CBLDF benefit tonight in New York City

Jim Hanley's Universe (one of the best comic shops in the United States, in my humble opinion) is hosting a special event at 6 p.m. tonight to benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and call attention to the recent Mohammed cartoon controversy in Denmark:

On Wednesday March 8, Jim Hanley's Universe will be hosting a special "Flag Signing" for the CBLDF, where we want your autograph. Cartoonists and industry professionals are all invited to sign a flag of Denmark as a show of solidarity with the cartoonists being persecuted as a result of the still raging Mohammed cartoon controversy. The flag will be auctioned at a later date to support the free speech advocacy work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

The event was the idea of comic creator Colleen Doran, and the large vinyl Denmark flag was signed and drawn upon by comic creators at last week's New York Comic-Con. Signers so far include: Colleen Doran, Jim Lee, Neal Adams, Kevin Smith, Joe Quesada, Todd McFarlane, John Romita, Jr., Kevin Nowlan, Kevin Eastman, Paul Gulacy, Kevin Maguire, Larry Marder, Shannon Denton, Walt Simonson, Terry Austin, Scott Hanna, Rags Morales, Erik Larsen, Chris Eliopolous, Bob Wayne, Paul Levitz, Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack, Carlos D'Anda, Joe Staton, Jim Salicrup, Carl Potts, Bill Sienkiewicz, Irwin Hasen, Jim Steranko, Mark Bagley, Frank Cho, Michael William Kaluta, John Lucas, Daniel Vozzo, Ale Garza, Garth Ennis, Esad Ribic, Mike Lilly, Dean Yeagle and many others.

"The violent fundamentalist outbursts raging as a result of the Danish cartoons are chilling to everyone who values Free _Expression," said CBLDF Executive Director Charles Brownstein. "Everyone who loves comics understands the power of images, and most of us are aghast at how the lines these cartoonists put on paper has provoked violence rather than dialogue. When Colleen put this flag together, it was intended as a way for American cartoonists and comics professionals to express their solidarity with the Danish cartoonists facing persecution, and to emphasize the value we all place on freedom of expression. It's our hope that with this first signing event at Jim Hanley's that we'll be able to gather the signatures of every creator in our community that values Free Expression and the power of the images we create."

Jim Hanley's Universe is located at 4 West 33rd Street (opposite the Empire State Building). For more info, call 212-268-7088.