Barney Rosset’s Grove Press published some of the best known names in modern literature: Samuel Beckett, Allen Ginsberg, Henry Miller, William Burroughs, and more. Throughout his tenure as a publisher and filmmaker, Rosset was a crusader against obscenity laws. Rosset recently passed away at the age of 90. More after the jump…
CBLDF is committed to supporting the comics community. Fill out our form to request assistance or report censorship today!
CBLDF is committed to supporting the comics community. Fill out our form to request assistance or report censorship today!
The Good Fighters: Eric Stephenson
In many ways, Eric Stephenson has changed the face of comics publishing. Under his guidance as Publisher, Image Comics has become a juggernaut of innovative and creative comics projects, many of them critically acclaimed and instant sell-outs. Under Stephenson’s guidance, Image has become the go-to place for new ideas and new creators.
In addition to being an advocate for new creative work, Stephenson is also an advocate for free speech. His support for CBLDF is as fierce as his support of creators. Under Stephenson’s watch, Image Comics has become a corporate member, sponsored numerous parties, and published the CBLDF Liberty Annual, raising nearly $100,000 for CBLDF’s important First Amendment work.
For this edition of The Good Fighters, we took a moment to talk to Stephenson the eve of the first ever Image Expo, which takes place this weekend in Oakland, California.
Image Comics, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and iFanboy present the Image Expo Welcome Party
Experience Creativity with comics’ greatest creators at the Image Expo Welcome Party sponsored by Image Comics and iFanboy to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund! The party is free for CBLDF members and kicks off at 8 PM on February 24, 2012 at The Uptown in Oakland, California. This party jump starts a weekend of celebrating independent comics and free speech at the Image Expo, taking place at the Oakland Convention Center. Proceeds from the Image Expo Welcome Party will benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, who will have a gift bag for members and donors!
ComicsPRO Goes Big For CBLDF!
Last weekend the CBLDF’s Deputy Director Alex Cox visited the ComicsPRO Meeting in Dallas where he met with the industry’s best retailers and publishing professionals. He takes you into this ultimate insiders weekend, including full highlights from the exciting ComicPRO CBLDF Benefit Auction that raised more than $8,000 for the Fund!
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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.
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…
Experience The Glory of CBLDF Membership At Image Expo!
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Image Comics are proud to announce that a CBLDF Exclusive variant cover of Glory #23 by Joe Keatinge & Ross Campbell will be made available free to card carrying CBLDF members as a Member Appreciation incentive at Image Expo, coming up on February 24 – 26!
GLORY #23 marks writer Joe Keatinge’s and artist Ross Campbell’s bold revival of the Rob Liefeld-created superheroine. Glory has returned to Earth — this time, not to save it but to live as a human among humans. And there are two young women there who have been waiting for her. Keatinge and Campbell bring a euro-comic-meets-indie sensibility to the superhero comic. This sensibility is most visible in the art by Campbell, who is known for his realistic and varied depictions of women in his books Wet Moon and Shadoweyes, but also present in the inclusion of new characters Riley and Gloria, through whom the reader gets to know the god-like warrior princess. CBLDF members will receive this exclusive printing of the sold-out first issue!
All you need to do to get your copy is come by the CBLDF Booth (#75) at Image Expo with your current year CBLDF Membership card and we’ll give you this CBLDF Image Expo exclusive copy of Glory #23 to thank you for your support! The current year card features CBLDF’s Lady Liberty mascot by Cliff Chiang, or if you joined after February 24, 2011 your membership is still valid, and we’ll accept the 2011 member card featuring Green Lantern. Not a member? Not a problem! Just sign up online before Image Expo and bring a print out of your receipt or renew at the convention!
CBLDF To Partner With Comics Retailers for Member Appreciation Events!
At the ComicsPro Retailer Meeting today, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund announced a new program to encourage comic book retailers to support the organization with the introduction of the CBLDF Member Appreciation Party Box! Developed as a tool to empower retailers to raise awareness of the CBLDF’s important work and bring new customers into their stores, the CBLDF Member Appreciation Party Box will include promotional literature, thank you gifts for card carrying CBLDF members, and premiums to be offered as raffle prizes!
CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox says, “As a former retailer, I appreciate the dedication of our Friendly Neighborhood Comic Stores. They really are the front line in the battle for free speech in this medium, and they really have the most to lose. The CBLDF began as an effort to protect the rights of a comic shop, so deepening our partnership with the retail world is an important goal. We designed this program to help our retail partners spread the word about the CBLDF, and to create better ties between our retailer members and our general membership, with the hope that these events will help stores reach new customers in loyal cbldf supporters. There is no better community than the comics community, and that begins with retailers. The CBLDF wants to help foster that.”
Membership Cards Are Go!
If you joined the CBLDF as a 2012 Member, your membership kits are on their way! Our interns, volunteers, and staff are busy getting everything sorted and out the door, fulfilling Membership orders for one of our best launching drives ever!
CBLDF Deputy Director Alex Cox takes you behind the scenes at the CBLDF office and shows how our team is hard at work getting these rewards out to you, and has info on how you can be a part of it as an office volunteer!
CSBG: All-Star Liberty Team Ups For CBLDF!
Last week CBR’s Comics Should Be Good blog asked readers who they wanted to see Libby, the CBLDF’s Lady Liberty mascot, team up with to fight censorship. In today’s The Line is Drawn feature we’re treated to a wide range of artistic visions that speak to the heart of the fight for free speech! Go check these incredible pieces out at CSBG! The CBLDF thanks the CSBG team and everyone who tweeted suggestions and created art for this terrific feature!
Please help support CBLDF’s important First Amendment work by making a donation or becoming a member of the CBLDF! When you do, we’ll send you a Lady Liberty member card of your own so you can show you’re a proud member!
The Membership Prints Are Here!
The 2012 Membership Program has a number of great premiums, including t-shirts, exclusive buttons, and the Fund’s first round of items featuring the now defunct Comics Code Authority Stamp. But one of the items we are most excited about is an awesome, high-quality print based on the current membership card art, designed and illustrated by Artist Supporter Cliff Chiang. This last piece just came in, and it is a special incentive for members joining at the Protector and Champion levels. CBLDF’s Deputy Director Alex Cox paid a visit to Cliff Chiang’s studio to get them signed and talks about it – with pictures – after the jump!
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.