Posts Tagged ‘Free Speech’

12 items.

Lady Gaga Nixes Weird Al Parody UPDATED

by Colleen Doran on April 20th, 2011
Posted In: Blog, Creator Resources, Free Speech, Humor, Creator Resources, Legal, Culture, Music

UPDATE: YAY! Seems Gaga Land is surrounded by a moat: a moat of managers who don’t forward info to the lady in the tower. Ms Gaga claims she never saw the parody because it never got past her manager! And she loves the parody!

Gaga’s manager has now admitted that he never forwarded my parody to Gaga – she had no idea at all. Even though we assumed that Gaga herself was the one making the decision (because, well, that’s what we were TOLD), he apparently made the decision completely on his own.

The album is back on. Yay!

Original article below. La GaGa has a sense of humor after all. Delighted to hear it!

Where I come from, parody is a protected free speech right. But in GaGa Land, not so much.

Weird Al has parodied celebrities like Michael Jackson. The King of Pop appeared to have a sense of humor.

As is his custom, Weird Al also asked permission of Ms Germanotta to use his parody of her song on an upcoming album. Proceeds for the song were to be donated to charity.

La Gaga said non.

From Weird Al’s blog:

My parodies have always fallen under what the courts call “fair use,” and this one was no different, legally allowing me to record and release it without permission. But it has always been my personal policy to get the consent of the original artist before including my parodies on any album, so of course I will respect Gaga’s wishes. However, given the circumstances, I have no problem with allowing people to hear it online, because I also have a personal policy not to completely waste my stinking time.

I love Weird Al, and think he’s dandy.

The new song has been brought to worldwide attention by the delicate sensibilities of a lady who wears meat, so thanks, Ms Germanotta!

And thanks, Al, for letting us enjoy it.

Since the song will not be released commercially, you may donate directly to the Human Rights Campaign website here.

Click here to return to my webcomic. Lady Gaga may drop in to pinch some of my costume designs. They’re about her speed.

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J Michael Straczynski Saves College Newspaper

by Colleen Doran on October 20th, 2010
Posted In: Blog, Creator Resources, Education, Creator Resources, Free Speech, Creator Resources, Legal

Students journalists at the Southwest College Sun had their paper scuttled when administrators claimed their printing practices were in violation of school policy. The policy had not been enforced in fifteen years.

Journalism professor Max Banscomb claims Raj Chopra, president of Southwestern College, and other administrators targeted the paper for political reasons. The paper has been openly critical of school policy and administrator conduct.

Branscomb said students have had difficulty communicating with the administration and that it has been difficult to conduct interviews.

“Chopra hasn’t spoken to the newspaper for almost two years now,” he said. “Dr. Chopra has scolded me in the past very forcefully. He blames the Sun for a lot of the negative coverage the college is getting.”

Funding was pulled from the paper, and it was removed from the school website. Branscomb and three students were threatened with arrest for taking a laptop from the journalism department.

J Michael Straczynski to the rescue:

Southwestern College supporter J. Michael Straczynski , an Emmy Award-winning writer and a former Southwestern College and San Diego State University student, underwrote the first edition with about $3,500. Straczynski created the science fiction television series “Babylon 5.”

“The students decided they wanted to print this first paper without district money,” Branscomb said. “They want to make a statement that you can’t stop the students from printing the paper through intimidation. They pulled it off. I’m amazed.”

From The San Diego City Times:

It is a shame that the college administration sat back as the Sun’s editorial board sought private funds to print.

We stand alongside our colleagues at Southwestern and will continue to support the progression of free speech in a society that may wish to censor an unbiased voice.

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GIVE ME FREEDOM OF SPEECH

by Colleen Doran on July 16th, 2010
Posted In: Blog, Culture, Comics, Creator Resources, Free Speech, Culture, Comics, Image Comics

Image Comics to release LIBERTY COMICS 2010 in October, benefiting the CBLDF

Berkeley, CA – 15 July 2010 – What do Frank Miller, Jeff Smith, Geoff Johns, Jim Lee and Image Comics have in common? They all support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which protects your right to make, sell and read the comics you love. Image Comics is showing its continued support for the CBLDF with the publication of LIBERTY COMICS 2010 this October.

The CBLDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of the First Amendment rights of the comics art form and its community of retailers, creators, publishers, librarians and readers. The CBLDF provides legal referrals, representation, advice, assistance and education in furtherance of these goals.

LIBERTY COMICS is the annual ensemble of comic book greats, all of whom have donated their time and energy to support the CBLDF. With two issues published to date, LIBERTY COMICS has raised over $50,000 for the Fund.

LIBERTY COMICS 2010 will feature some of the best in the industry, including a new The Boys story by GARTH ENNIS & ROB STEEN, the first new Megaton Man adventure by DON SIMPSON in over a decade, an all-new Milk & Cheese story by EVAN DORKIN, a preview of The Contrarian by SCOTT MORSE, a new Conan tale by DARICK ROBERTSON, Boilerplate by ANINA BENNETT & PAUL GUINAN and “Why We Fight!” by LIBERTY COMICS editor LARRY MARDER.

LIBERTY COMICS will also feature all-new short stories and illustrations by GEOFF JOHNS & SCOTT KOLINS, FRANK MILLER, GABRIEL BÁ & FÁBIO MOON, PAUL POPE, JEFF SMITH, TERRY MOORE, DAVE GIBBONS, BRIAN AZZARELLO & JILL THOMPSON, ROB LIEFELD, COLLEEN DORAN and SKOTTIE YOUNG as well as all new covers by JIM LEE and DARICK ROBERTSON. Design for the entire package is contributed, as always, by Richard Starkings and John Roshell from Comicraft.

“The comics community would be at a great loss without the CBLDF around to protect our First Amendment rights,” says Marder. “LIBERTY COMICS is such a great way both creators and comics fans can show their support. Creators break into their busy schedules, donating their time and creativity. Fans can express their appreciation by purchasing LIBERTY COMICS from the CBLDF or from their favorite comics shop. I think this year’s LIBERTY COMICS will be the most diverse and cool issue yet!”

Adds Image Comics Publisher Eric Stephenson, “We’ve always been enthusiastic in our support for the CBLDF, but it’s both an honor and a pleasure to be involved with the many fine creators donating their talents to LIBERTY COMICS. Larry’s put together an outstanding book this year!”

LIBERTY COMICS 2010, a 48-page full-color comic book from Image Comics, will be available October 6, 2010. All proceeds from LIBERTY COMICS will benefit the First Amendment legal work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund!

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Bloody Cartoons

by Colleen Doran on April 7th, 2010
Posted In: Blog, Culture, Comics, Culture, Comics, Comics History, Creator Resources, Free Speech

Watch Bloody Cartoons this week on the Ovation Channel. The film is about the Mohammed cartoons – graven images of the Muslim leader – which sparked riots and precipitated over 100 deaths when they were published in the Denmark paper Jyllands Posten.

Previews here:


Bloody Cartoons

WHY DEMOCRACY? | MySpace Video

Full 53 minute video here. I assume that’s legal.

Direct link to info, as well as supporting reference and research HERE.

MYSPACE page here.

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Steve Bissette and the Front Line of the Comics Wars

by Colleen Doran on March 18th, 2010
Posted In: Blog, A Distant Soil Blog Posts, Blog, Colleen's Work, Culture, Comics, Culture, Comics, Comics History, Creator Resources, Culture, Creator Resources, Free Speech, Creator Resources, Legal, Creator Resources, Publishing

You will not want to miss PART 5 and PART 6 of Steve Bissette’s fascinating series on the comic book industry wars of the 1980′s. I get an extra special mention in PART 6.

I wrote in my last post that most of the major problems I had with censorship and harassment were due to no more than a handful of people who spent years trying to get my books banned, and writing finger-wagging letters about my personal behavior.

Because a couple of these people were peripherally involved in the industry, they had the ear of retailers and distributors – and even a few pros – for awhile, before their rampant nuttery drove even the most credulous support away. Not before they had cost me thousands in legal fees, countless hours of time, and gotten my work expunged from some comic shops.

One seriously disturbed individual who has a small list of publishing credits, spent well over a decade on a personal campaign to get me to “clean up” my “act” (his words). These are excerpts of some of his letters to me. He sent far more disturbing letters over time, and expanded his crusade to sending letters to other pros, comic shops, distributors, a number of comics industry magazines, my editors, my lawyers, and my family in an effort to correct my behavior.

One publisher, Starblaze, with whom I was involved in an acrimonious class action suit, had an entire file of letters from this lunatic. Their lawyer was dopey enough to bring a one- inch thick chronicle of the weird to the deposition. They were going to use this campaign of creep in the case as evidence of my bad character.

To their credit, they dropped the idea before things got very far.

And after all that, he then spent years sending me his resume demanding that I hire him. When I did not, he attempted to have me prosecuted via the EEOC citing, religious, age, and sex discrimination as grounds.

In the end, he was involuntarily committed to an institution, but eventually released. His efforts to have my books banned dried up when I went to Image Comics in 1996, but he continued to harass me for years after.

This is a small excerpt from the letters he sent beginning sometime in the early 1980′s.

The really scary thing about this guy was just how long he got away with it. Many people considered him credible. All because he claimed his campaign was to protect children’s delicate little psyches.

Wasted hours, and money, and pictures I’ll never create, all because I drew two guys holding hands in a comic book, and a minor flash of skin between consenting adult cartoon characters. Some drooling stalker used this front of SAVE THE CHILDREN concern to force my attention.

For the record, Corrine is not based on me.

The more I ignored him, the wilder his efforts to have my books thrown out of comic shops. And people listened to this guy for years.

It also goes without saying he bought everything I did.

I’ve never met the guy.

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