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Image Comics to Publish Censored – And Non-Censored – Variant Covers for CBLDF

This September, Image Comics will be running added variant covers to benefit their Portlandian neighbours, the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), the industry voice for free speech advocacy and education.

All proceeds from this campaign will benefit CBLDF, with each title featuring two versions of the CBLDF Charity variant—one censored and one uncensored. And you get to see the censored versions below.

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.

It will likely cause concern from those who believe the CBLDF has defended voices that are beyond the pale. And that Image Comics has itself published material that some have found offensive. But that is probably the point.

"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 acted to protected the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers and retailers, and developed education efforts in the service of the community. The 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 educational resources, including Be Heard!, a comic book for students to help them understand their protest rights.

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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