New laws could threaten comics
From http://www.thebookseller.com/news/76040-new-laws-could-threaten-com...
29.01.09
New laws designed to tackle extreme and child pornography could make owning mainstream comics like Batman or Judge Dredd illegal, campaigners claim.
According to the Daily Telegraph, they are protesting against two pieces of legislation. The first, the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act, comes into force later this month.
This piece of legislation will make possessing "extreme pornography" - defined as any "extreme image" produced "solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal" - illegal.
The second is the Coroners and Justice Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament. It will introduce a similar law banning the possession of any image involving sexual activity and children.
The comic book campaigners claim that if the new rules are interpreted harshly, their hobby could be criminalised. In a statement, comicshopvoice.co.uk, a comic fans' website, said of the rules outlawing sexual violence: "Isn't that how Batman, Punisher, Judge Dredd get anything done? A kick in the balls or a--- would constitute this, and a kick in the balls is a well trodden part of humour."
It added that the new law on images of children would make owning some comic books, and "particularly some forms of Manga", illegal.
Erm... shouldn't we be trying to do something about this? Any ideas?
29.01.09
New laws designed to tackle extreme and child pornography could make owning mainstream comics like Batman or Judge Dredd illegal, campaigners claim.
According to the Daily Telegraph, they are protesting against two pieces of legislation. The first, the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act, comes into force later this month.
This piece of legislation will make possessing "extreme pornography" - defined as any "extreme image" produced "solely or principally for the purpose of sexual arousal" - illegal.
The second is the Coroners and Justice Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament. It will introduce a similar law banning the possession of any image involving sexual activity and children.
The comic book campaigners claim that if the new rules are interpreted harshly, their hobby could be criminalised. In a statement, comicshopvoice.co.uk, a comic fans' website, said of the rules outlawing sexual violence: "Isn't that how Batman, Punisher, Judge Dredd get anything done? A kick in the balls or a--- would constitute this, and a kick in the balls is a well trodden part of humour."
It added that the new law on images of children would make owning some comic books, and "particularly some forms of Manga", illegal.
Erm... shouldn't we be trying to do something about this? Any ideas?
Add a Comment
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Comment by Paul Eldridge on January 30, 2009 at 7:56pm - This seems to be being discussed a little more over on downthetubes by the way, including the mention of an interesting little case going down in America at the moment.
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Comment by Paul Eldridge on January 30, 2009 at 3:48pm
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For now I'm hoping that people are over-reacting to this, otherwise this stinks of Comics Code 2: More bloody idiots being stupid. None of us are going to actively promote child abuse, we'd probably disown anyone that did. All we can do for now is keep an eye on this, it does seem to be there to just stop us doing something we wouldn't do anyway.
If this escalated to include the levels of violence mentioned on the basis that they might be construed as sexual, they'd have to burn every copy of a comic/book/film that ever showed some poor bloke receiving a swift knee to the happy sacks, are they really going to go that far? It would sure put the dampers on some of the testicular mayhem I had planned.
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