Author: Betsy Gomez

The Good Fighters: Cliff Chiang

Cliff Chiang does more than draw the best Wonder Woman around. In addition to his prodigious talent as an artist, he’s a witty and generous fellow, always ready to donate his dwindling spare time to a worthy cause. When CBLDF asked Chiang to create a new vision of Lady Liberty for our 2012 member cards, he fashioned an image as iconic as the Statue of Liberty herself.

In this installment of The Good Fighters, we sat down with Chiang for a quick chat about the impetus behind his Lady Liberty design and why he supports CBLDF.

Ultimate Comics Gives Back to CBLDF with Muppet Show Auction!

Did you ever want to see what Frank Cho, Eric Powell, or David Mack would do with an assignment to draw the Muppets? North Carolina retailer Ultimate Comics made it happen! They are proud to announce that it will be auctioning two dozen of its store exclusiveThe Muppet Show #1 variant covers, hand sketched by some of the greatest talent in the comics industry, with all proceeds going to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!

The auctions start today! Keep reading for more details and an auction preview!

CBLDF Founder Denis Kitchen Talks Underground Comix and Free Speech at St. Mary’s College

CBLDF founder Denis Kitchen recently shared his love for underground comics and his experience as an editor and defender of Free Speech during a presentation at St. Mary’s College in Maryland. The Point News, St. Mary’s student newspaper, covered the presentation, getting takes from students who saw the lecture. More…

Belgian Court Keeps TINTIN IN THE CONGO on Shelves

After a recent ruling by a Belgian court, Hergé’s controversial second book in the Tintin series, Tintin in the Congo, remains on shelves. The book faced charges that it broke several of Belgium’s laws against racism and incited racial hatred, but the court ruled that the book, which was serialized from 1930 to 1931 and collected in 1946 with significant revisions, was a product of its time and did not intend to incite racial hatred.

Keep reading…

Political Cartoonist Charged with Treason in India

Aseem Trivedi, a freelance political cartoonist in India, faces imprisonment and fines over charges of treason and insulting Indian national emblems. His cartoons criticized India’s government, and he may face additional charges because another complaint alleges that his work is “defamatory and derogatory.” The latter complaint has led to the suspension of Trivedi’s website, www.cartoonistsagainstcorruption.com.

The censorship comes as no surprise, even from the world’s largest democracy. Keep reading…

George Sprott, signed by Seth

The celebrated cartoonist and New Yorker illustrator Seth weaves the fictional tale of George Sprott, the host of a long-running television program. Invoking a sense of both memory and its loss, George Sprott is heavy with the charming, melancholic nostalgia that distinguishes Seth’s work. Characters lamenting societal progression in general share the pages with images of antiquated objects—proof of events and individuals rarely documented and barely remembered. Likewise, George’s own opinions are embedded with regret and a sense of the injustice of aging in this bleak reminder of the inevitable slipping away of lives, along with the fading culture of their days. This gorgeous hardcover edition is signed by master cartoonist SETH.

Get your copy!

Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

Scott McCloud, a twelve-time Harvey and Eisner Award nominee, uses a comic book to explain and analyze the medium of comic books themselves. This ultimate book about comics dissects the art form and shows how words, lines, colors, symbols, panels and pictures all come together to create a unique and one-of-a-kind storytelling experience.McCloud shows how this unique genre is just as important and valid as film and prose in his own funny and profound manner. This classic softcover is signed by author Scott McCloud.

Get your copy today!

LOCAL, signed by Brian Wood

(W) Brian Wood (A) Ryan Kelly
Crossing genres as it crosses the country, Local examines Megan McKeenan, a young woman who sets off from Portland, Oregon with nothing but a backpack and a bad case of wanderlust. Set in twelve real life cities across the United States and Canada, this painstakingly researched and meticulously illustrated volume earned G4 TV’s “Indie Book of the Year.”

Get a signed copy of Local here.

Hark! A Vagrant, signed by Kate Beaton

Hark! A Vagrant takes readers on a romp through history and literature — with dignity for few and cookies for all — with comic strips about famous authors, their characters, and political and historical figures, all drawn in Beaton’s pared-down, excitable style. This collection features favourite stories as well as new, previously unpublished content. Whether she’s writing about Nikola Tesla, Napoleon, or Nancy Drew, Beaton brings a refined sense of the absurd to every situation.

Get your copy here!

Banned Malaysian Cartoonist Exhibits Work in London

Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque’s work is banned in his home country of Malaysia, where he is better known as political cartoonist Zunar. Because of his work, Zunar has had his office raided and his books banned, and he’s been detained by authorities on sedition charges. Zunar may ultimately have the last laugh later this month when his work goes on display in a London gallery.

Keep reading…