Charles Brownstein, who has been the principal reporter for Comicon.com's Splash page for the past year, has been named the new Executive Director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  He replaces Chris Bleistein who recently resigned from the position (see 'Bleistein Leaves CBDLF').  The CBDLF is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the first amendment rights of all those who create, publish, distribute and sell comic books.  Brownstein was clearly excited over the challenges and opportunities of his new position, 'I'm excited by the opportunity to work for the Fund,' he said.  At this stage in comics history and national affairs, a strong CBDLF is more important than ever. We don't yet know what the cost of free speech is in the 21st Century, but we need to ensure that the Fund is there to help preserve it regardless of price.'

Brownstein began his career in comic journalism as the writer and publisher of the interview magazine Feature, and his probing interviews, both in the fourteen issues of Feature and in subsequent journalistic venues, invariably shed considerable light on their subjects while also revealing the interviewer's steadfast commitment to the comics medium. In addition to reporting, Brownstein brought his indefatigable energy to a two-year stint as the Programming Director for Comic-Con International.  Brownstein's knowledge, commitment, and high energy level obviously impressed CBDLF President Denis Kitchen, who noted, 'I've worked with Charles on an industry committee for the past two years and I have been impressed with his fresh ideas, intellect and round-the-clock work ethic. I can't wait to see what this combination does for our organization.'