The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund announced at the ComicsPro retailer association annual meeting in Memphis this past weekend that the CBLDF has a retailer as its President for the first time in its 22 year history.  Chris Powell, General Manager of Lone Star Comics and President Pro Tem of ComicsPro, takes over the post immediately replacing Chris Staros.  Staros resigned from both his post as president and from the board to devote more time to Top Shelf Productions.  

Powell said his priorities in his new post are to increase the use of technology in both mission and fundraising work, and to add more retailer members to the Fund.  "We will increase our outreach to new and current members, and increase our ability to share news and information about the ongoing fight to protect the First Amendment rights we all depend upon to do business,” he said.  

Larry Marder, creator of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel Beanworld and longtime industry executive, joined the board of directors to fill the vacancy created by Staros’ departure.