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This week on the Capes and Tights Podcast, Justin Soderberg welcomes comic book retailer Paul Eaton to the podcast to discuss banned or challenged graphic novels for Banned Books Week.
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in libraries, bookstores, and schools. Typically held during the last week of September (this year October 5-11), the annual event highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community — librarians, educators, authors, publishers, booksellers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.
The theme of this year’s event is Censorship Is So 1984 — Read for Your Rights.
The most common justifications for censorship provided by complainants were false claims of illegal obscenity for minors; inclusion of LGBTQIA+ characters or themes; and covering topics of race, racism, equity, and social justice.
