Denis Kitchen has worn many hats, including artist, publisher, author, historian and founder of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. A Kickstarter has launched to fund a documentary about him, Oddly Compelling, and Cemetery Dance spoke to Kitchen about the documentary, comics censorship, if horror comics are treated differently, and ways to take action.
(Interview conducted by Danica Davidson)
CEMETERY DANCE: What can you tell us about Oddly Compelling?
DENIS KITCHEN: Well, the filmmakers are trying to capture the essence of my long professional career in comics as a cartoonist, publisher, writer, agent, and activist, while also exploring my personal side as a quirky and compulsive collector, and artistry that veers from comics creation to surreal “chipboard” drawings, and a strange path defined by thousands of Frankenstein dolls in my woods.
How has censorship impacted horror comics and the comics industry at large?
Censorship is an ongoing societal problem that probably hits comics disproportionately, simply because of their graphic nature, and often being on the cutting edge of the culture. I founded the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund in the late ‘80s to have a clearing house to raise money and defend First Amendment rights in our industry. For the first couple decades or so that focus was on comics retailers who were sometimes pressured, arrested, or prosecuted for selling material objectionable to local authorities. It’s still going strong, and shops can still be vulnerable, but because comics and graphic novels have proliferated so much — a good thing — there now seems to be never-ending incidents in school and public libraries, and so the problem has exceeded our traditional comics environment.
Do you think horror comics are treated differently from other comics when it comes to censorship?
Not particularly in my experience. Graphic sexual content will always be the primary target of censors. But a good horror comic book that also contains sex and political messages needs to absolutely be on guard.
You’ve paid attention to comics censorship for a long time. What has changed and what has stayed the same when it comes to comics censorship in the past and in modern times?
What has changed most dramatically over my long career is the rise of the internet and the new opportunities technology poses with consequent problems. Legal issues surrounding censorship in the comics industry typically involve sales of restricted comics to underage customers. Brick and mortar retailers, for example, who take precautions in this area will put adults-only comics higher on racks or in a restricted area of the store, or even behind the counter. But savvy children or mid-teens seeking provocative comics posted online can bypass simple age checkboxes and access material they shouldn’t. What doesn’t change is the relentless nature of certain people and groups who want to control what others read. That hasn’t changed in all the years I’ve been an observer and I see no diminishing of those efforts on the horizon. The First Amendment is key and must not be compromised as political headwinds may blow even harder.
What would you like people to know about the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund?
First, that it exists to protect anyone in the comics industry whose First Amendment rights are threatened. Typically retailers are on the front lines to be persecuted, but it can also be a publisher or an artist or a distributor. It can take tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend a retailer, but in every case it is important to fight the good fight and never to give into the powers who want to suppress free speech. Secondly, fans who are not directly threatened should join the CBLDF to be a part of the solution. Annual membership is reasonable and often comes with perks beyond the satisfaction of doing the right thing. The fund also depends on donations, so please support the periodic auctions or convention appearances and events. Start by visiting cbldf.org.
What can people do about censorship in their communities?
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is the country’s oldest organization that protects civil rights in general. Just like joining the CBLDF in our smaller community, joining the ACLU is a good local first step. Being an active participant and supporter of local public libraries is another important cornerstone. There are countless regional and local organizations that I can’t begin to enumerate, but any relationship with the ACLU and the library(s) in your community will doubtless introduce you to other groups with anti-censorship agendas. This is not a good time to lay on the couch: activism is good citizenship at its best.
