Image Comics Creators Fight Censorship

IMAGE COMICS CREATORS FIGHT CENSORSHIP
Image teams with Comic Book Legal Defense Fund for powerful anti-censorship variants this September

PORTLAND, OR, 08/09/2018 — This September, Image Comics fights censorship with a powerful line of variant covers to benefit Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), the industry's voice for free speech advocacy and education. All proceeds from this dynamic campaign will support CBLDF's important legal work on behalf of comics creators, retailers, educators and readers.

All proceeds from this campaign will benefit CBLDF, with each title featuring two versions of the CBLDF Charity variant—one censored and one uncensored. Image Comics is pleased to reveal the censored versions here.

Spearheaded by HACK/SLASH creator Tim Seeley and Image Comics’ Publisher Eric Stephenson, this benefit includes contributions from Skottie Young, Mirka Andolfo, Howard Chaykin, Justin Greenwood, Geoffo, Ryan Browne, Wook-Jin Clarke, David Rubín, Martin Morazzo, Mark Torres, Danny Luckert, and Seeley himself.

"Comics have been uniquely affected by censorship since the very beginning," said Seeley. "I wanted to do something with my fellow Image creators to call attention to the problem, and to raise money for CBLDF to help their efforts to fight back. They own the Comics Code Seal of Approval, the censorship stamp that used to govern almost all comics until that organization died in 2011. We thought we'd bring back the Code for one month, to show how ham-fisted those censorship attempts were while having some fun making money for the CBLDF's important work."

Eric Stephenson, Publisher at Image Comics, added: "Freedom of expression is a core value at Image Comics. Image has been a proud corporate member of the Fund for more than a decade. Their work ensures that the comics we make can reach their audiences through retailers, libraries, and online without local authorities interfering. CBLDF is constantly fighting book bans, helping creators and librarians behind the scenes in big and small ways, as well as keeping an eye out to challenge unconstitutional laws that would affect free expression. We're grateful for their work and proud to support it."

For more than thirty years, Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has protected the First Amendment rights of comics field and developed powerful education efforts in the service of the community. CBLDF has defended a wide range of cases in 2018, most recently a challenge to the graphic novel Fun Home in New Jersey. The organization also produced important resources, notably Be Heard!, a comic book for students to help them understand their protest rights. To learn more about the CBLDF, please visit www.cbldf.org, or read their Summer Update.

Available in stores on Wednesday, September 5th (Final order cutoff deadline Monday, August 13th):

• BULLY WARS #1 by Skottie Young & Aaron Conley, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Young) - JUN188581
• BULLY WARS #1 by Skottie Young & Aaron Conley, Cover E CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Young) - JUN188582
• LAST SIEGE #4 by Landry Q. Walker & Justin Greenwood, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Greenwood) - MAY188978
• LAST SIEGE #4 by Landry Q. Walker & Justin Greenwood, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Greenwood) - MAY188979
• UNNATURAL #3 by Mirka Andolfo, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Andolfo) - JUN188801
• UNNATURAL #3 by Mirka Andolfo, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Andolfo) - JUN188802

Available in stores on Wednesday, September 12th (Final order cutoff deadline Monday, August 20th):

• HEY KIDS COMICS #2 by Howard Chaykin, Cover B CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Chaykin) - JUN188989
• HEY KIDS COMICS #2 by Howard Chaykin, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Chaykin) - JUN188990

Available in stores on Wednesday, September 19th (Final order cutoff deadline Monday, August 27th):

• BURNOUTS #1 by Dennis Culver & Geoffo, Cover B CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Geoffo) - MAY188964
• BURNOUTS #1 by Dennis Culver & Geoffo, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Geoffo) - MAY188965
• CURSE WORDS #16 by Charles Soule & Ryan Browne, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant VAR CENSORED (Browne) - MAY188968
• CURSE WORDS #16 by Charles Soule & Ryan Browne, Cover E CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Browne) - MAY188969
• FLAVOR #5 by Joseph Keatinge & Wook-Jin Clark, Cover B CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Clark) - MAY188976
• FLAVOR #5 by Joseph Keatinge & Wook-Jin Clark, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Clark) - MAY188977
• Tim Seeley’s HACK SLASH RESURRECTION #11 by Tini Howard & Celor, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Seeley) - MAY188974
• Tim Seeley’s HACK SLASH RESURRECTION #11 by Tini Howard & Celor, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSOR (Seeley) - MAY188975
• ICE CREAM MAN #7 by W. Maxwell Prince & Martin Morazzo, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Morazzo) - MAY188970
• ICE CREAM MAN #7 by W. Maxwell Prince & Martin Morazzo, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Morazzo) - MAY188971
• RUMBLE #7 by John Arcudi & David Rubín, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Rubín) - MAY188962
• RUMBLE #7 by John Arcudi & David Rubín, Cover D CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Rubín) - MAY188963

Available in stores on Wednesday, September 26th (Final order cutoff deadline Monday, September 3rd):

• COLD SPOTS #2 by Cullen Bunn & Mark Torres, Cover B CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Torres) - MAY188966
• COLD SPOTS #2 by Cullen Bunn & Mark Torres, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Torres) - MAY188967
• REGRESSION #11 by Cullen Bunn & Danny Luckert, Cover B CBLDF Charity Variant CENSORED (Luckert) - MAY188972
• REGRESSION #11 by Cullen Bunn & Danny Luckert, Cover C CBLDF Charity Variant UNCENSORED (Luckert) - MAY188973

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ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of bestselling 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 Comics, Skybound Entertainment, and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

ABOUT COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND (CBLDF) 
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is a non-profit organization protecting the freedom to read comics! Our work protects readers, creators, librarians, retailers, publishers, and educators who face the threat of censorship. We monitor legislation and challenge laws that would limit the First Amendment. We create resources that promote understanding of comics and the rights our community is guaranteed. Every day we publish news and information about censorship events as they happen. We are partners in the Kids’ Right to Read Project and Banned Books Week. Our expert legal team is available to respond to First Amendment emergencies at a moment’s notice. CBLDF is a lean organization that works hard to protect the rights on which our community depends. For more information, visit www.cbldf.org.