Who is the CBLDF?
Board of Directors:
Chris Staros became president
of the fund in 2004. He entered the comics field in 1994 when
he published “The Staros Report,” a fanzine dedicated
to promoting “the most intelligent and innovative” graphic
novels in the business. At the Small Press Expo in 1997, he partnered
with Brett Warnock as publisher of Top
Shelf Productions, becoming one of the first American small
press publishers devoted entirely to the publication of graphic
novels. Today Top Shelf has published and represented over fifty
graphic novels, including notable titles such as Goodbye, Chunky
Rice, From Hell, Box Office Poison, Monkey Vs Robot, Blankets,
and Creature Tech.
Greg Ketter is the CBLDF's Vice President, and owner of
Dream
Haven Books and Publishing in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Milton Griepp became the fund Treasurer in 2004. He has
been in the pop culture business for nearly 30 years. After receiving
his B.A. degree and attending graduate school at the University
of Wisconsin (and working through college in comics retailing and
distribution), he formed Capital City Distribution with John Davis
in 1980. As an officer and beginning in 1984 as CEO of Capital,
he grew sales for fourteen consecutive years, building Capital into
a profitable international company with over $150 million in annual
sales of pop culture products to retailers around the world. Since
selling Capital in 1996, Griepp has continued using his expertise
in the industry as a consultant in the retail, publishing, toy,
and educational fields. Since early 2001, Griepp has operated ICv2.com,
the industry-leading trade site of the pop culture products industry,
as well as continuing his consulting practice.
Louise Nemschoff CBLDF Secretary and lawyer of copyright,
trademark and entertainment law, graduate of Harvard and Yale Law
Schools.
Peter David
A comics industry veteran who has long supported the CBLDF with
monetary and journalistic contributions as well as assorted personal
appearances. Best known for his work on The Incredibe Hulk, Aquaman,
Supergirl, various Star Trek novels, and his regular
column in Comic Buyer's Guide, "But I Digress..."
Joe Ferrara is the owner of Atlantis
FantasyWorld in Santa Cruz, CA and a tireless advocate for direct
market retailers.
Neil Gaiman
The multi-award winning author of Sandman, Stardust, Neverwhere,
Coraline, the New York Times bestseller American
Gods, Marvel 1602, the film MirrorMask, and much more
has as supported the Fund with his Guardian Angel Tour series of
readings for years. Neil is the former recipient of the CBLDF's
Defender of Liberty Award.
Steve Geppi is President and Founder of Diamond
Comics Distributors.
Paul Levitz is the President and Publisher of DC
Comics.
Staff Members:
Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the CBLDF, has
been one of the most prolific comics journalists of the past decade.
He wrote and published the interview magazine Feature (1994
– 1997) and has been a regular contributor to Comicon.com’s
SPLASH,
The Comics Journal,
Publishers
Weekly, Comics
Buyer's Guide, ComicBookResources.com,
and Wizard
Edge. Brownstein has also served as Programming Director
for Comic-Con
International and SPX.
Greg Thompson, Deputy Director. A retailer for a number
of years, Thompson has recently ventured into the creative realm
of comics as a writer for Image's Hero Camp and the upcoming
Atomic Chimp and the Rocket Rangers as well as being a letterer
for Image's 24seven, Four Letter Worlds and Battle Hymn
and DC/Wildstorm's The Boys.
Burton Joseph Legal Counsel to the CBLDF. Top-rate First Amendment
lawyer, Legal counsel for Playboy Magazine and either chairperson
or member of almost every Freedom of Speech organization in the United
states -- look him up in your 'Who's who'.
Eric Griffith Volunteer Webmaster and tech support geek.
His online home is Squished
Frog Productions, his day job is running Wi-Fi
Planet.
Founder:
Denis
Kitchen founded the CBLDF in 1986 and served for 18 years
as the fund's president. He retired from the board in 2004. Kitchen
was the founder and president of Kitchen Sink Press (1969-1999).
Today he's a cartoonist, a literary and art agent, and still publishes
and packages several books a year in the comics field. He also chairs
the Harvey Awards committee.
The CBLDF is but one member
of the Free Speech Community. For more information on First Amendment
Issues, check these sites:
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The Freedom Forum Online
People for the American Way
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Blue Ribbon Campaign
Chilling Effects
First Amendment Lawyers Association
National Coalition Against Censorship
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