Author: Jordan Smith

Book Ratings: A Tale of Four States

A frequent question we ask ourselves at CBLDF is, “What are the coming trends in graphic novel challenges?” A trend we’ve followed for over a year, and we have discussed on our panels, is the creation of a system to…

Adding Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me to Your Library or Classroom Collection

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me was published in 2019 by First Second Books. The graphic novel was written by Mariko Tamaki (the writer of This One Summer, a frequently challenged and banned book) and illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell. The book, which…

CBLDF’s Top 5 News Stories of 2022

As we reach the end of 2022, CBLDF looks back at the five most notable stories from the blog. 5. CBLDF Returns to Cons 2022 saw a return to cons for many folks in the comics community. CBLDF had appearances…

What I’m Reading — How To Win the War On Truth

Cover of the book How to Win the War on Truth: An illustrated guide to how mistruths are sold, why they stick, and how to reclaim reality. The cover is in contrasting red and black with a bold cover graphic in black and white on the field of red. We see a man about to club a protestor holding up a picket sign with the peace sign in the background. In the foreground a digital video camera is catching it all but only shows the face of the man with the club and the sharp end of the picket sign. It makes it seem like the victim is actually the attacker. zing!

In an atmosphere where graphic novels are mischaracterized as “graphic,” “obscene,” or “pornography,” where teachers and librarians are verbally attacked and threatened, shedding light on the nuance and truth of the recent attacks on books is important. One of the…

Help CBLDF Have Its Day in Court

Mark your calendars and support Comic Book Legal Defense Fund this Giving Tuesday! This past year we have seen a dramatic increase in challenges and bans on graphic novels in schools and libraries. Looking at the numbers so far this…

UPDATE: Still Spinning in Llano

As we covered last April, citizens from Llano County, Texas, filed suit against the county and several public servants for breach of their First and Fourteenth amendment rights. In December of 2021 the Llano County Library System closed all three…

WATCH NOW! The Censorship of LGBTQ+ Comic Books with Maia Kobabe and Mike Curato

As members of the Banned Books Week Coalition, CBLDF had the opportunity to co-moderate the event “The Censorship of LGBTQ+ Comic Books with Maia Kobabe and Mike Curato.” CBLDF’s Jordan Smith and PFLAG’s Greg Rokisky sat down with frequently challenged…

LAST CHANCE! Support CBLDF with “The Bleeding Heart of Heavy Metal Vol. 1”

Don’t miss your chance to experience The Bleeding Heart of Heavy Metal Vol. 1 and support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Heavy Metal and Humble Bundle have joined forces to bring together a unique collection of Heavy Metal history spanning forty-five years, but the offer ends…

Utah HB 374 and the Book Challenge Landslide

We are only three months into the school year, and Utah has already been hit hard with book challenges in their public schools and libraries. It is no surprise that graphic novels like Fun Home, Flamer, and Gender Queer are among those being challenged…