565 search results for "manga"

Fundraising, Homepage, News Blog

Neil Gaiman Thanks CBLDF Supporters With New Auctions, Member Rewards!

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Neil Gaiman is showing his support for the CBLDF this week with the contribution of several items from his personal collection to raise money for our important education work!

Starting this weekend, while supplies last, all donors who join the Fund at the $500 level will receive a copy of the hard to find Neverwear print “The Day The Saucers Landed” signed & sketched by Neil! To claim this reward, join or renew your membership here!

Neil also contributed some terrific one-of-a-kind items that the Fund is offering on eBay, including an extremely rare copy of “Nicholas Was…” the first holiday card by Gaiman, with calligraphy by Dave McKean. Neil personally contributed this signed piece from his private archive, along with the other fine pieces being offered this week.

Proceeds from this member appreciation drive and these auctions will benefit CBLDF’s summer education efforts, including the funding of a short documentary about the Ryan Matheson manga case, and Matheson’s appearances at upcoming conventions to raise awareness of the important rights issues his case illuminates.

Full auction details follow the jump.

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Features, Homepage, Legal, News Blog

Access Denied: Library Filter Fail

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While researching a story about role-playing-game censorship for CBLDF.org at his local library, CBLDF blog volunteer Justin Brown encountered the cold slap of censorship himself as the result of aggressive filtering software. Brown discusses his experience, and the heritage of filtering laws that requires libraries like his to deny access to content or risk losing public funding after the jump.

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Homepage, Legal, News Blog

Join Charles Brownstein for a Discussion of Free Expression and the PROTECT Act This Wednesday

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This Wednesday, you can join CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein for “Is Manga a Crime? Non-photographic images, Child Pornography and Freedom of Expression,” a program that discusses the impact of the PROTECT Act and the transportation of drawn images across international borders. The program is the Digital Media & Fine Arts Committees of the New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts, & Sports Law Section, and attorneys who attend can gain 1.5 MCLE credits in professional practice (pending approval).

More details after the jump.

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Fundraising, Homepage, News Blog

UPDATED: CBLDF Hits the West Coast with Big Wow ComicFest!

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With Executive Director Charles Brownstein in Japan for a symposium on manga and censorship; Deputy Director Alex Cox in Portland, Maine, for the Maine Comics Arts Festival; and a charity auction and booth headed up by volunteer Diana Green at St. Paul, Minnesota’s Spring Con, CBLDF is all over the world this weekend. Lest the West Coast feel left out, CBLDF Web Editor Betsy Gomez will be on hand at the Big Wow! ComicFest in San Jose, California! Big Wow takes place May 19 – 20 in downtown San Jose at the San Jose Convention Center, Hall 2, and you’ll find CBLDF at booth #603.

More details after the jump!

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Headline, Homepage, News Blog

CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein to Participate in Conference on Creative Expression in Japan

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This weekend sees CBLDF events around the country and around the world: CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein is headed to Japan to talk about the challenges creative expression faces in Japan and abroad.

Japanese manga and anime have strong appeal worldwide, and as their popularity has increased, they have faced challenges in Japan and overseas, including in the United States. Japanese censors have actively called for and passed laws that regulate the sale of manga and the depiction of sexuality in manga. In the United States, a Korean manwha — the equivalent of manga — is near the top of the list of the most-challenged books in 2011, and the ownership of manga led to the prosecution of Christopher Handley and Ryan Matheson.

The conference addresses the challenges faced by manga and anime and the detrimental effect of regulation on creative expression in Japan. During the symposium, Brownstein will join local and international experts to talk about the censorship of content in manga and anime in both Japan and overseas.

More details after the jump…

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Homepage, News Blog

ALA Announces Graphic Novel Conference

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Today, the American Library Association announced the addition of ALA GraphiCon, a new mini-conference occurring within the ALA Annual Conference, which takes place June 21 – 26, 2012, in Anaheim, California. GraphiCon will provide programming that supports the inclusion of graphic novels and comic books in library collections.

Click through for the official press release from ALA and information on how you can get involved.
CBLDF President Larry Marder and Executive Director Charles Brownstein will attend ALA’s annual conference. Like ALA, CBLDF is an official sponsor of Banned Books Week, which takes place September 30 – October 6, 2012. Banned Books Week is dedicated to “celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment.” CBLDF is creating tools that retailers and librarians can use during this year’s 30th Anniversary Banned Books Week Celebration to raise awareness of challenged and banned comics and graphic novels. To get a headstart on the festivities, please check out the CBLDF Rewards Zone, where we have items such as our “I Read Banned Comics” t-shirt available to help raise money for this important program. If you have a First Amendment emergency, call 1-800-99-CBLDF!

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Homepage, News Blog

Join CBLDF Executive Director for CLE Credit Program Discussing PROTECT Act

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On Wednesday, May 23, CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein will be part of a continuing legal education program discussing the PROTECT Act, the federal law under which Christopher Handley was prosecuted for the possession of child pornography. Authorities alleged that Handley’s manga collection contained obscene depictions of children in sexual situations. Several other individuals have been prosecuted and convicted under the law, which legislates that non-photographic images depicting minors in sexual situations is child pornography. Certain parts of the law have been struck down as unconstitutional, but some still stand. Brownstein will join NYU School of Law professor Amy Adler and Michael Delohery, the chief of Westchester County DA’s Office’s High Technology Crime Bureau, for a discussion about the law and the concerns of creators, publishers, and collectors of various forms of entertainment, including comics.

The program takes place at Sotheby’s Institute of Art (570 Lexington Avenue, 6th Floor, New York) on May 23, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. and it open to the public. For more details and to register for the program, visit the New York State Bar Association’s website here.

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Features, Homepage, News Blog

Protect Yourself at International Borders

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The Toronto Comic Arts Festival takes place this weekend, and CBLDF wants to make comics fans and creators crossing the border into Canada aware of their rights. Last year, several creators were subject to intrusive search on their way to TCAF, and creators Tom Neely and Dylan Williams had books seized by Canada Customs. In 2010, comics fan Ryan Matheson was arrested when he crossed the Canadian border with what Canada Customs thought were objectionable comic books on his laptop. You need to know your rights when crossing international borders with comic books.

Click through for a list of resources you should review before heading to TCAF or crossing any international border.

In the event of a First Amendment emergency, call CBLDF at 1-800-99-CBLDF or send us an email at info@cbldf.org. We’re here to help!

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Headline, Homepage, News Blog

Join the CBLDF Team as a Website Contributor!

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Are you a journalism student looking for blogging experience? Or a fan of comics and manga with great writing skills and something to say about Free Speech? Are you an educator or librarian who’s a dedicated supporter of the First Amendment? CBLDF would like to include your voice on our website!

CBLDF is looking for contributors to add to our roster of bloggers. Each member of our website team will be asked to identify and/or generate content about relevant Free Speech issues for www.cbldf.org on a weekly or semiweekly basis under editorial guidance from the Web Editor. The Web Editor may assign specific articles for coverage, but contributors will otherwise have flexibility in choosing what they write about.

The blogging positions are voluntary. Articles will be seen by visitors to www.cbldf.org and cross-posted on CBLDF’s Facebook page, Twitter feed, and weekly newsletter, ensuring that several thousand people will see the articles. Contributors will be able to work from anywhere, set their own schedules, build writing and blogging experience, and boost their resumes. In doing so, contributors will support the important First Amendment work of CBLDF.

If you are enthusiastic about the First Amendment, a good writer, and able to take editorial direction, you’re a perfect candidate — apply today!

To apply, please send your resume and a writing sample to betsy.gomez@cbldf.org.

ABOUT THE COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics artform and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.

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Headline, Homepage, News Blog

CBLDF Executive Director Joins Everyday Superheroes for 37th Annual Long Island Library Conference

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On Thursday, May 3, 2012, CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein will join librarians, patrons, and educators from throughout Long Island for the 37th Annual Long Island Library Conference. This educational forum provides instructive programming and networking opportunities that help improve the quality of libraries in the Long Island community. This year’s theme: Everyday Superheroes at Your Library.

Brownstein will be speaking from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. about the particular concerns of graphic novels in libraries during “With Great Stories Comes Great Responsibility.” The website describes the program:

Whether you call them comics, graphic novels, or manga, books telling stories by blending words and pictures have changed the world of reading. Learn about the great power that the many categories of comics hold for your patrons and explore the responsibilities we face in helping them navigate these brave new worlds. Charles Brownstein provides an overview of the world of comics and addresses common challenge issues in a talk affirming why comics are a vital aspect of the 21st century library environment.

Please join Brownstein and fellow library lovers for the 37th Annual Long Island Library Conference, happening May 3, 2012, at the Melville Marriot (1350 Old Walt Whitman Road, Melville, New York 11747). You can register for the conference here. Space at the conference is limited, so register soon!

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