Image To Publish CBLDF ‘Liberty Annual’ Collection This August

Image Comics will publish a trade paperback collection of five years' worth of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund's Liberty Annuals this August. Titled CBLDF Presents Liberty, the collection includes comics from some of the industry's premier talents, originally published between 200 and 2012.

CBLDF Presents Liberty includes an exclusive Walking Dead story by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, an exclusive Criminal tale by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips, and Neil Gaiman and Jim Lee's 100 Words among many other works. While these annuals are available for individual purchase if you can track them down, this is the first time they've ever been collected.

All proceeds from sales of the trade will go to benefit the CBLDF and assist in their mission of protecting the First Amendment rights of comics creators, publishers and readers.

Founded in 1986, the CBLDF has been involved in a number of high-profile cases concerning comics. This includes the case of Ryan Matheson, an American wrongfully arrested by Canadian authorities and charged with possession of pornography over manga. Due to the CBLDF's efforts, he was not charged with any major crime.

The CBLDF also routinely reports on matters of comics censorship the world over, including the ongoing legal saga of Rokudenashiko, as well as the banning of books like Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki's This One Summer.