On FREE COMIC BOOK DAY remember your First Amendment Rights

Since 1986, when Michael Correa, the store manager for a Lansing, Illinois comic book shop called FRIENDLY FRANK'S was arrested for the possession and sale of comic books as obscene material, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) has provided legal assistance to protect the First Amendment rights of the readers, creators, retailers, publishers, and librarians of comic books, manga, and graphic novels.  Twenty-eight years later the CBLDF is still tackling censorship issues and standing up for First Amendment rights, including its recent efforts to have a Utah law that censored Internet speech and a California law that eliminated First Amendment protections for violent images declared unconstitutional by Federal Courts.

In additional to legal advocacy, the CBLDF also provides educational outreach regarding citizens rights in regard to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  CBLDF is partnering with the comic industry's FREE COMIC BOOK DAY event to help educate people about the importance of the First Amendment in a free society.  CBLDF will be distributing 2 books at 2014's FREE COMIC BOOK DAY, a parents guide on comic books & a comic book that has stories that explain the rights provided through the First Amendment, that you can pick up for free at participating comic book shops.

The CBLDF's publication, "RAISING A READER!" answers parents and educators questions about comic books, such as: what skills do they offer kids? What resources are available for using graphic novels in education? How do you teach reading with a comic page?  If you are a parent with young readers at home, pick this up!

"DEFEND COMICS" is a FREE COMIC BOOK DAY comic book that takes a light-hearted look at a serious topic.  It explores the censorship of comics through sketches by some of today's most talented artists.

For more information about the COMIC BOOK LEGAL DEFENSE FUND, visit www.cbldf.org

CLICK HERE to find a participating FREE COMIC BOOK DAY location near you. FREE COMIC BOOK DAY is the first Saturday in May (5.3.2014).