi programming, Dragon Con will help us get our message out to the science-fiction and fantasy community as well."

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. Donations and inquiries should be directed to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

For additional information, call 413-268-7776 or e-mail the CBLDF staff.

271 Madison Avenue, Suite 1400
New York, NY 10016
800-99-CBLDF
info@cbldf.org

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