A word about the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, a non-profit organization created in 1986 to protect the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers, and retailers covering legal expenses.
More after the break.
More after the break.
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund started after comic shop manager Michael Correa was arrested in 1986 on charges of distributing obscenity because he sold Omaha the Cat Dancer, The Bodyssey, Weirdo, and Bizarre Sex. In order to help him with his bills, Denis Kitchen, founder of Kitchen Sink Press (and publisher of Omaha the Cat Dancer) released an art portfolio of pieces donated by comics artists with the proceeds donated to Correa's defense. Correa's was convicted, but the conviction was overturned on appeal. However, Kitchen fund raising was so successful that the he had a surplus of $20,000. He used that money to establish the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), a nonprofit group dedicated to protecting the First Amendment rights of people in the comic-book industry. Denis Kitchen officially incorporated the CBLDF in 1990 as a non-profit charitable organization.
Since its creation, the CBLDF has assisted in a number of notable cases. In 1991, the organization assisted comic artist Paul Mavrides in his successful challenge to a resolution by the State of California to levy a sales tax on comic strips and comic books by proving that the comic strip is a communications medium that should be classed with books, magazines, and newspapers. In 2000, the Fund assisted comic artist Kieron Dwyer when he was sued by Starbucks Coffee for parodying their logo within his comic book Lowest Common Denominator (The judge ruled that Starbucks could not sue a parody and the case settled out of court.) In 2005, the Fund assisted a Rome, Georgia comics retailer named Gordon Lee, who was charged with distributing obscene material to a minor after a child obtained an anthology comic containing brief nudity on Halloween. A mistrial was called in 2007, and the case was finally dismissed in April 2008. Finally, the CBLDF is currently assisting an Iowa comics collector, Christopher Handley, who is being prosecuted under obscenity charges.
It is not surprising that the CBLDF has the support of the comics industry. The board of directors includes Chris Staros, Peter David, and Neil Gaiman. Famous artists and writers have donated their time to create "Fund Comics," "More Fund Comics," and "Even More Fund Comics", which are compilations of short work by famous artists sold to support the CBLDF. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab offers a line of perfumes whose profits go directly to the CBLDF (they are all inspired by Neil Gaiman books and available here. Here are Neil Gaiman and Jeff Smith describing the importance of the CBLDF.
Most recently, Image Comics has published "Liberty Comics", a new anthology series to benefit the CBLDF. The second issue came out last week (I believe the First Issue was also reprinted.) Both are available at the CBLF site. The official solicitation for the issue read:
LIBERTY COMICS #1: A CBLDF BENEFIT BOOK (ONE-SHOT)
BY ED BRUBAKER, DARWYN COOKE, GARTH ENNIS, MARK EVANIER & MARK MILLAR, art SERGIO ARAGONES, DARWYN COOKE, JOHN PAUL LEON, SEAN PHILLIPS & DARICK ROBERTSON, covers J. SCOTT CAMPBELL & MIKE MIGNOLA
32 PAGES, FC, $3.99
DEFEND YOUR LIBERTY!
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Image Comics defend your freedom of speech with LIBERTY COMICS, an all-new 32-page, full color comic book crammed cover-to-cover with work by many of today’s top creative talents. This mature readers anthology is printed in a high quality format and features all-new stories of THE BOYS and CRIMINAL as well as all-new creations from some of your favorite artists. All proceeds benefit the CBLDF and their efforts to protect your creative rights!
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
BY ED BRUBAKER, DARWYN COOKE, GARTH ENNIS, MARK EVANIER & MARK MILLAR, art SERGIO ARAGONES, DARWYN COOKE, JOHN PAUL LEON, SEAN PHILLIPS & DARICK ROBERTSON, covers J. SCOTT CAMPBELL & MIKE MIGNOLA
32 PAGES, FC, $3.99
DEFEND YOUR LIBERTY!
The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Image Comics defend your freedom of speech with LIBERTY COMICS, an all-new 32-page, full color comic book crammed cover-to-cover with work by many of today’s top creative talents. This mature readers anthology is printed in a high quality format and features all-new stories of THE BOYS and CRIMINAL as well as all-new creations from some of your favorite artists. All proceeds benefit the CBLDF and their efforts to protect your creative rights!
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
LIBERTY COMICS #2
by NEIL GAIMAN, GAIL SIMONE, JASON AARON, JIMMY PALMIOTTI, KATHRYN IMMONEN, BRIAN WOOD, JAMIE S. RICH, RAY FAWKES, BEN McCOOL, PAUL GRIST & CHYNNA CLUGSTON, JIM LEE, DAVE GIBBONS, PAUL POPE, MIKE ALLRED, STUART IMMONEN, BEN TEMPLESMITH and more!
48 PAGES, FC, $4.99
by NEIL GAIMAN, GAIL SIMONE, JASON AARON, JIMMY PALMIOTTI, KATHRYN IMMONEN, BRIAN WOOD, JAMIE S. RICH, RAY FAWKES, BEN McCOOL, PAUL GRIST & CHYNNA CLUGSTON, JIM LEE, DAVE GIBBONS, PAUL POPE, MIKE ALLRED, STUART IMMONEN, BEN TEMPLESMITH and more!
48 PAGES, FC, $4.99
CBLDF Defenders of Liberty NEIL GAIMAN & JIM LEE lead off an all-star ensemble of industry greats in an all-new second volume of LIBERTY COMICS! Passionate comic book storytelling, all in service to an important cause, the incredible contributions list includes a Painkiller Jane story by JIMMY PALMIOTTI and JIM RUGG; a new Mr. Gum adventure from MIKE ALLRED and JAMIE S. RICH; The Apocalipstix by RAY FAWKES and CAMERON STEWART; a return to Channel Zero by BRIAN WOOD; a preview of Choker by BEN McCOOL and BEN TEMPLESMITH; and a special Martha Washington piece by DAVE GIBBONS, alongside exclusive material by PAUL POPE, GAIL SIMONE and JÖELLE JONES, KATHRYN & STUART IMMONEN, CHYNNA CLUGSTON, PAUL GRIST, and JASON AARON & MORITAT.
Alternate covers feature a new Kick-Ass illustration by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and a special noir image from TIM SALE.
All proceeds from LIBERTY COMICS will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
Alternate covers feature a new Kick-Ass illustration by JOHN ROMITA, JR. and a special noir image from TIM SALE.
All proceeds from LIBERTY COMICS will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!
RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
The CBLDF also publishes a quarterly newsletter called Busted! : the official newsletter of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
They also have a table at every convention I have ever been too, most recently, Baltimore as seen in the photo. These tables sell books that have been signed and donated by creators (and are actually reasonable). they also carry shirts designed by comic creators. (The Bone and Flag pictures above are actually scans of two of the shirts.)
The official CBLDF site can be found here. See the site or the ad below for membership information.
They also have a table at every convention I have ever been too, most recently, Baltimore as seen in the photo. These tables sell books that have been signed and donated by creators (and are actually reasonable). they also carry shirts designed by comic creators. (The Bone and Flag pictures above are actually scans of two of the shirts.)
The official CBLDF site can be found here. See the site or the ad below for membership information.
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