Tag Archives: free speech

CBLDF News – Frank Miller, Karen Berger & Babymouse Champion Free Speech!

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Official Press Release

Frank Miller, Karen Berger & Babymouse
Champion Free Speech In Be Counted Week 3

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund continues its Be Counted membership drive this week, with generous incentives from legendary cartoonist Frank Miller, groundbreaking editor Karen Berger, and the unstoppable team behind Babymouse & Squish – three time Newbery Award honoree Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm!

The CBLDF needs to raise $100,000 by October 31 to pay for its urgent legal and education to work. To date, the organization has raised over $30,000 of that goal. Be Counted and becoming a member of the Fund today. Membership contributions are tax deductible and start at $25 per year. Those who can afford to join at higher levels can take advantage of some of the amazing opportunities available in this campaign. To view all of the Be Counted incentives, featuring opportunities to go backstage at Saturday Night Live, have tea with Neil Gaiman or get your work reviewed by Tom Brevoort or Dan DiDio, among many others, please visit www.cbldf.org.

Here’s this week’s incredible offerings:

Frank Miller

Lunch With Legends: Frank Miller & Bob Schreck in NYC – One member joining CBLDF with a tax-deductible contribution of $5,000 or greater will have the opportunity to go to lunch with comics master Frank Miller, his long-time editor Bob Schreck, and one guest of their choice in NYC! This once in a lifetime opportunity to visit with the game changing author of Sin City, The Dark Knight Returns, and Holy Terror and a terrific, tax-deductible way to support the important work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. CBLDF will contact the donor to arrange a time for this event that coincides Frank’s schedule.

Karen Berger

Professional Development Review: Karen Berger – Karen Berger changed the landscape of modern comics when she established Vertigo as an imprint designed to usher in new voices and new directions for comics storytelling. Now the legendary editor who has helped guide work from talent including Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, and Peter Milligan will review your work and provide one-on-one feedback to help improve your comics! Karen is offering five of these opportunities, to review over email or phone to donors who make a tax-deductible contribution of $400 or better to the CBLDF!

Babymouse Creators Stand Up For Free Speech
In New CBLDF Fundraisers!

Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm don’t just tell stories about doing the right thing, they’re also putting their ethics into action to support free expression in a new round of fundraisers benefiting the First Amendment rights organization Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Right now CBLDF is in the midst of Be Counted, a membership drive aiming to raise money to fund new education programs protecting the right to read. The Holms are aiding the organization by offering several powerful incentives, including auctioning off a walk-on role in Babymouse and one-on-one development reviews for aspiring creators!

“First Amendment rights are very important to me, personally,” says Jennifer Holm, three-time Newbery Honor author and the co-creator of the Babymouse series of graphic novels for young readers. “Children’s books and comics are among the most frequently challenged titles in libraries across the country. As Americans, we need to keep working to protect the freedom we and our children have not only to say and write what we want, but also to read what we want. The First Amendment is about all of us, authors and readers.”

Please help the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund by becoming a member today. At higher membership levels you can be rewarded with one of these great incentives provided by the Holms:

Win A Walk-On Role In Babymouse 17! – Support intellectual freedom by bidding on this auction to win a walk-on role in the next volume of Jennifer & Matthew Holm’s hit graphic novel series Babymouse! The winner of this auction will have their name or the name of someone they choose given to a character in Babymouse 17, coming from Random House in Spring 2013. The proceeds of this auction benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund’s work to protect the First Amendment rights of the comics art form. Membership in the organization is included with this auction. Bid on this auction at myworld.ebay.com/cbldf

Skype Visit With Babymouse Creators Jennifer & Matthew Holm! – Invite the creators of Babymouse and Squish into your home over Skype to support intellectual freedom! Join the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in this auction and you’ll be able to have a 15 minute Skype visit with these incredible creators and talk about all things Babymouse! Bid on this auction at myworld.ebay.com/cbldf

Professional Development Review: Jennifer L. Holm – Jennifer L. Holm, the three-time Newbery honored NY Times Bestselling author of Turtle in Paradise, Penny from Heaven as well as the graphic novel series Babymouse and Squish offers a rare opportunity to review your writing and provide hard-earned knowledge to help you improve your craft. This rare opportunity to learn from one of the masters of modern young adult fiction. This professional development review is for writers of prose or comics, and will be conducted over Skype. It is available for a tax-deductible $1,000 membership contribution to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Professional Development Review: Matthew Holm – Matthew Holm, co-creator and illustrator of the graphic novel series Babymouse and Squish is offering a professional development review to a donor joining the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for a tax-deductible donation of $500 or greater. This is a rare opportunity to gain insights to help improve your art from one of the prolific masters of modern kids comics! This review will be conducted over Skype.

Personalized Sketched Postcard: Matthew Holm – Matthew Holm has graciously agreed to send a personalized sketched postcard as a thank you to contributors who join the CBLDF at levels of $250 or greater.

Around the Tubes

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The weekend is almost here, yay!  Here’s some articles for you to waste the day away.

Around the Blogs:

Newsarama – UPDATE: THE Q: PROS – “Are American Comic Books SEXIST?” – Some interesting responses.  Gail Simone I think nails it.

Las Vegas Weekly – Banned books: Barrick exhibit details the life of comic books and the controversial ‘50s boycotts – A good excuse to go to Vegas, as if you need another.

Comicvine – Sexism in Comics is Not New–Here’s What You Should Do about It – Some sound advice.

Con Coverage:

CBR – APE Swings into San Francisco this Weekend

Around the Tubes Reviews:

CBR – American Vampire #19

Ely Standard 24 – Astonishing Spider-Man and Wolverine

ICv2 – Bloody Monday Vol. 1

Comics Alliance – The Flash #1

CBR – Fury of the Firestorms: the Nuclear Men #1

MTV Geek – GEN Manga

MTV Geek – Justice League Dark #1

IGN – Comic Book Reviews for 9/28/11

MTV Geek – New 52 Reviews: ‘All-Star Western,’ ‘Voodoo,’ I, Vampire,’ and ‘The Fury of Firestorm’

CBLDF News – Be Counted Week 2: SNL Tickets, Tom Brevoort, Chris Burnham & Bleeding Cool!

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Be Counted Week 2 Launches With SNL Tickets, Tom Brevoort, Chris Burnham & Bleeding Cool!

This week the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund continues its Be Counted membership drive with brand new membership rewards including Saturday Night Live tickets and a meet and greet with Seth Meyers; a professional development review with Marvel SVP of Publishing Tom Brevoort; a variety of thank you’s from Batman Incorporated artist Chris Burnham, and a chance for professionals to get out of (or into) Bleeding Coolfree!

Since launching the Be Counted campaign last Thursday, the CBLDF has raised over $19,000 towards its goal of raising $100,000 by October 31 for its legal and program work. If you aren’t a member of the CBLDF, now is the time to Be Counted and sign up for membership, which starts for as little as $25 a year and includes rewards like a Green Lantern membership card, and at higher levels, CBLDF tote bags, prints, and original art. Membership contributions are tax deductible and you’ll be thanked on our CBLDF Member List.

Check out all of our Be Counted member rewards, which include opportunities to meet supporters like Brian Azzarello, Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Mike Mignola, Gail Simone, Jeff Smith, Frank Quitely and more! Please join the CBLDF today!

Be Counted Week 2 Supporters!

Tom Brevoort

Professional Development Review: Tom Brevoort — Marvel’s Senior Vice President of Publishing will offer a Professional Development Review at NYCC for one member joining CBLDF for a donation of $1,000 or greater. This is an incredible opportunity to receive targeted, one-on-one feedback to improve your comics skills from one of the most experienced editors in the field while supporting the CBLDF!

Chris Burnham

Professional Development Review: Chris Burnham – Batman Incorporated artist Chris Burnham will provide a Professional Development Review at NYCC or via email to donors who join for a membership level of $250 or greater. This is an incredible opportunity to have one of the most versatile and talented artists in mainstream comics give you hard earned advice to help your craft.

Lunch With Legends: Chris Burnham — Enjoy a unique opportunity to have lunch on Saturday of NYCC with Chris Burnham, the exciting artist on Batman Incorporated when you join CBLDF for a membership contribution of $250 or more! CBLDF will contact the donor to arrange a time for this event that coincides with Chris’ schedule.

Personalized Postcard Sketch: Chris Burnham — Chris Burnham has graciously agreed to send a personalized sketched postcard as a thank you to contributors who join the CBLDF at levels of $250 or greater.

Be Counted Auctions!

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE TICKETS, WITH SETH MEYERS MEET-AND-GREET

Be Counted! Become a CBLDF Member at $1,000 or more, and you’ll have a rare opportunity to be on site for a live broadcast of one of television’s most beloved institutions, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE! On the night of November 12th, the winner of this ticket will have two seats in the audience for a live performance, featuring a guest host and musical guest to be announced. After the broadcast, there will be a short meet-and-greet with writer, performer, and Weekend Update anchor SETH MEYERS. This auction item was donated by CBLDF Supporter/comic creator Scott Weinstein, and the funds raised will immediately benefit the continued legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. This item also includes Champion level membership in Comic Book Legal Defense Fund

GET OUT OF (OR INTO) BLEEDING COOL FREE CARD!

Bleeding Cool has a reputation as a comic book website willing to go further than anyone else in uncovering the kind of stories that publisher or comic creators would rather remain hidden.

But with this Get Out Of Bleeding Cool Free card, all this changes.

The bearer of this card gets the chance to remove a story published on Bleeding Cool (which will be replaced by this card) either after it has been published or, if they are aware of it, before. It has a one time use and can be used by publisher or creator alike. And it must be used within a year.

Alternatively, the card can also be used to get INTO Bleeding Cool and will guarantee favorable coverage of a project of your choice.

This item is available on eBay now, and the opening bid is a $500 membership in the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Even More CBLDF Auctions!


OUR LOVE IS REAL: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

This is a lot of five editions of OUR LOVE IS REAL: The Preview Edition, the First Edition, the Vegisexual Edition, the Mineralsexual Edition, and the Crystal Edition, plus the OUR LOVE IS REAL script book.
All five comics plus the script book are signed by writer Sam Humphries and artist Steven Sanders. This is the only complete collection of all five editions of OUR LOVE IS REAL plus the script book ever for sale, and the only complete collection to bear both signatures.

WONG, CHARACTER STUDY BY MIKE MIGNOLA
A pin-up/character design of Doctor Strange’s companion Wong, drawn by modern master MIKE MIGNOLA. Likely created around the time of DOCTOR STRANGE & DOCTOR DOOM: TRIUMPH AND TORMENT, this early and lovely piece of Mignola art measures 9 by 14 inches, and is a gorgeous example of the talent of one of comics’ great illustrators.

HELMET GIRL PIN-UP BY CAMILLA d’ERRICO

Original HELMET GIRL pin-up by fan favorite artist Camilla d’Errico! Created as a fundraising item specifically for the CBLDF, this one-of-a-kind piece of art is absolutely stunning.

This beautiful character piece measures 11 by 8 1/2 inches, and is signed by the artist in the bottom right corner.

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Lots of articles today and there’s tons of previews and reviews throughout the day.  Enjoy all the news and here’s yesterday’s you might have missed.

Around the Blogs:

CBS News – In Archie, cancer appears, so does helping, too – It’d be great if this raised the profile for comics, but more importantly I hope it raises a lot of money for the cause.

CBLDF – It’s Banned Books Week! – I’ll be sporting my CBLDF t-shirt!

Think Progress – Should Feminists Give Up On Comics? – A good take on the DC “women” problem.

Con Coverage:

Spandexless – SPX Pulls: I Read Banned Comics Shirt

Spandexless – SPX Talks: Charles Brownstein, Executive Director, CBLDF

Spandexless – SPX Talks: Homeless Comics

Spandexless – SPX Talks: Darryl Ayo

Spandexless – SPX Talks: Domitille Collardey

Around the Tubes Reviews:

CBR – Captain America #3

Comics Alliance – Holy Terror

CBR – New Teen Titans: Games

MTV Geek – Dark Horse Advance Reviews: Fear Agent #31, Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth

Help The CBLDF With Be Counted Member Drive & Artists to the Rescue Auctions!

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Be Counted — Join The CBLDF Today!

The comics industry’s greatest creators are standing behind the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in Be Counted, a new membership drive that seeks to raise $100,000 for the organization’s legal and education work by October 31.  In addition to the CBLDF’s current rewards for membership, the organization is offering a variety of access opportunities, including lunch with legends, such as Neil Gaiman, Dave Gibbons, Mike Mignola and Gail Simone, and professional development reviews from top editorial experts, including Scott Allie, Dan DiDio, and Bob Schreck.  The Be Counted membership drive starts today and will continue through October 31, with new incentives added frequently.

Contributions to CBLDF made during this campaign will help the CBLDF in the following ways:

Legal Action

This September, the CBLDF must contribute the first installment of the $150,000 in legal fees needed to defend Brandon X, an American citizen facing a minimum sentence of one year in Canadian prison and registration as a sex offender because Canada Customs alleges that Japanese horror and fantasy comics on Brandon’s laptop are child pornography. His case is important because it raises important precedent questions about the artistic merit of comics and the rights of readers and artists traveling with comics on their electronic devices. The CBLDF needs your help to pay the lawyers defending this case because we seek to establish a precedent that protects comics in Canada and influences courts in the United States.

Beyond Brandon’s case, the CBLDF needs your help to ensure we are able to continue our other important program services. Your membership dollars will pay for our membership in Media Coalition, which helps us track and fight unconstitutional legislation. You will also ensure we have the resources we need to pay our monthly retainer for routine First Amendment legal work.

Education

The CBLDF continues to assist librarians and retailers when comics and graphic novels are challenged. Often this happens on a case-by-case basis, during which CBLDF staff gather defense materials for each individual incident. We currently seek funds to develop more substantial preventive tools, including joining an important anti-censorship coalition that protects the right to read.

Please visit www.cbldf.org to learn about all of the rewards offered in this important campaign, and to Be Counted by joining the Fund!

ARTISTS TO THE RESCUE, WAVE II — ORIGINAL ART AUCTIONS BENEFIT CBLDF!

With the Canada Customs Case drawing closer, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund continues its vital fundraising auctions with help from artists across the wide spectrum of the comic book industry. In an effort to raise over $100,000 by the end of October, artist supporters and Fund members have truly stepped up and provided benefit material ranging from pin-ups to original pages to covers, all in support of defending a comic fan from the threat of prison and hopefully setting a precedent that allows creators, retailers, publishers, fans alike to travel freely across the border without fear of persecution or harassment.

Artists such as Tony Harris, Camilla d’Errico, Cully Hamner, and Bernie Wrightson have all donated art, generating over $2,000 in one week. With many more cartoonists generously donating original works, the Artists to the Rescue benefit campaign continues into Fall with an exciting new round of gorgeous pieces of comic book art.

The current round of auctions includes a wide variety of amazing works, most notably several incredible pieces from the private collection of Stuart and Kathryn Immonen. This set includes a page from the classic Epic Comics adaptation of FAFHRD AND THE GREY MOUSER by modern master Mike Mignola, as inked by the late Al Williamson. Also included is a Mignola character study of Dr. Strange’s companion Wong, from the Marvel Graphic Novel classic DOCTOR STRANGE & DOCTOR DOOM: TRIUMPH AND TORMENT. These pieces represent a portion of the extremely generous donation from the Immonen’s collection, with more to be auctioned in the coming weeks!

What a Difference a Year Makes: Apple Welcomes Gay Comics Publisher

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Northwest PressWhat a Difference a Year Makes: Apple Welcomes Gay Comics Publisher

All Full-length Northwest Press Titles Available on iBooks

Last year, there were numerous reports of comics with gay subject matter—most without even any nudity—being rejected by Apple for inclusion in its App Store, and many had concerns that selling comics for the iPad would not be an option for independent lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender comics creators. That appears to be a thing of the past; last month, Apple approved all three full-length graphic novels from Northwest Press, an LGBT comics publisher, for sale on its iBooks store. One of them is even a steamy adaptation of a classic erotic gay novel.

“Anyone trying to start a publishing business in this day and age needs to factor digital distribution into their business plan,” says Northwest Press publisher Charles “Zan” Christensen. “When it looked like we wouldn’t have one of the biggest marketplaces for digital comics open to us, it was a major concern. We explored a lot of alternatives but found nothing else that matched the experience readers have viewing books on the iPad. We’re relieved that we’re able to finally bring our books to iBooks.”

The iBooks versions of Northwest Press books feature easy browsing of chapters and pages, elegant page turn animations, and zooming to view detail. Each books is optimized for display on the iPad screen, but can also be viewed in pan and zoom on the iPhone.

The approval process for Teleny and Camille, Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super-Tranny, and Rainy Day Recess: The Complete Steven’s Comics started in early July, and was still underway as Northwest Press exhibited with LGBT comics nonprofit Prism Comics at Comic-Con in San Diego. By the end of the show, all three books were available for purchase through iBooks in the US, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Many decisions to reject gay content by Apple have been reversed over the course of the past year. For example, Tom Bouden’s adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest—rejected multiple times and only ultimately approved after censoring images most readers would find tame—is now for sale in its uncensored form. Christensen credits the change in Apple’s stance to the public pressure on the issue and Apple’s improvement in balancing free speech with concerns over adult material.
“Plus, I think the Lambda nominations and awards helped,” says Christensen, referring to the Lambda Literary Award nominations for its first two books, Glamazonia and Teleny, and its win for the latter. “Steve Jobs has said that he wants the iPad and iPhone to be ‘free from porn’, but it’s a pretty good defense to point to a literary honor to remind people that an explicit book still has artistic merit.”
In addition to continuing to release digital versions of its printed books—such as Rick Worley’s A Waste of Time, due in October—Northwest Press will soon be releasing digital editions of popular LGBT titles like Tim Fish’s Cavalcade of Boys and Tommy Roddy’s Pride High.
# # #
Web Links:
“iPad Publishing No Savior for Small Press, LGBT Comics Creators” on PrismComics.org: http://prismcomics.org/display.php?id=1858
Northwest Press: http://northwestpress.com

Apple’s iBooks: http://www.apple.com/ipad/built-in-apps/ibooks.html

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It’s the weekend, which I’m spending catching up on three weeks worth of reviews (and attempting to fit in other things).  What’s everyone else up to?

Around the Blogs:

The Beat – The Flaws of Kickstarter, part 1 – Absolutely disagree with this post and I’ll have my reasons next week.

Spinoff Online – The Hulk TV Series Won’t Tie Into Marvel Films, Del Toro Says – Not sure my thoughts about this.

Mashable – 14 Million U.S. Adults Used QR Codes in June [STUDY] – We’re seeing more and more QR codes in comics and at conventions.

GamePolitics – Swiss Police Association Calls for Ban of The Darkness II – Sigh….

Kotaku – Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain Doesn’t Want You to Know About His Pokémons – I picked up on this during the debate.  He had another quote too from the movie.

Around the Tubes Reviews:

CBR – Batman and Robin #26

Info Press – The Never Weres

Giant Fire Breathing Robot – Phonogram, Rue Britannnica

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It’s new comic day (wee!), so what are you getting this week?  After a nice long weekend, it’s already midweek!  Well, while you still get used to it being Wednesday and not Tuesday, here’s the news you might have missed.

Around the Blogs:

IGN – 10 Comics to Watch This Week – IGN has their pick as to what you should be picking up.

CBLDF – The Alaska Press Reacts to Recent Invalidation of Senate Bill 222 – It’s been a great few weeks for free speech and the First Amendment.

Con Coverage:

MTV Geek – Toys R Us and Entertainment Earth Have Some SDCC Surprises!

Comics Alliance – Toys “R” Us Reveals More Comic-Con Exclusive ‘Marvel Vs. Capcom 3’ Minimates

Around the Tubes Reviews:

Good Comic Books – Lady Mechanika #2

Ars Legendi – Penny Arcade Volume 6: The Halls Below

MTV Geek – BOOM Advance Reviews: Elric The Balance Lost #1 and Irredeemable #27

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It’s a long weekend, and I hope everyone takes advantage and enjoys the BBQs, beer, nice weather and fireworks.  Now, here’s some articles for you to read to spend some of your extra time this weekend.

Around the Blogs:

CBLDF – CBLDF Applauds Ruling Invalidating Alaska Censorship Law! – Been an awesome week for free speech. #winning

Comic Book Critic – Comics in the mid-1980′s and now – One person’s reflection on their past comic book buying habits.

Illume – Comic Books Draw Up Muslim Super Heroes – A pretty decent article with some of the recent history of Muslims and their depictions in comic books.

Con Coverage:

Bleeding Cool – Francis Ford Coppola Returning To Comic-Con After Almost Twenty Years

IGN – ThunderCats SDCC Exclusive Figure Reveal

Bleeding Cool – This Year, Twilight Will Not Ruin San Diego Comic Con

Kotaku – Toys R Us Brings Halo, Marvel Vs Capcom 3 Toys To Comic-Con

Jon Stewart Tramples on Free Speech and Comes Out in Favor of Censorship

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On last night’s The Daily Show, host Jon Stewart took up the recently decided Supreme Court case Brown v. EMA which dealt with the restriction of sales of “violent video games” to children.  The court decided in a 7 to 2 decision that it violates free speech to limit the sales, but also that it’s a parent’s responsibility to make these decisions.

Justice Scalia put it succinctly and eloquently in the decision where he wrote:

Video games qualify for First Amendment protection. Like protected books, plays, and movies, they communicate ideas through familiar literary devices and features distinctive to the medium. And “the basic principles of freedom of speech . . . do not vary” with a new and different communication medium.

Those same protections that apply to Stewart’s nightly show apply to video games, and by not defending free speech in every form, that makes him a hypocrite.

Here’s the Stewart clip.

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Ironically, Stewart’s guest was Bill Kristol, the editor of the Weekly Standard and one of the loudest proponents of the war in Iraq.  So, to sum up his view, real war and death = good, fake violence = bad.

[vodpod id=Video.12039735&w=425&h=350&fv=autoPlay%3Dfalse]

Stewart is a known video game fan too.

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