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Wired Talks Transmetropolitan Art Book

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This May will see the release of the Transmetropolitan art book, which celebrates the visionary dystopian comic series by Warren Ellis and Darick Robertson. Funded entirely by a Kickstarter donation drive, proceeds from the sale of the book benefit CBLDF and The Hero Initiative.

Wired.com has an exclusive preview of artwork from the book. They touched base with CBLDF about the project:

“Transmetropolitan is one of those rare works that functions as a compelling genre story, perceptive science fiction and cutting social satire all at the same time,” said Charles Brownstein, executive director of Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, in an e-mail to Wired.com. “The series uses edgy, and sometimes taboo, topics to address the changes that are happening to our society, and that’s what expressive speech is supposed to do. Transmet does it exceedingly well.”

Wired.com also spoke with Ellis, Robertson, and Brian Pulido of The Hero Initiative about the project. You can catch the full article and exclusive images here.

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Chief Justice Roberts and the First Amendment

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The nomination of John G. Roberts to the Supreme Court in 2005 caused considerable protest among politicians and law experts, many of whom voiced concerns over Roberts’ typically conservative stance in his decisions.

The First Amendment Center recently analyzed Roberts’ decisions regarding First Amendment cases, starting with the idea the “Conservatives are often portrayed as hostile or indifferent to First Amendment issues.” They found that Roberts “has not been a disaster — far from it.”

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A Con Grows In Stumptown

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Last Friday comics creators and fans converged on a rain streaked Portland night to kick off the 2011 Stumptown Comics Festival. A growing showcase for handcrafted comics and art, Stumptown behaves less like a traditional comic book convention, and more like a pageant honoring the distinctive creative culture of Portland, Oregon. For three days, the city’s various institutions, including comic shops and galleries host comics focused parties while artists show their wares on the festival’s curated exhibit hall. The CBLDF was there to participate in the festivities.

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Muzzled!

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Each year, on or around Thomas Jefferson’s April 13 birthday, The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression “awards” the individuals and organizations who put in a concerted effort to abridge free speech in the previous year. The 2011 “winners” of these awards — called the Jefferson Muzzles — were recently announced.

Who can we thank for impeding free speech during 2010? The dubious honorees included no less than the Obama Administration and BP “for restricting media access to the Gulf oil spill,” the TSA “for having a young man arrested for stripping off much of his clothing to display the text of the Fourth Amendment,” and more. You can check out the full list of recipients here.

The Jefferson Muzzles serve as a reminder that free expression isn’t always as safe as we think it is.

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Jeffrey Brown’s Inspiring Membership Cards

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As any past and present member knows, CBLDF membership has its benefits, including a number of incentives and premiums.

We have a membership level for everyone, and each membership level has its own incentives. Everyone gets a membership card — this year’s features Green Lantern — but if you sign up for the CBLDF Defender Membership at a $250 donation, you will also get a hand-drawn membership card! You can choose a card by celebrated comics artists Jeffrey Brown, Matt Wagner, Eric Powell, Cliff Chiang, or Dean Haspiel.

Brown just sent us a slew of eye-catching, full-color cards! We’re inspired both by these gorgeous cards and by the time Brown donated to make the cards for us, and we hope this inspires you to become a defender of Free Speech for the comics community. Become a member now!

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CBLDF Applauds Amendment to 2010 Massachusetts Law Removing Restrictions on Internet Speech

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Following a successful legal challenge from the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, local booksellers, and others, including the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Governor Deval Patrick yesterday signed into law an amendment to controversial 2010 legislation that imposed severe restrictions on Internet content, including discussion of topics such as literature, art, and sexual and reproductive health.

The amendment, which goes into effect immediately, is a direct response to the granting of a preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Rya Zobel last fall that found the law likely violated the First Amendment. Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed the bill in order to address the constitutional flaws in the existing law. CBLDF joined the Harvard Book Store, Porter Square Books, the Photographic Resource Center, a licensed marriage and family therapist, trade associations, and the ACLU of Massachusetts in filing suit last July to block the law because it made providers of constitutionally protected speech on the Internet criminally liable if such material might be deemed “harmful to minors.”

“Comic book creators and retailers are pleased to see this amendment go into effect, because it protects their constitutionally protected works as they are circulated and sold online,” said Charles Brownstein, Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

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CBLDF Has a Wonderful Time at WonderCon 2011

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Hey, hey, hey, everyone! It’s your intrepid Web Editor here with a quick report about WonderCon.

What’s to say about WonderCon 2011?! WOW! What a year! WonderCon keeps on growing, topping all previous years with a jam-packed exhibit hall and programming schedule. CBLDF was kept plenty busy slinging free speech, putting hot signed premiums in fans’ hands, and signing up new members!

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STRANGE TALES Party and Signing! Hosted by the CBLDF and THE BEAT!

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Saturday, April 9th (the weekend of the MoCCA festival), you are invited to a release party for Marvel’s STRANGE TALES party, co-hosted by THE BEAT, and a fundraiser for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It will take place at THE MAD HATTER (easy walking distance from the Armory) from 7 til 9, and there will be drink specials for those attending.

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Catch A Wave With CBLDF At WonderCon

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This weekend finds your battle-hardened CBLDF crew eagerly headed to sunny San Francisco, California, for WonderCon 2011! You’ll find the whole team at the Moscone Center with a booth chock full of signed premiums, a new Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab fragrance, a new t-shirt, and Frank Quitely exclusives! Read on for all of our exciting plans!

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