Press Release
United We Stand Against Censorship! That’s the message from Image Comics, over two dozen of the industry’s greatest creators, and our friends at DC Comics and Marvel Comics, who have all banded together to deliver the greatest CBLDF benefit comic yet — CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011!
Famed comics editor Bob Schreck, Editor-in-Chief of Legendary Comics, and Assistant Editor Greg Tumbarello view censorship as the ultimate form of bullying and have gathered an all-star team of comics creators to tell powerful stories that take a stand against censorship. CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011 comprises 48 powerful pages of all new stories and art. The proceeds from the sale of the book benefit the ever-important First Amendment work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
Schreck declares, “It’s an honor to be asked to edit LIBERTY ANNUAL! We wanted to show the human side of what it means to be censored, and we’re elated with how many powerful and heartfelt tales were delivered. With an American facing prosecution in Canada for the comics he reads, the work that CBLDF does is more important now than ever, and the CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL is essential tool in the fight against censorship.”
CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011 collects incredible contributions, including original stories by superstars J. Michael Straczynski (Superman: Earth One), Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman), J.H. Williams III (Batwoman), Steve Niles (30 days of Night), Judd Winick (Catwoman), Mark Waid (Daredevil) and Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth), and Carla Speed McNeil (Finder). Look for all-new tales featuring Grendel by Matt Wagner, Cowboy Ninja Viking by AJ Lieberman and Riley Rossmo, and Elephantmen by Richard Starkings and Shaky Kane. Plus: a massive and first-ever full-color story from independent comics master Craig Thompson (Blankets)! Marvel and DC Comics have stepped up to show their support, with all-new pin-ups of Batman by Dustin Nguyen, X-Men by Greg Land, Green Lantern by Ivan Reis, and the Avengers by Greg Horn! It’s all topped off by incredible covers by John Cassaday, Matt Wagner, and two variant covers by Frank Quietly: a full-color, 1 in 25 cover, and a black and white, 1 in 50 cover!
“Bob’s experience as an editor is hard to beat, and we’re proud to have him at the helm,” says CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein. “Bob made a book that has something to say, without being sentimental or preachy. He’s made a comic we can all be proud of, and that will go a long way towards advancing the CBLDF’s important work.”
Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson says, “It should go without saying that free speech is one of our most fundamental rights as citizens of this great country. Our right to free expression is challenged on a daily basis, though, and sometimes, those challenges occur within the comics world. Without the diligence of organizations like the CBLDF, everyone in the comics community would be much worse off. There are always bullies out there trying to keep people from enjoying the rights we’re all entitled to, but thankfully there are also people willing to stand up for those rights. I’m proud that Image is able to lend a hand.”
Join the fight against censorship by picking up your copy of CBLDF LIBERTY ANNUAL 2011 (AUG110415), a 48-page full color comic book benefiting the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, available from Image Comics on October 12, 2011, for $4.99.
ABOUT THE COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics artform and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians, and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance, and education in furtherance of these goals.
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visitwww.imagecomics.com.
