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Comics, Courts & Controversy: A Case Study Of The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, Marc H. Greenberg

Marc H. Greenberg

Abstract

Cartoons and comics have been a part of American culture since the formation of this nation. Throughout that lengthy history, comics and cartoons have also been a subject of controversy, censorship, legislation and litigation. They have been viewed as a threat to society, amid claims that they incite juvenile delinquency, and are scandalous, indecent and obscene.

This article is a case study of the work of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), a New York-based non-profit organization which provides legal defense for comic artists, collectors, distributors and retailers who find themselves facing civil and/or criminal penalties for the …

Reason Or Madness: A Defense Of Copyright's Growing Pains, Marc H. Greenberg

Marc H. Greenberg

The inspiration for this article came from my attendance a few years ago at an AALS panel of First Amendment scholars. The subject of the panel was the effect intellectual property law, and in particular, copyright law, had on free speech rights. One of the panelists asserted the view that copyright law posed the greatest threat to First Amendment freedoms in this generation. Although probably intentionally overstated, this provocative statement exemplified the passionate feelings of many in the academy.

Over the last twenty years a debate has been growing between scholars and practitioners over whether the duration and scope of …