West Coast Tour Press Release

Northampton, MA — During the month of February, acclaimed author Neil Gaiman (“Sandman,” “Mr. Punch,” “Stardust”) will continue the Guardian Angel Tour as part of his on-going commitment to raise money and awareness for the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. Gaiman will give dramatic readings from his short stories, including tales from his books “Angels and Visitations” and “The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish.” Gaiman will also be premiering new stories from his upcoming book “Smoke and Mirrors”, due out in October from Avon.

Gaiman will give three readings on this West Coast leg of the tour. On February 12th, 1998, Gaiman will appear in the ballroom of the Queen Mary in Los Angeles. He will be joined by science-fiction master Harlan Ellison, who will introduce the event. On Valentine’s Day, February 14th, Gaiman will read at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. The tour concludes on February 16th at the Crocodile Club in Seattle. The final show will feature musical performances by several local bands. All shows start at 8 p.m. These readings will be Gaiman’s first U.S. appearances for 1998.

Thanks in part to generous donations by White Wolf Publishing, all proceeds from the Guardian Angel Tour will directly benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. The C.B.L.D.F. is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving First Amendment rights for creators and retailers in the comics community. Funds raised by Gaiman’s appearances will support the legal defense of comics-related First Amendment cases in courts throughout the United States. The Guardian Angel Tour has so far raised more than $30,000 to continue the fight against censorship in comics.

General admission tickets for the Los Angeles reading are available for $20 each; premium seats are available for $50 each. In San Francisco, tickets start at $10, with $50 premium seating also available. All tickets for the Seattle show are general admission and cost $10. In additional to the evening’s festivities, Neil Gaiman and C.B.L.D.F. merchandise will be available at all the readings.

Gaiman’s Los Angeles appearance is being underwritten in part by 21st Century Comics. For additional information and tickets for the Los Angeles reading, please contact Barry Short at 21st Century Comics, (714) 663-3440.

The San Francisco stop is being underwritten in part by Comix Experience. For tickets and information for the San Francisco reading, contact Brian Hibbs at Comix Experience, (415) 863-9258.

The Seattle reading is being underwritten in part by Fantagraphics Books. For tickets and information, contact Eric Reynolds at Fantagraphics, (206) 524-1967.

Information and tickets for all of these events can also be obtained through the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund at 1-800-99-CBLDF.