Next week is Comic-Con International: San Diego, the largest comic
book convention in the United States. The Fund is going to be
celebrating this week long tribute to comics and the popular arts
with a series of great signings, special events, and brand new
premiums to raise money for our casework. Read on!
EVENTS!
Thursday July 17:
CBLDF Members Reception at the Dublin Square
Join Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Will Eisner, Judd Winick, Jim
Valentino, Brian Azzarello, Jill Thompson, and a growing host of
comics celebrities in toasting the First Amendment at the Dublin
Square, San Diego's finest Irish pub. This party is free for
card-carrying CBLDF members over 21 years of age with a $5 suggested
donation for non-members. Festivities start at 8:30 and run until 11
PM. The Dublin Square is at 554 4th Avenue. Members MUST have their
2003 member card for free admission to the party. No Autographs,
please. For directions call 619-239-5818.
Dinner With Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, and Will Eisner
Visit eBay now for your chance to bid for a seat at dinner with one
of these comics legends! On Thursday evening Gaiman, Miller, and
Eisner will be dining with CBLDF supporters at a location to be
revealed to the auction winners. Visit
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=cbldf &include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25
for your chance to be part of this history making evening! Auction
ends Monday July 14.
Friday July 18:
Defenders of Liberty Signing with Frank Miller and Neil Gaiman
Groundbreaking graphic novelists Frank Miller and Neil Gaiman will be
signing brand new prints that benefit the CBLDF at this soon-to-be-
legendary signing. Gaiman and Miller have been among the most active
professionals supporting the CBLDF's battles and their commitment
to the Fund continues at this signing. 2:30 to 3:30 PM, AA3.
2003 Eisner Awards and Defender of Liberty Award Presentation
Come to comics' finest evening to pay tribute to the best work of
2002 and applaud Chuck Rozanski as he accepts the 2003 Defender of
Liberty Award. Neil Gaiman will be presenting the evening's
keynote speech. Other awards will include the Manning Award,
Clampett Award, & Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award. Doors open
at 8:15 and the ceremony runs from 8:30 - 10:30. There is a
no-host bar, but be sure to bring valid ID!
Saturday July 19:
CBLDF Benefit Auction
The Fund's annual San Diego auction brings out our best donations
to raise funds for our casework and this year's is no exception.
Keynote items include a Sandman quilt presented to Neil Gaiman on his
42nd birthday; Rich Koslowski's cover to Busted #12; Jim
Lee's lobster bib from the Palm Restaurant in Denver; a
reproduction of the script to Big Numbers #3 signed by Alan Moore,
and much, much more.
Visit http://www.cbldf.org to view the full list of items being
auctioned. The auction starts at 7:00 and runs until 9:00 in Room 8
of the San Diego Convention Center. Auction to be emceed by Defender
of Liberty Chuck Rozanski!
The Third Angel, An Evening with Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman continues his San Diego reading tradition with this
third "mid-evening" reading benefiting the CBLDF. The
bestselling author will be reading new selections and old favorites,
most notably "The Problem of Susan" an unpublished story for
adults only.
This is a ticketed event. Tickets are $5 for CBLDF members and $10
for non-members. Tickets can be picked up at the CBLDF booth. Doors
open at 9:30 at Room 8 of the San Diego Convention Center.
The front two rows have been reserved for members only. These
tickets can be obtained starting on Wednesday's Preview Night.
Be sure to show a valid 2003 CBLDF Member Card to take your seat up
front. Tickets will be available at the CBLDF booth, #1233/1235.
Sunday July 20
CBLDF Panel - The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is on the front
lines of the law to protect and serve the interests of comics
retailers, creators, and publishers. Come by this one hour
information session to find out what cases the Fund is currently
working on, what troubles are on the horizon, and you can help!
Charles Brownstein, Neil Gaiman, Denis Kitchen, Louise Nemschoff,
Milton Griepp. 12:30-1:30, Room 7B
PREMIUMS & DEBUTS!
SPX 2003: A Sequential Arts Travelogue - The 2003 edition of the
SPX anthology premieres at Comic-Con! Boasting a brand new cover by
Jaime Hernandez and over 40 new stories by leading edge new talent.
This book has a cover price of $9.95 and is only available at the
CBLDF booth!
"Band - Aid" Print by Frank Miller - Frank
Miller's disturbing vision of censorship was one of the best
selling shirts in the history of the CBLDF. The shirt is now out of
print, but we've brought back the classic "Band-Aid Girl"
image on a new full color print. This limited edition print is
available for a $20 donation to the CBLDF at Comic-Con; don't
miss out!
"Sunday" Print by Neil Gaiman - The CBLDF is proud to
release this rare print of Neil Gaiman's drawing of the literary
character "Sunday." This limited edition print is one of the
only editions of Gaiman art to be made available and it can be yours
for a donation of $10 to the CBLDF!
Gaiman/Miller Uncut Print - Neil Gaiman and Frank Miller's
prints rest side by side on this very limited uncut print signed by
both authors. Never before have these two signed a singular piece,
but they're doing it now to support the CBLDF. These uncut sheets
are strictly limited to 100 pieces, one of which can be yours for a
$50 donation to the CBLDF starting Friday July 18.
All-New Beanworld print by Larry Marder - The cult classic comic
Tales of the Beanworld has delighted a generation of comics readers
and inspired a new generation of authors who look to the comic as a
signpost towards creating a more abstract, personal, yet accessible
comics language. Marder stopped publishing Beanworld stories in
1994, but he didn't stop creating. The CBLDF is proud to release
this brand new image from a Beanworld we've never seen before!
"Man With Pen in Head" by Frank Miller - The last copies
of Frank Miller's first mini-comic "Man With Pen in Head"
will be made available to CBLDF members only at Comic-Con. Limited
to 100 numbered editions and 26 lettered editions, "Man With Pen
in Head" is Miller's rarest work ever. The lettered edition
is gone, but there's still a handful of the numbered edition, so
bring your 2003 Member Card to get your hands on a copy.
Vertigo Desk Diary -- Tidemark Press is premiering their all-new 2004
Vertigo Desk Diary at San Diego and have donated copies to the CBLDF
to raise money for our casework. This beautifully produced desk
diary features images from Vertigo's distinguished decade of
producing cutting edge comics. Get your copy from the CBLDF Booth #
1233/1235. Learn more about Tidemark's products by visiting
booth 817 at Comic-Con or www.tidemarkpress.com
CBLDF BOOTH SIGNINGS
Booth # 1233/1235
Thursday
Denis Kitchen 1:30 - 2:30 PM
Fund President and cartooning great Denis Kitchen signs and sketches
to benefit the CBLDF!
Brian Azzarello 3:30 - 4:30 PM
Author of the hard-hitting literary crime-drama 100 Bullets,
Azzarello will be signing and sketching to benefit the Fund.
Friday
Greg Rucka 1 - 2 PM
Author of Wolverine, Queen & Country, and Wonder Woman, as well as
several novels, Greg Rucka is one of the field's best talents.
Meet him at the CBLDF table where he'll sign your books!
Keith DeCandido 5 - 6 PM
Author of the recently published "Gene Roddenberry's
Andromeda: Destruction of Illusions" will be signing copies of
this new book at the CBLDF table!
Saturday
Jill Thompson 12 - 1 PM
Scary Godmother and L'il Death author Jill Thompson signs and
sketches to benefit the Fund!
Rich Koslowski 1 - 2 PM
Author of Three Fingers and the Three Geeks, Rich Koslowski will be
signing copies of Busted #14 bearing his memorable cover and
sketching to benefit the CBLDF!
Jai Sen 2 - 3 PM
Author of Garlands of Moonlight and the Golden Vine will sign copies
of these exquisite graphic novels to benefit the Fund!
Jaime Hernandez 3 - 4 PM
One of the most important living graphic novelists, Jaime Hernandez
and brothers Gilbert and Mario redefined the comics with their series
Love and Rockets. Jaime has graciously provided the beautiful cover
of SPX 2003 which you can get signed at the CBLDF booth!
Sunday
Larry Marder 12 - 1 PM
Author of the cult classic comics series "Tales of the
Beanworld," Marder will be releasing an all new Beanworld print
to benefit the Fund. This is Marder's first Beanworld appearance
in 5 years, don't miss out!
Frank Miller 2 - 3:30 PM
SIGNING FOR MEMBERS ONLY
CBLDF Members will have the opportunity to meet Frank Miller at this
ticketed signing. Tickets will be available starting when doors open
on Sunday to CBLDF members only. You must present a valid 2003 CBLDF
Member Card. Unfortunately, Mr. Miller will not be able to
accommodate requests for sketches. To accommodate everyone seeking
Miller's signature, we request a limit of three signatures per
person.
The above is just the tip of the iceberg; expect even more signings
and premiums to be announced in the coming week!
A couple of notes on the above -- the Sandman quilt is an amazing thing -- it's a huge, gorgeous object that was made and given to me by Michelle-of-the-Thingies, and she told me she thought it might be best auctioned for the CBLDF, and I am acceding to her wishes. If I wasn't afraid that everyone would politely stop bidding if I started, I'd bid for it back... (and I may...)
It's the Third Angel event because there have been two previous San Diego CBLDF readings. The other two were both midnight readings. Given my schedule, this is a mid-evening reading. (At the first of the midnight readings, I got to wear my scarlet velvet waistcoat for the first-- and last -- time.)
PS -- My very-black Mini arrived today. To make up for an embarrassing mistake on the part of the Mini company, which I will not talk about here for it would just rub salt into the wound if they ever read this, I also got a very apologetic bag filled with Mini Goodies -- mug, clothes, cap (already stolen by Maddy), compass and other stuff, which was a very nice way of saying sorry.
PPS -- given the nightmare of the INS visit, I suppose I should in all fairness mention that I went to the famously scary and unhelpful Department of Motor Vehicles to get a replacement driving license this morning, to replace the expiring one that was stolen in Poland, and I walked in, filled in a form, handed it over, was eye-tested, had a photo taken, and walked and out with a new license with a fairly unscary photo of me on it, within five minutes. The people were friendly and helpful, and the only odd moment was when the man checking my form was ticking off things between it and the computer asked "So your nationality is still white?" and suspecting he meant ethnicity I said yes -- I hadn't known that one was allowed to change these things.