Ericka Crouse

Ericka Crouse is a contributor to Comixpedia.

Behind the Cartoon Shield: The Comic Book Legal Defence Fund

By: Ericka Crouse
Department: Features
Issue: December 2003 Issue

You probably know that a court can prevent shops from selling certain materials. Did you also know they can prosecute retailers for selling adult comics to other adults? That retailers can be prosecuted and convicted for selling obscene material even if those comics are in a separate part of the store from regular comics? Did you know that law enforcement and the District Attorney's office can make life very difficult for a private individual, for selling comics that are not obscene to minors? Did you know they can prevent you from drawing or creating anything, even if it's for yourself in your own home?

You'd know all these things if you follow the thrilling exploits of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. You'd also know that sometimes, but not always, justice wins out over stupidity and repression.

Like The Undead, It Keeps Coming Back: Creature-Features.com

By: Ericka Crouse
Department: Features
Issue: October 2003 Issue

When the Creature-Features site was originally conceived (under the name CreatureFeatureComics.com), it was meant to be a webcomics subscription site of a horror or sci-fi bent about, well, creatures – something like Modern Tales, except with a theme. The site was going to launch over the summer of 2003.

In the months of twists, turns, delays, and personnel changes that the site has been through since its conception, it's no big shock the site has evolved into something almost – but not quite – completely different. The horror theme is the same, but the philosophies of updating, subscriptions, and content have all seen major revisions.