do you warn readers about Adult Content

Eric F Myers · Post by **Eric F Myers** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 9:28 pm

In a couple of weeks I will be starting a new comic that contains Adult Content. How do you warn readers? It looks like there are no set rules or guidelines to follow. So I took the little TVMA icon, replaced TV with COMIC, and I plan on putting it on the index page for that particular story. I was just wondering how each of you handle it or think people should handle the situation.

William G · Post by **William G** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 11:29 pm

I work under the idea that it's the web, land of porn, and assume that most people using the internet understand this and wont be too put off by cartoon boobies.

I also work under the idea that it's not 1956 any more.

Eric F Myers · Post by **Eric F Myers** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:47 pm

Good point, but even porn sites have disclaimers and warnings (at least the more responsible ones do).

Rip Tanion · Post by **Rip Tanion** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 6:53 pm

The question is, what is considered adult content? I mean besides porn.

Is simple, brief, partial, tastefull nudity adult content?
If one of my characters says "Fuck" or "shit" during a story, is THAT considered adult content?
What about...
Joint smoking?
Cigarette smoking?
Blood gushing violence?
Drunkenness?
Other stuff that freaks out uptight parents?

Should warnings for this content be posted?

Not saying yes or no, myself, just posing the question.

Personally, if keeps me from getting legal action taken upon me by some whacked-out parent, whos kid's head exploded from something he saw on my site, then I'd post a warning for every peiece of minusha on my site.

WARNING: The site dispays characters who engange in fisticuffs, nose picking, leering a women in tight sweaters, and occasionally tell each other to "Drop dead, and go to hell!"

Post by **Greg Stephens** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 7:53 pm

Rip wrote:some whacked-out parent, whos kid's head exploded from something he saw on my site

More likely it was the parent whose head exploded, not the kid.

Speaking of warnings, some time ago the local newspaper where I was living at the time noted that a movie's rating (forget which one- Maybe one of the "Naked Gun" movies) was given due to "violence, sexual situations, Republican jokes."

Veleno · Post by **Veleno** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 7:58 pm

I'd think any politics could probably be considered adult content, at least in one way. Little Jimmy would probably be bored to death from reading such a comic unless it were disguised in one way or another to be only indirectly talking about it (such as in recent episodes of Darby Conley's comic "Get Fuzzy"

Eric F Myers · Post by **Eric F Myers** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 4:35 pm

Rip Tanion wrote:The question is, what is considered adult content? I mean besides porn.

That is a good question. I've done violent comics that I don't view as "adult," however a lot of people would. I guess it's a matter of opinion and personal values. The story that I'm doing now has nudity and sexual situations, definitely "adult." I might edit some of the images to tone it down a notch. I don't what to be expletive just a little risqu?.

Once you make a judgment that your comic is crossing the line, from PG toward R or NC-17, do you (should you) warn your readers?

William G · Post by **William G** » Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:11 pm

I figure they'll realize it quickly enough. And if little Timmy is a regular reader of Sexy Losers, then maybe Timmy's mom should start paying attention the what her kid is doing.

ragtag · Post by **ragtag** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 8:34 pm

Hehe...I had to check my site to see what I had done. I remembered there being a warning there at one time, but it's no longer there. I do have a little blurp about each comic, like you would find on the back of books, just to give people an idea about what it's about to help them decide if they want to read it or not. Of course, the blurp can also function indirectly as a warning.

Cheers,

Ragnar

losttoy · Post by **losttoy** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 9:10 am

It is hard for me to choose one answer from the ballot. In fact I guess I would say it would depend on the situtation.

In my own experience, I draw comics of wide content, but general I try to keep it tasteful. Sure every once in a while I will draw a comic with swearing, but I never think twice about that. I do not label it adult when I might use questionable language.

At Your Comic Here I have to act as a submission editor. While there has been some swearing and mild cartoon violence, I have rejected comics that had drug use in it. This is more about what kind of image I want to promute with this project than censorship. I would post a comic with drugs in it if it had a strong polictal statement to it, shows the negetive consequences of it or was done well in taste. The last one in pictular, I make sure the comic is done in taste before I publish it. So I just do not post overly adult comics.

If I was drawing an ongoing adult comic (let's say with nudity or sex), I would probably put a warning on the whole site ... perhaps even bitpass or paypal it so I could be sure adults were reading it.

But I do not even try to draw that kind of stuff, because it is just not my style. Furthermore I limit my audiance. Kind of a mixed answer, but there it is.

William G · Post by **William G** » Sun Mar 21, 2004 5:17 pm

Turth be told, my nudity is presented in a matter of fact style. (one exception) I feel no need to warn people because I see it as no more tittilating than the famous statue of David.

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do you warn readers about Adult Content

How do you handle Adult Content?

do you warn readers about Adult Content