Archive for the ‘Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’ Category
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has been working to insure the First Amendment rights of comic creators and retailers all over the country since 1986. This month,we see the release of their second comic book, Liberty Comics #2, and if you read careful you might just see a message in the stories that are contained herein.
Press Release
Top Cow Productions, Inc. proudly announced today that a limited signed variant cover of Berserker #1 will be included in a Retailer Support Pack for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The Support Pack will be an incentive for retailers who become members of the CBLDF. The publisher is proud to help support the CBLDF, which has fought censorship and protected the First Amendment rights of creators, publishers, and retailers in the comic book industry.
At the annual ComicsPro meeting, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) announced a brand new Board of Directors for the organization. Replacing Top Shelf’s Chris Staros as President is Chris Powell, general Manager of Lone Star Comics. Chris is the first retailer to hold the position of President in the history of the organization. Taking Staros’ seat on the Board of Directors is Larry Marder.
“It’s been an honor to serve on the Board of Directors of the CBLDF,” Staros says, “but as Top Shelf has grown, I find myself not having the time to support the day-to-day activities of the Fund in the way that I used to, and, of course, that’s the signal that it’s time to move on, and pass the torch on to others ready to lead the charge. And now, with Chris Powell as the new President and Larry Marder joining the Board, I know that the Fund will have some fresh energy to devote to the cause. So, while I won’t be on the Board, I’ll always support the CBLDF, as it’s still a cause I truly believe in.”
Setting goals for his Presidency of the organization, Powell said in a prepared statement, “The Fund will continue to grow and evolve, finding new and innovative ways to support comic fans, creators, and sellers. We will increase our use of 21st century technology in our mission and fundraising work. We will increase our outreach to new and current members, and increase our ability to share news and information about the ongoing fight to protect the First Amendment rights we all depend upon to do business.”
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s board members are: Joe Ferrara, Vice-President; Milton Griepp, Treasurer; Louise Nemschoff, Secretary; Peter David; Neil Gaiman, Steve Geppi, Paul Levitz, and Larry Marder.
Press Release
20 March 2009 (Berkeley, CA) – At today’s ComicsPRO Annual Meeting, Image Comics announced plans to further expand its support of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, the comics’ industry’s first response in the fight against censorship. Image will support the not-for-profit organization with a second installment of LIBERTY COMICS and will launch The CBLDF Liberty Series,* *a series of high-end variant covers featuring Image’s strongest titles with exclusive artwork not available anywhere else. All proceeds of both projects will go directly towards the Fund’s important defense of comics’ First Amendment rights.
Press Release
12 November, 2008 (Berkeley, CA) – This past summer, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Corporate Member Image Comics teamed up with an all-star roster of talent for LIBERTY COMICS, a special anthology benefiting the Fund, and raised nearly $27,000 for the organization’s important work!
“The CBLDF couldn’t defend our field’s First Amendment rights if it weren’t for the efforts of our supporters, and LIBERTY COMICS is an incredible example of that principle in action,” CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein said. “The Fund is a team effort that only exists because of the efforts of the whole industry — from publishers and creators to retailers and fans. With this project, members of each of those communities stepped up to speak up with one voice in support of the Fund’s work., and we’re tremendously grateful for their efforts. ”
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has announced voice actor Tom Wayland and others will read exceprts from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman during a fundraiser to benifit the organization.
Hosted by the CBLDF and Vertigo, the dramatic reading will be will be held at the Helen Mills Theater in New York City on Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available for a $50 donation to the CBLDF. Only 100 tickets are available to this special reading event.
About the stories being performed:
Three Septembers & A January, originally published in THE SANDMAN #31 / Trade #6
The story of Joshua Abraham Norton the first, last and only Emperor of the United States of America that incorporates an explanation for his strange career centering on a challenge between Morpheus and Despair.The Golden Boy, originally published in THE SANDMAN #51-56 / Trade #8
A revival of a 1970s DC character named Prez, it’s the story of the US’s first teenage president that considers how we view our leaders—while they’re in office . . . and once they’re gone.
I’ve only recently read the series thanks to the awsome absolute editions from DC/Vertigo, and love the series. Attending an event like this sounds like a load of fun. If you plan on going, you can reserve your ticket here.
The Gordon Lee case has been delayed again. First it was a broken air conditioner, now the judge has taken ill, and there is no word on when the Rome, Georgia case will proceed.
For the record it has been nearly three years since the initial incident where Lee allegedly gave a copy of Alternative Comics to a minor. This is one of the most stupid cases I have ever seen, and there is no reason this case should have been allowed to continue this long.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is helping Lee with the case and think the case should be rejected for several reasons.
As for the motion to dismiss the misdemeanors, the Fund’s brief argued that Georgia’s harmful to minors law is, in fact, unconstitutional. In the Memorandum In Support of Defendants Motions To Dismiss, counsel states: “the depictions of Picasso in the story are lawful and thus the distribution to minors is lawful because:
1) The depictions and story are non-obscene protected material pursuant to the First Amendment of the U.S. constitution;
2) The State has no legitimate interest in banning non-obscene, non-sexually explicit nudity to minors under due process;
3) The proscriptions at issue, as applied to this material, in so far as it requires warning labels, ignores the fact that material with nudity, but not sexually explicit conduct is distributed throughout Floyd County without prosecution, in violation of equal protection guarantees;
4) The proscriptions at issue, as applied to this material, is arbitrary and capricious, in violations of due process;
5) The proscriptions at issue are overbroad because they make illegal material with simple nudity which were not intended to be proscribed, and for which the government has no legitimate reason to make illegal; and
6) The terms used in §§ 16-12-81 and 16-12-103 are vague because they fail to notify citizens and law enforcement as to what material (if any) with simple nudity is prohibited.”
Fund counsel held that the law which Lee is being charged under is “so overbroad” that it could be applied (with requisite charges filed against anyone who would sell) Batman, Superman, or even a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, and applied, as it is written to all nudity, no matter the context.”
You can see one of the panels in question after the jump.
It’s a once in a lifetime chance to get your hands on an original page from Jeff Smith. Smith and others are donating art to the Comic Book Legal Defense fund to help pay for the growing court costs in the Gordon Lee Case.
In case you aren’t familiar with the case, Lee is a comic shop owner in Georgia who could go to jail for selling a comic that has a scene of Picasso walking around in the nude to a minor. Gordon claims he didn’t know the scene was in the book and has appologized, but that hasn’t stopped the sue happy family and the crazy state of Georgia from taking him to court.
The CBLDF has already spent $80,000 defending Gordon and expect to need another $20,000.
I don’t sell my original art, and I’ve never donated an interior story page to anything before, but this case against comics must not succeed. No one should go to jail for selling art.
Take the jump for the black and white image up for sale from Smith, as well as the open letter from Jim Lee who is calling for your help.
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