One of the key legal cases in CBLDF’s history is that of Mike Diana, who in 1994 was actually banned from drawing for three years after a jury in Pinellas County, Florida, convicted him of obscenity for his raunchy zine…
Tag: history
Celebrating Denis Kitchen
In 1986, Denis Kitchen helped defend the First Amendment rights of comic shops and creators who had become the targets of censors in an increasingly hostile consumer environment, laying the groundwork for what would become the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Today,…
How Czech Underground Comic Art Beat Communism
An art display at the Batalion Bar and Museum in Prague is celebrating underground comic artist Kaja Saudek and tells the tale of his first-hand experiences with censorship in the 1960s and ultimate triumph over a Cold War communist government…
1990s Attempts to Censor Rap Echo 1950s Attacks on Comics
With every new generation, there is a new form of media that becomes both actively embraced by American youth, as well as socially stigmatized and branded as “low class,” “obscene,” and “dangerous” by the morality police (aka grown ups). It…
Crime Comics (Still) Illegal in Canada
Did you know that there’s a law on the Canadian books that can land the owner of comics that depict crime in jail? From contemporary crime to even your favorite superhero book, Global News’ Elton Hobson talks about one of…
1955 Broadcast Brought Dangers of Comics to Your Living Room
“This comic book describes a sexual aberration so shocking that I couldn’t even mention the scientific term on television. I think there ought to be a law against them. Tonight, I’m going to show you why.” On October 9, 1955…
Will Eisner and the Mysterious Origin of the Graphic Novel
This year as part of our Spirit of Giving fundraiser, CBLDF is proud to offer a signed edition of board member Paul Levitz’s newest biography on comics luminary Will Eisner, Will Eisner: Champion of the Graphic Novel (you can still…
Financial Setback Doesn’t Stop Sonny Liew Graphic Novel from Selling Out
“The retelling of Singapore’s history in the work potentially undermines the authority or legitimacy of the government and its public institutions, and thus breaches our funding guidelines.” This guideline was what led the National Arts Council (NAC) of Singapore to…
Censorship by Financial Sabotage: Cartoonist Sonny Liew Loses Singapore Arts Grant
Due to unease over the book’s controversial content, the National Arts Council in Singapore has withdrawn its grant to aid in the publication on Sonny Liew’s The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye. The book, which was released in Malaysia…
Comic Artist Tackles Censorship in Singapore
Comic artist Sonny Liew has done work for the biggest publishers in the industry, but now he is tackling a very important, highly personal, and potentially controversial project — a graphic novel depicting some of Singapore’s most controversial events. From…