Jim Lee Added to SDCC Autograph Card/CBLDF Auction

Press Release:

Things From Another World is proud to announce the addition of Jim Lee to their Second Annual SDCC Autograph Card/CBLDF Auction event. The legendary artist, founder of WildStorm, and Co-Publisher of DC Comics will donate an original sketch to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for their annual auction at San Diego Comic-Con.

Lee burst onto the comics scene in the late 1980s with his work on Uncanny X-Men, and in 1991 he launched the series X-Men as both the artist and co-writer. In 1992, he was one of six artists to create Image Comics. Today, Lee is a major architect of DC Comics, one of the largest comic book publishers in America. This makes him a powerful force when it comes to protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics community.

In recent years, Lee has been drawing some of DC’s most iconic characters in All-Star Batman and Robin, Batman: Hush, and Superman: For Tomorrow. Fortunately, fans can get a copy of his CBLDF sketch: TFAW will be creating limited-edition autograph cards of all of the artwork donated by their participating publishers and creators, which will be distributed for free at SDCC this July.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Jim Lee to our Second Annual SDCC Autograph Card/CBLDF Auction event,” said TFAW Director of Marketing Andrew McIntire. “Not only is he a phemonemal artist, but he is a major figure in the future of the comics industry.”

Lee joins an esteemed group of creators who are supporting this CBLDF fundraising event, including Guy Davis, Jeff Parker, Tim Seeley, Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon, and many more.

If you’re a comics professional who wants to get involved, TFAW will gladly accept new participants up through July 9. Email Andrew McIntire at andrewm@tfaw.com with the subject line, “CBLDF Auction 2010″ for details. You can also visit http://www.tfaw.com/sdcc10-auction to see this year’s supporting publishers and creators.

Things From Another World is one of the nation’s premier retailers of comics, toys, collectibles, and pop-culture geek goodness. Find us online at http://www.tfaw.com.

Neil Gaiman and Tony Harris Join at C2E2 to Benefit CBLDF

Press Release:

On Saturday, April 17, Neil Gaiman will be giving his only reading in 2010 to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2)! To commemorate this extraordinary event, Tony Harris, the award-winning artist of STARMAN, EX MACHINA, and WAR HEROES has illustrated an all-new print based on the unpublished poem “In Relig Oran,” which Gaiman will premiere for the first time at “An Evening With Neil Gaiman!” While the text of the poem is top secret, a sneak peek of the art for this gorgeous 11″ x 20″ full color print is available here! Tony Harris will also be appearing at C2E2 in support of the CBLDF, appearing at the Fund’s booth to sign copies of “In Relig Oran” and his graphic novels.

The last time Neil Gaiman performed theatrical readings was ten years ago on the “Last Angel Tour.” On that tour, he crisscrossed the country, giving sold-out readings of stories and poems, both new material and beloved tales, in order to draw attention to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. That was ten years ago. In those ten years, Mr. Gaiman’s published such books as American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. He’s made movies and operas. He even started keeping a blog. A generation has grown up who have not seen an evening with Neil Gaiman — until now.

For One Night Only. Neil Gaiman. Only for the CBLDF, and only at C2E2!

Pre-sale tickets for An Evening With Neil Gaiman are still available until MONDAY, APRIL 12 for as low as $15 for C2E2 badge holders, but don’t delay — after Monday tickets are only available onsite and prices will be going up! Tickets are available at: http://c2e2.com/en/Events/Neil-Gaiman/

C2E2 Announces “An Evening with Neil Gaiman”

C2E2 ANNOUNCES “AN EVENING WITH NEIL GAIMAN”

Celebrated Author and Industry Icon to Appear on Behalf of Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo

New York, NY, March 5, 2010:  Neil Gaiman, the award winning author of novels, film, and comics including the epoch changing graphic novel series The Sandman will take the stage for a benefit appearance on behalf of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2).  An “Evening with Neil Gaiman”, a paid ticketed event, will happen on Saturday night, April 17, with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

The last time Gaiman performed theatrical readings was ten years ago when he did the “Last Angel Tour.” On that tour, he criss-crossed the country doing sold-out evenings reading stories and poems, new material and beloved tales in order to draw attention to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The “Last Angel Tour” was meant to have been the last ever such tour, and it produced the long-since sold out LIVE AT THE ALADDIN film. Even the posters from that tour now sell for hundreds of dollars.

That was ten years ago. A generation has grown up who have not seen an evening with Neil Gaiman. In these ten years he’s published such books as American Gods, Coraline and The Graveyard Book. He’s made movies and operas. He even started keeping a blog.

“Neil Gaiman is an enormous personality and it is a genuine privilege to have him perform at the inaugural C2E2 to bring attention to the important work that is carried out by the CBLDF,” states Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President for the Reed Pop Culture Group and Show Manager for C2E2.

“The Reed Pop Culture Group’s commitment to the CBLDF is tremendous, and we’re honored to work with them to create this unforgettable evening of storytelling to raise funds for the CBLDF’s important work,” says Charles Brownstein, the CBLDF’s Executive Director.

An “Evening with Neil Gaiman” will be Mr. Gaiman’s only public appearance at C2E2.  Tickets for the event will be available at www.C2E2.com beginning Monday, March 8^th at 12pm Central Time. You do not need a ticket to C2E2 to attend. Tickets for the general public start at $30 and C2E2 VIP Ticket Holders can attend for as low as $12. Ticket prices will increase at the door.  Visit www.C2E2.com now for full details and ticket pricing.

For One Night Only.  On the 17th of April 2010, at 7pm in the Arie Crown / IGN Theater at McCormick Place in Chicago. In support of the First Amendment. Neil Gaiman. You don’t want to miss this.

NYC – Conversational Comics

Conversational Comics, the three-panel speaker series sponsored by the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, concludes at host venue Union Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on Saturday, August 15 at 2:00 pm.

Austin English (Windy Corner, Christina and Charles), Lisa Hanawalt (Stay Away From Other People, I Want You) and Dash Shaw (Bottomless Belly Button, Bodyworld) will talk with comics critic Bill Kartalopoulos (Parsons, Print Magazine) about the relationship between image-making and drawing for comics. How do pictures work differently in comics than they do on gallery walls?

Then stick around to get a book signed, hit the taco truck, and sip a summer drink with our featured cartoonists. This is the concluding event in a three panel series of live conversations with contemporary cartoonists. Do not miss this final opportunity to listen to and mingle with artists currently changing the face of comics!

All events take place at 2:00 pm in the back room at Union Pool. Union Pool is located at 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211, one block from the Lorimer-Metropolitan G and L stop.

Suggested donation for each event is $5. All proceeds go to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Jeff Smith Named a Guest of Honor for C2E2

JEFF SMITH TO APPEAR IN CHICAGO AT C2E2

Noted Cartoonist, Graphic Novelist and Creator of BONE Joins Alex Ross as Guest of Honor

Norwalk, CT, July 9, 2009: Organizers of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) have today announced that Jeff Smith will appear as a Guest of Honor at the new pop culture convention which is being launched April 16 – 18, 2010 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center. This will be Mr. Smith’s first appearance in Chicago in ten years and C2E2 officials are pleased to confirm his participation just as the annual American Library Association (ALA) Conference, which is also taking place in Chicago, is set to begin on July 9th. Mr. Smith is highly regarded by the librarian community as graphic novels are an important and growing category for librarians as well as bookstores throughout the country. His BONE series, which has won 41 awards worldwide, including numerous Eisner Awards and Harvey Awards, was recognized by the ALA and Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) in 2002. The new color editions of BONE, which have recently been published by Scholastic, Inc., have sold more than 3 millions copies.

Mr. Smith is the second Guest of Honor to be announced by C2E2. Celebrated comic book painter and Chicago area resident Alex Ross will also appear at the show as its Keystone Guest of Honor. Show officials note that many more guests will be announced in the near future.

“We are incredibly happy that Jeff Smith has agreed to be a Guest of Honor at our show and this is a perfect moment to make this announcement,” notes Lance Fensterman, Vice President and Show Manager for C2E2. “One of our major objectives at ALA this year is to point out the significance of graphic novels in the world of books as well as the pop culture community. Jeff Smith is a standout in this regard. He is an American cartoonist who represents the quality and substance of the graphic novel medium. He has had an enormous influence in encouraging kids and teens to read books and we are very grateful that he’ll be joining us as a Guest of Honor in April.”

“I always have a great time whenever I visit Chicago,” said Smith. I’ve been away for a while, so I look forward to seeing old comics friends and readers, as well as the new generation that’s currently reading the color Scholastic edition of the stories.”

C2E2 is operated by the organizers of BookExpo America (BEA) and both events are sharing a booth (#2030) at ALA. Convention officials recently announced (July 2, 2009) that they are joining with the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) to organize a high profile panel and a “meet and greet” brewery party at this year’s ALA Conference. The activities are designed to call attention to free speech and to celebrate graphic novels and their importance in developing young readers. The panel, Ban those @#$*%! Comic Books, Graphic Novels, and Censorship, will take place on Monday, July 13, 1:30pm – 3:30pm (McCormick Convention Center, W-184). The brewery party, open to librarians and ALA attendees, will take place at the Piece Brewery (1927 W. North Ave.) on Monday, July 13, from 6pm – 8pm and will be directly followed by a fan meet up from 8pm – 9pm.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events organizer. In 2007 Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 39 fully staffed offices.

Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 500 events serves 47 industry sectors, including:

Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, building & construction, electronics, energy, engineering, entertainment, environment, food & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, IT, jewellery, life sciences & pharmaceuticals, property, manufacturing, medical education, packaging & converting, printing & visual communication, security, sports & recreation, travel.

Working closely with professional bodies, trade associations and government departments Reed ensures that each and every event is targeted and relevant to industry needs. As a result, many Reed events are market leaders in their field.

Reed Exhibitions is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a FTSE-100 company and world-leading publisher and information provider. In 2006, Reed Elsevier made adjusted profit before taxation of £1,052 million on turnover of £5,398 million.

NYC – Telling Stories: Fiction in Comics

CBLDF Launches “Conversational Comics,” a Summer Speaker Series at Union Pool, Brooklyn!

 

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund proudly presents Conversational Comics: a new summer speaker series taking place on three separate Saturday afternoons at Union Pool in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Please join us for lively panel discussions with artists currently changing the face of comics, all moderated by comics critic Bill Kartalopoulos. Then stick around to get a book signed, hit the taco truck, and sip a summer drink with our featured cartoonists.

All events take place at 2:00 pm in the back room at Union Pool. Union Pool is located at 484 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211, one block from the Lorimer-Metropolitan G and L stop.

July 11 @ 2:00 pm
Jessica Abel (Artbabe, La Perdida), Jason Little (Shutterbug Follies) and Matthew Thurber (1-800-Mice, Kramers Ergot) will talk about the nature of narrative and fiction in comics. We’ll consider forms of storytelling that comics can adapt, and others that comics can generate.

 

Telling Stories: Fiction in Comics

Suggested donation for each event is $5. All proceeds go to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Bill Kartalopoulos teaches classes about comics and illustration at Parsons. He is a Contributing Editor at Print Magazine, where he frequently writes about comics.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. For additional information, donations, and other inquiries please visit www.cbldf.org

CBLDF Hosts BEA Welcome Party

Press Release:

Join Us at the CBLDF Welcome Party—
Open to All BookExpo America (BEA) Attendees!

This Thursday, kicks off the summer convention season at the CBLDF’s Welcome Party! Enjoy free gourmet bites and a cash bar, while mingling with the best and the brightest authors and pros from the graphic novel world! The party runs from 6:00 to 9:00 PM at Hudson Terrace, conveniently located near the Javits Center on 621 W 46th Street between 11th & 12th Ave.

This event is open to all BEA attendees and CBLDF supporters. The party is free for current year CBLDF members. A suggested donation of $10 is asked for non-members. Sign up for membership at the party and receive a CBLDF lapel pin!

What: CBLDF’s BookExpo Welcome Party
When: May 28, 6:00 to 9:00 PM
Where: Hudson Terrace, 621 W 46th Street between 11th & 12th Ave
How Much: $10 suggested donation, and free to CBLDF members!
Dress: Business Casual

About the CBLDF: The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund was founded in 1986 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. They have defended dozens of free expression cases in courts across the United States, and led important education initiatives promoting comics literacy and free expression. For additional information, donations, and other inquiries, call 800-99-CBLDF or visit them online at www.cbldf.org.

If you haven’t had a chance to register for BEA or want more information, go to www.bookexpoamerica.com.

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