Isn't quite this and isn't quite that is about as Beanworld as you can get--don't you think?

I wrote about my 2010 CBLDF/TFAW contribution a few weeks ago and here is the rest of the story. The email sent to solicit the art community's participation will help explain it to you:

Hi Larry,

Last year, Things From Another World and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund teamed up with you and other fantastic comics professionals to help raise more than $30,000 for the CBLDF’s annual auction at San Diego Comic-Con. Now we would like to ask you to participate in our Second Annual SDCC Autograph Card/CBLDF Auction event by generously donating an original piece of art to this effort.

We’re already off to an excellent start this year! We are thrilled to announce the participation of our flagship partner, Image Comics, one of the premier comic book publishers in the nation. The stellar folks at Image Comics are serious about supporting the CBLDF, and they are kicking things off with donations of art from many of their colossally talented creators!

However, we are determined to pack this event with every one of our favorite creators, and we hope that will include you! It's a wonderful way to support the First Amendment rights of the comics community while promoting your signings in San Diego.

As with last year, we are asking artists to create original works of art to donate to the CBLDF auction at San Diego Comic-Con. In exchange, you will receive 500 free limited-edition autograph cards of your sketch to distribute in San Diego, and we will also give out additional copies of your autograph cards at our booth during the Con.

I think this idea of TFAW's is sheer genius.
Under the guidance of Andrew McIntire, Elisabeth Forsythe, and the TFAW crew this project ended up making a substantial contribution to CBLDF though the auctioning of our original art.

Blank card

I hate to admit that I totally forgot about this until Saturday at noon when I was signing copies of Fractured Fables at the Image booth and saw a stack of someone else's cards sitting on the table next to me and realized I had not received my stack of cards.


No worries.
A quick flurry of texts uncovered the mystery--my cards had been mis-delivered to the Dark Horse booth.


Soon I had the cards in hand along with a nifty new CBLDF donation box with the "Look! I'm customized!" card tucked into it.



Folks started dropping their contributions into the slot and I started whipping out cards--each modified and personalized according the the contributors wishes. Often I'd ask for an emotion and was glad to serve up whatever came into my mind.



During slow times, I'd prepare a few in advance so Cory could keep the ball rolling when I was away from the table doing panels and the like. they are showcased in a new gallery you can find here.



Lots of fun.
Simple to do.

Each card is something that isn't quite an original drawing and isn't quite a print.
Isn't quite this and isn't quite that is about as Beanworld as you can get--don't you think?

Customized card tweeted by Chris Blanchard
" My Comic Con gift from @larrymarder via my brother."

2007 Beanworld Orphan Drawing Up for Adoption @ CBLDF Auction!

A Happy Professor Garbanzo.

3" x 4 1/2 " drawing.
Black and colored marker on paper
in 5" x 7" hand decorated colored mat.

I got a note from Jill @ CBLDF letting me know that the above Beanworld Orphan piece is up for adoption in an online CBLDF auction.

As I'm sure you know the funds raised in these auctions help support the First Amendment legal work the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund performs on behalf of the comics community. I suspect you also know that I'm on the Board of Directors of the CBLDF.

For the last twenty years the Fund defended the First Amendment rights of the comics art form. In that time, the specifics of the battles and skirmishes have changed, but the overall struggle remains the same – there are still zealous prosecutors who think that the people associated with comic books are easy targets to smear with a prosecutorial brush. It's the mission of the CBLDF to stand up and defend comics when unjustly accused of wrong doing.

The contributions of CBLDF members and contributors led to victory in the case of Georgia v. Gordon Lee, where a comic book retailer struggled for three years against prosecutors who tried to strip him of his freedom over charges that were eventually dropped.

I always say this but it is true, yes, I know times are tough, and personal funds are more than a bit tight, but the good work that CBLDF does is just as important as it ever has been--if not more.

And you can not only help by contributing to the Fund but you can give this orphaned drawing of Professor Garbanzo a good home.