The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) is a US non-profit organization established in 1986 with the aim of protecting the First Amendment rights of the comics medium. CBLDF's work takes the organization into classrooms, libraries, conventions, and courtrooms across the country where it provides education, legal aid, and advocacy in an effort to protect the First Amendment rights of all creators, retailers, librarians, publishers, and readers of graphic novels, manga, and comics. Since its founding, the organization has paid for and managed the legal defense of people whose rights have been threatened for making, selling, and even just reading comic books. CBLDF also provides referrals free of charge for cases, sometimes making a trip to the courthouse unnecessary.

The organization's most recent success case is that of Ryan Matheson, an American citizen who was wrongfully arrested at the borders of Canada and unlawfully charged with the importation of child pornography. What really happened? Matheson simply had manga on his laptop. His case cost $75,000 and the CBLDF has since raised $30,000 of it and is still working on raising more to pay off his legal debt.

The CBLDF is an independent organization but it works with coalitions in fighting legislation that unconstitutionally affect the creation and distribution of comics. Aside from being active plaintiffs against compulsory filters on the internet in libraries, the organization has also helped knock down an unconstitutional bill in Utah that censors freedom of speech online and was cited by the US Supreme Court versus a law in California that aimed to widen the definition of speech not governed by the First Amendment to use violent images.

The CBLDF is also a proud sponsor of Banned Books Week, an annual celebration of every person's right to read, and regularly holds lectures and panels to further their cause. CBLDF board members include Neil Gaiman, Peter David, and Chris Staros.