The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund has announced the unanimous election of Atlantis Fantasyworld owner Joe Ferrara to its Board of Directors.  Ferrara replaces longtime CBLDF board member Frank Mangiaracina, the Fund's first defendant and owner of B-Bop and Friendly Frank's stores.  Mangiaracina retired from the Board of Directors earlier this summer.  The newly elected Ferrara will serve alongside CBLDF president Chris Staros, Vice President Greg Ketter, Treasurer Milton Griepp, Secretary Louise Nemschoff, and at-large members Peter David, Neil Gaiman, Steve Geppi and Paul Levitz.

Ferrara brings 29 years of retail experience to the Fund's Board of Directors.  An innovative retailer, Ferrara was one of the first storeowners interviewed by ICv2 when he discussed how to attract more female customers to comic shops in these pages back in 2001 (see 'Better Retailing -- Expanding Your Sales toWomen').