Oni Press is declaring “Fight Censorship, Read Comics,” with a new line of merchandise celebrating Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer, aka one of the most banned books in America, year after year. A portion of proceeds from the new shirts, patches, enamel pins, keychains, prints and more will benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) and the Florida Freedom to Read Project (FFTRP).
“The freedom to read, the freedom to access information, and the freedom to learn are some of the most vital rights in this country,” said Kobabe via a press release provided to Comic Book Club. “Removing books from schools and public libraries cuts off people’s access to knowledge about the wider world and about their own lives within it. This is especially true when the books being removed are about minority identities, or topics less commonly portrayed in popular culture. A book that might seem pointless to one reader might be life-saving to another. Removing a book because its themes offend one reader is censorship, and must be combated at every turn. Please stand up for the freedom to read and the freedom to write!”
The 15 items will, per the publisher, feature “multiple all-new, never-before-seen pieces, including a brand-new GENDER QUEER t-shirt design by Kobabe, available in three distinct colorways curated by the artist (available in sizes in XS – XXXL) – each hand silkscreened in the United States on super-soft Comfort Colors shirts. The FIGHT CENSORSHIP, READ COMICS Pre-Order Exclusive Merch Collection also features GENDER QUEER patches, enamel pins, and keychains, alongside limited-edition signed and numbered editions of the GENDER QUEER: DELUXE EDITION hardcover bearing signatures by Kobabe and high-quality, 18×24” giclee prints featuring the artist’s powerful “Fight Censorship, Read Comics” artwork (available in both signed and unsigned editions).”
While the goods are available for preorder on OniPress.com now until August 20, and will be fulfilled starting in September, some select items will also be available at San Diego Comic-Con in July.
“For nearly a century, comics as an art form have played a critical role in championing the all-American ideals of free speech, equality, and anti-authoritarianism,” said Oni Press President & Publisher Hunter Gorinson. “Although Maia’s work is one of the first and prominent examples of impactful and important work to be singled out by pro-censorship forces, we can guarantee that it will not be the last. It is the responsibility of creative institutions like Oni Press and our fellow publishers to protect the free expression of cartoonists and our medium as a whole, and we are proud to support the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Florida Freedom to Read Project with our ongoing ‘Fight Censorship, Read Comics’ initiatives.”
You can check out some of the merch below!
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