Bring back the Comic Code!

[SemperJase]

In another thread, the old TSR comic code was mentioned which assumed that the code hurt TSR and creativity.

It was offered that White Wolf benefitted from TSR's decision (mistake?) by publishing "mature" content. But is this really the case?

White Wolf is a niche publisher in a niche market. The D&D game has always been the top RP game. If the comic book code was such a detriment to marketing, wouldn't WW have the edge?

I like the comic book code. The game can and should be promoted as a family friendly game (after all, the game is all about relationships). For those who want mature (really immature IMO) descriptions, the DM can easily embelish.

Its better for the WotC to allow people to embelish, than require them to edit content out.

 

[Angelsboi]

/rant
ya know, my stuff got erased before i had a chance to post it but this is BS. Grow up.

There are kids today that see far worse on shows like Charmed, Buffy, Angel, Loony Tunes and the news. if you dont want to use something of this magnatude, then dont. no one is forcing you and no one is changing it from a 'Family Game.'

Im not big on FR and i hate Elminster. Did i go "No GLENN! I REFUSE to play in a setting where the main character is so uber powerful, he had a sex change and slept with a god and i cant play in a setting that promotes that!"

No. Im rational and reasonable.

All i have to say to those who are upset, grow up. Dont use it.

/rant

 

[Mistwell]

Anyone in favor of bringing back the comics code authority probably isn't very familiar with its history. As Joel Grineau, seen on http://www.sideroad.com/ writes:

Our story begins with Dr. Frederick Wertham, a medical doctor and psychiatrist, who in 1954 published his now infamous "Seduction of the Innocent". Wertham was convinced that comic books were evil, that they contributed to the delinquency of minors, and also to their sexual perversion. In addition Wertham claimed that when any questioned the comic book publishers on their product, they were conspired against, and were labelled communists.

Taken together, it was a bombshell! 1950's America was only too eager to investigate such a combination of charges: contribution to delinquency and sexual perversion, conspiracy and communism!

The controversy started by "Seduction" was to attain witch hunt status when comic books were examined by the US Senate Subcommittee Investigation on Juvenile Delinquency in the United States. Of course, Wertham was a key speaker at the Subcommittee Investigation, and in his summary stated that "Hitler was a beginner compared to the comic book industry".

On his part for the defence, William M. Gaines, publisher of EC Comics, had to defend his horror line, being asked to justify the suitability of 'a blood dripping severed head' in a story intended for juveniles?'

In order to dodge the axe swinging their way, the comic book publishers of the day agreed to self- regulate themselves. By creating and enforcing their own Code, they could guarantee that their companies could continue publishing comic books. As a symbol of this self- imposed regulation, the small logo 'Comics Code Authority' was affixed to the cover of all comic books which met the standards of publication set; it was a guarantee to parents, educators, and the government that these comic books were now safe for young readers.

Wertham of course labelled self- regulation a sham; many of the fans of the day felt that regulation had killed their comic books.

Killed, was an appropriate term. Comic books were forced to adhere to a code which simplified and neutered the westerns, crime and romance genres. The horror comic books all but disappeared, while the funny animal comics flourished. Over a half dozen publishers went under, and a number of talented industry professionals moved into other fields for a while. Super-hero comics were hardly affected, as at the time, they were but a small proportion of the total comic book market.

As amazing as it sounds, the comic book industry was almost killed, ironically enough, just before Rock and Roll was to shake the American establishment far worse than these funny books ever could have.

I pray they never bring back the CCA. It was an evil thing, and it hurt many people.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Im not big on FR and i hate Elminster. Did i go "No GLENN! I REFUSE to play in a setting where the main character is so uber powerful, he had a sex change and slept with a god and i cant play in a setting that promotes that!"

No. Im rational and reasonable.

All i have to say to those who are upset, grow up. Dont use it.

So you're equating your dislike of Elminster with other's dislike of seeing evil as something to be dispised?

You lost me there, bud.

See the problem I have with "mature" content isn't the the content. Its the medium and the maturity with which the mature content is handled.

You say "grow up". I say "don't dangle it in front of my face".

I'll be buying BoVD. Heck, if a player wants to go with one or two of the player options, I'll be OK with that because I know my group. But I'm certainly very sympathetic to the people who don't like the material.

And saying that this material is in TV and movies doesn't elevate it at all, in my opinion. If anything it makes me wonder if I should purchase it and contribute to the (potential) mishandling of adult topics.

 

[N Hammer]

The Comic Code doesn't have anything to do with gaming (that I know of)...Why mix them?

...as for the Comic Code in relation with comics....Sure bring it back, I mean why give writers freedom to write, it's much better to tell them what they can and cannot write.
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..did I get enough sarcasm in that?

 

[CrusaderX]

...as for the Comic Code in relation with comics....Sure bring it back, I mean why give writers freedom to write, it's much better to tell them what they can and cannot write.
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..did I get enough sarcasm in that?

As someone who's been reading comics for over 25 years, I have to say that the best Marvel and DC comics I've ever read, by far, were issues with the code on them. Miller's Daredevil? Simonson's Thor? Byrne's Fantastic Four? Claremont's X-Men first run? All of these were code-approved books. None of them suffered because of the code. And all of them clearly outshine anything being done at today's codeless Marvel.

Of course, art is subjective, so your milage may vary.

 

[Chun-tzu]

I don't like the Comic Book Authority. In fact, I'm opposed to most forms of censorship.

In the case of comics, the CBA is fairly meaningless these days. Few parents realize that it exists, or what it's supposed to do. Marvel Comics has given it up, for their own system, which is much better (based on the movie system). But some comics don't bother with the CBA, and many times no one will even notice.

Codes like these stand for "moral decency" and "family values." The assumption is that without these codes, our comics and TV shows and RPG books would then become filled with profanity, nudity and sex, and graphic violence (after all, these are the things that the code censors). Given the highly competitive nature of the entertainment industry, there probably is a slippery slope there. So I grudgingly accept them as a necessary evil, and I do mean evil.

Most of the time, these codes come from parents wanting to protect their children from indecent material. That's fair, although I believe it's far too protective. For example, when nudity becomes such a dark, sinful, disgusting thing, then you're probably doing far more harm "protecting" the children this way by sending this message. By the way, that's the other part of why censorship is so flawed: violence is much more acceptable on television than sex or nudity. What kind of message does this send?

My perspective is that of a single guy with no children. But upon reflection, I don't think I would think differently if I had kids. I'd be more concerned about teaching them when they can or can't use profanity, for example, than forbidding them from ever swearing.

 

[Xeriar]

Unlike the CCA, however, since it wasn't industry-wide, it did more to promote and bring out other RPGs while TSR faltered under legal bills and faux morals.

FASA and White Wolf in particular became quite large, not outselling TSR individually but TSR lost its market dominance for a time (White Wolf does not make a pittance, and FASA is now Wizkids...). Even to WotC's own market research, D&D only makes up 70% of the Roleplaying market. That is, 30% of the market does tabletop roleplaying but refuses to play D&D.

Anyway, in a market that has the eventual potential to grow tenfold in the U.S., I'd say keeping one's options open is a Good Thing.

 

[Prince Atom]

I think what SemperJase means by "Comics Code" is a policy instituted by TSR in the mid-80s. I don't know the terms of the policy, but I infer that they were similar to the CCA (no dripping bloody necks).

I admit I'm not too fond of the new "gritty" look of D&D, but I don't see why we should lie about the game. It is a game where the players regularly go out and "kill" things. Blood is a large part of the game. We shouldn't package it the same way we package Monopoly. Only in very ... serious ... games of Monopoly is any blood spilled

I don't think we should call on WotC to censor itself. As parents, it falls to us to preview things and make sure we don't object to what our children see; as adults, it falls to us to avoid anything we may find objectionable. Are we children? Should our parents (i.e. WotC et al) preview the products out there? Or can we do that ourselves? I think we can.

I have no interest in the Book of Vile Darkness. The only bits that sound interesting are the drug and addiction rules, and I can come up with my own, thanks muchly.

TWK

 

[Angelsboi]

what i meant by my comment is not daggling it in ones face. Im saying i hate FR. Dont dangle how great Dritz and Elminster is. If you wanna play and use them, fine by me.

its the EXACT same thing you are syaing Biggus. i dont think i got it clear enough im afraid.