Steve Fesenmaier writes “Ken Avidor, creator of the librarian-based comic strip GONDWANALAND based on Sandy Berman, Chris Dodge, and other librarians, has been forced out by the alt weekly in Minneapolis, Pulse. He asks me,
Steve,
I would like very much to see a discussion about censorship in “flyover country.”
There’s been recent news about attempts to muzzle Aaron Magruder (The Boondocks) Matt Groening (Simpsons) and other syndicated,nationally distributed cartoonists. Do librarians feel the climate of censorship is worse on the local level? Are local cartoonists more vulnerable and how has media consolidation hurt free speech in small communities? How can artists and writers be protected in small media markets?
I learned a lot about censorship from librarians (especially Sandy Berman).
If you do start a discussion, please include this URL which links to the relevant sites
Thanks,
Avidor
Avidor Studios
3629 Grand Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55409
612-827-0545″
Conspiracy Theory
A pal of Steve’s get canned so instantly there’s a global conspiracy to censor cartoonists.
The sky is falling! The sky is falling!
An accusation is made but no details are given.
Editors can refuse to publish for any reason.
Most writers and artists are lucky if they find an editor that will publish their work as it
is without changing it and pay something for it…
IT’S NOT WORTH the effort of getting their approval, the pittance the pay (if they do
pay) and a tiny space in a rag that few
people read.
Avidor can self publish on paper or on the internet. Then he takes back the power to publish his work and no editor can stop it from being seen.
Re:Conspiracy Theory
This guy is not really a pal – he lives in Minnesota and I live in West Virginia. This person is completely missing the point – after years of publishing Avidor’s cartoons, the publisher decides to pull it – after he includes something protesting a REAL SITUATION. Mr/Ms. Anonymous – what do YOU really think about alt publications censoring protest? What they say about Avidor can apply to any writer, TV show, etc. – JUST GO TO THE WEB! But why should that let censors commit their heinous acts? I write for WV’s largest monthly – and certainly protest when my editor CENSORS MY COLUMN – and he now leaves it alone.
Lots of people do real PULSE…and many other similar publications. How long would it take for Avidor’s website to get 60,000 hits?
Why does this person want to fold to censors so quickly? And why not give your name?????????????