Stumptown Comics Expands Board of Directors

After an extensive search for new board members, Stumptown Comics is proud to announce the confirmation of three new members to our team: Comic Book Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Charles Brownstein, acclaimed Boilerplate co-author Anina Bennett and Eisner award-winning editor Shawna Gore.

Brownstein, Bennett and Gore will join the current board members, Stumptown Comics President Joe Keatinge, current Secretary Pollyanne Birge, interim Treasurer Matt Bors, Andy Johnson and Shannon Stewart as they continue to expand the organization's efforts promoting education about the art form of comics on both a local and international level, including the long-running Stumptown Comics Fest. In addition, Bennett will chair the Development Committee as Gore takes over the role as the board's Secretary.

ABOUT CHARLES BROWNSTEIN Charles Brownstein has served as the Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund since 2002. During his years at the helm of the organization, the CBLDF has successfully managed several First Amendment cases, including a notable win in Georgia v. Gordon Lee, and been cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. EMA. The CBLDF has also successfully participated in a wide variety of challenges to unconstitutional legislation. Under Brownstein's watch, the CBLDF has also grown its budget to accommodate a full-time staff of three people, a move to New York City, and an increasingly vital program of events across the United States.

ABOUT ANINA BENNETT Writer Anina Bennett is the co-author (with her husband, Paul Guinan) of the steampunk sensation Boilerplate: History's Mechanical Marvel and the new book Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention (Abrams 2012). She and Paul also created the Eisner-nominated science fiction series Heartbreakers, one of the first comics to feature clones and female action heroes. Anina is a recovering comic book editor, having previously shepherded titles such as Nexus, GrimJack, and Harlan Ellison's Dream Corridor for First Comics and Dark Horse Comics, as well as Disney stories for the European market.

ABOUT SHAWNA GORE Shawna Gore is a writer and editor who has worked professionally in the world of comics since 1997, when she joined the staff of Dark Horse Comics as the company's first publicist. In that role, Shawna worked alongside comics greats such as Will Eisner, Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Harvey Pekar, and others, to bring broader media attention to the world of comics and bridge the cultural gap that seemed to separate comics from other forms of entertainment. In 2001 and 2002, Shawna served a key role representing Dark Horse in the industry-wide effort to build a wider audience for comics through the creation of Free Comic Book Day. In 2003, Shawna transitioned into a more creative role and became an editor for Dark Horse, working on a broad range of material, from original creator-owned horror and humor comics, to archival collections of hard-to-find classics. She accepted two Eisner awards for her work on archival books in 2009 and won accolades for her dream project--the 25th anniversary edition of Bernie Wrightson's illustrated version of Mary Wollstonescraft Shelley's Frankenstein. Now working as a freelance editor and creative consultant in Portland, Shawna spends her free time reading, gardening, and playing music with friends.

Stumptown Comics is looking forward to having such dynamic, accomplished and passionate new board members and all of the new energy and ideas they will bring to the organization.