Petition: UK - ensuring the future of comic art

[Whisperelmwood]

Petition: to ensure that the future of the medium of Comic Art is not endangered

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ensure that the future of the medium of Comic Art is not endangered by The Coroners and Justice Bill or The Criminal and Immigration Act 2008. More details

Submitted by Shane Chebsey of Smallzone, Deadline to sign up by: 01 May 2009, Signatures: 908

The Criminal Justice & Immigration Act 2008 came in to effect in January 2009, and Section 49 of the Coroners and Justice Bill is currently being reviewed. Both of these Acts could impact on the creation of comic books and how they are sold, both have the potential to land innocent people in court, on the sex offender register or in jail. We ask that the PM and the government as a whole respect the concerns of artists, writers, publishers, readers and retailers all over the UK and include a specific clarification in the law that ensures that no innocent comic creators or owners of comics can ever be prosecuted unfairly by a mis interpretation of the current laws.

By comics we mean all forms of the medium, including newspaper strips, web comics, Graphic Novels and serial comic books either imported or UK produced.

Being a comic artist by profession, this one hits kinda close to home. I signed it already.

Admittedly, chan never was my thing, and never will be, but the very idea that people can get thrown in gaol, or fined or whatever, simply for posessing some chan art, is nothing more than thought-policing.

I've already seen fellow artists in Australia become so paranoid over thier version, that they've stopped producing fanart of things like Harry Potter, removing any trace of it from the net and even going so far as to take it off their computers - just in case.

It's ridiculous. So, if you agree, and you're a UK resident, go ahead and sign.


http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Protect-Comics/


edit: yeah yeah, I forgot the link >>

 

[Whisperelmwood]

Niel Gaiman: Why defend freedom of icky speech?

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2008/12/why-defend-freedom-of-icky-speech.html

 

[Brunks]

thats crazy, ban comic books because they might inspire someone to maybe one day potentially do something to a child.

I can apreciate the concern, but to censor something that in no way is directly responsible for anyone getting abused is just stupid. And utterly ineffective ofcourse.

 

[Whisperelmwood]

thats crazy, ban comic books because they might inspire someone to maybe one day potentially do something to a child.

I can apreciate the concern, but to censor something that in no way is directly responsible for anyone getting abused is just stupid. And utterly ineffective ofcourse.

Exactly. The particular subject matter is not for me, but to censor it for such stupid reasons is the beginning of a VERY slippery slope.