The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) presented its Defender of Liberty Award to a man whose creative energies have given fans such acclaimed works as Spectacular Spider Man, Daredevil, Elektra, Return of the Dark Night, Martha Washington, Sin City and 300.

However, it was not the outstanding works of art which brought the coveted award to Frank Miller, but his commitment and “outstanding efforts to promote and protect free speech in the comic community.” Miller, who is a past board member of the CBLDF, has commited time, effort and artwork to support the cause.

In presenting the award, George Perez, last year’s recipient, said that Miller was the industry’s “staunchest champion to say what we want. (Miller) was there fighting the good fight … for a small, but avid industry.”

He continued, “For comics to survive we need the CBLDF, and for CBLDF, we need champions like Mr. Frank Miller.”

In accepting the award, Miller said, “My devotion to the first amendment is an absolute…(When they were suggesting) the rating system for comics, I could smell something coming. It meant that something was going to get between me and my drawing board.”

The CBLDF is not a “way to negotiate our surrender” but rather a way to organize “our defense.”

His closing words were of appreciation, “Thank you, Thomas Jefferson.”