Gorbals Vampire and Gomic Censorship

[brisey]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8574484.stm

Never knew anything about this and will be listenining next week.(Tues 30th)

[colcool007]

Sounds like that could be interesting to see how the EC comics are considered in retrospect when viewed against the long view of 50 plus years on.

[brisey]

Link to what may of ben the offending comic from 1954

http://thehorrorsofitall.blogspot.com/2 ... teeth.html

[philcom55]

I don't know why they assumed it was caused by an American comic book - it seems to me that this early 50s British title from Gerald G. Swan would have fitted the bill nicely (it even begins in a cemetery):



- Phil Rushton

[Lew Stringer]

There was never any foundation that comics caused the incident, or indeed that comics were harmful or dangerous in any way. It was the church and media exploiting the situation to their own ends.

http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2010/03 ... -over.html

Lew

[Digifiend]

As they always do...

[Lew Stringer]

As they always do...

I thought the Bishop of Coventry's comment that comics were "evil" and "of Satan" was particularly stupid, but I bet he convinced a lot of gullible people considering the book burnings that followed.

The dark humour of EC Comics seemed to go right over the heads of their critics. Not that I imagine most critics ever read the comics they banned.

Lew

[ISPYSHHHGUY]

'those who burn books will later burn people.'

------------------------20TH-Century words of wisdom.

[felneymike]

They're still at it today, with the ludicrous ban on "cartoon porn where the age of characters is indetermined", aimed, of course, at Japanese Lolicon comics, because theyre foreign and thus "the other". Mind you even the advocates realised how stupid they sounded so started spouting about how genuine child porn was being "made legal" by being "turned into cartoons" using one of the arty photoshop filters... as if the police couldn't tell the difference!

And there's also the ban on "extreme porn" following ranting old women after some half-forgotten incident where a nutter murdered somebody. They actually called it the "Dangerous Pictures Act"... just look at that name... what will a "dangerous picture" be in the future?

[Lew Stringer]

They're still at it today, with the ludicrous ban on "cartoon porn where the age of characters is indetermined", aimed, of course, at Japanese Lolicon comics, because theyre foreign and thus "the other". Mind you even the advocates realised how stupid they sounded so started spouting about how genuine child porn was being "made legal" by being "turned into cartoons" using one of the arty photoshop filters... as if the police couldn't tell the difference!

I'm not sure if you have the full story there. What happened is the law against kid porn images has been extended to cover CGI and artwork depicting such hardcore acts.

That's the one instance of censorship where I agree with the censors I'm afraid. I had this discussion on another group a while back and I was pretty much the lone voice defending such censorship but I really don't think kiddie porn comics should be decriminalized.

I can defend horror comics, or porn comics showing consenting adults, but I can't find it within myself to defend that sort of product. Yeah, I know that no real child is harmed in a comic strip but it's still crossing the line imho.

A guy in the USA has recently been sent to prison for possession of such comics. A jail term is probably too excessive but he broke the law so there it is. I don't have much sympathy for him.

Lew

[Captain Storm]

I wholeheartedly agree with you Lew! Manga has always creeped me out somewhat with the Japanese putting "very" young faces on nubile women's bodies.If that is their conception of what constitutes the typical European woman(and let's be honest...all the women are drawn as European and not Japanese)then we have a big problem on our hands.As you say,if the drawings depict consenting "Adults",then break out the beer.But their fascination with kids heads on grown up bodies is alarming!!! Not to mention the thousands of pedeophiles who must revel in this "legal" child porn.I'm off for a beer,because I'm starting to get upset.Actually,this whole Issue has been on my mind for a while and I'm amazed nothing has been done about it until now.Child porn drawings are exactly the same as photo or video....they are still depicting an image.Ban is not a word I use casually but in this instance I fully support a ban.

The Cap.

[Lew Stringer]

I wholeheartedly agree with you Lew! Manga has always creeped me out somewhat with the Japanese putting "very" young faces on nubile women's bodies.

Oh the comics that are illegal are far worse than that Cap. It's proportional drawings (or realistic computer models) of little children, not childlike heads on adult bodies. I can't go into detail on a forum like this that's open to kids of course but imagine the worst kind of hardcore illegal movies and that's the sort of comics we're talking about.

Some artists defend them as "only lines on paper" but I find them totally indefensible.

Lew

[Captain Storm]

I understand Lew.Of course some of these artists may defend their actions,but I would question the artists motives.Obviously,they must be underground and anonymous to be churning out this filth.I suppose every medium is tarnished by these sickos.

The Cap.

[felneymike]

Actually it's legal in Japan and sold in ordinary shops, as i discovered when i bought a bagged porn magazine and didn't know what i had until i opened it

I must say i agree with the "it's only lines on paper" people, mind you. And yes when i heard of this ban i did hunt out "the worst" of it (i wont give links here, but a certaon website with 4 in it's name is not a pleasant place for the unprepared), and it's still... lines on paper. If lolicon "causes" pedophiles videogames "cause" school shootings. And no there's not a difference, r*ape and shooting unarmed people are both about "dominating the weak" in the end, and no cartoon or videogame is likely to make somebody who is not already crazy go and do it for real.

The reasoning for the ban is pretty transparent, mind you. What with an election coming up and people wanting something done about crime... best to go after a few nerds rather than real criminals eh?

[Captain Storm]

FelneyMike wrote:

best to go after a few nerds rather than real criminals eh?

Sorry,Felney,but the Nerds drawing these sick images are catering to a bizarre audience who destroy innocent children's lives.Ergo,they fuel this abominable crime.And as such,are as guilty as the criminals who seek out children and babies for sexual pleasure.I refer here to the underground stuff as oppossed to the Manga,which is suspect enough.

The Cap.