08 April 2005

PSA: Comic Books, Porn Stars & Kids?

What do comic books and porn stars have in common? I mean, besides an overlapping fanbase of sexually frustrated momma's boys?

At the Big Apple Con last weekend, I had to do an about-face or two while strolling the aisles with my 4-year old son so as to avoid a scantily-clad "model" selling soft-core pictures of herself to drooling fanboys while her pimp manager stood by her side moderating the situation. Apparently, compared to the bigger conventions where actual porn stars are hawking their wares alongside comic book publishers and artists, this was a pretty tame moment.

Now, I'm far from prudish but there's a time and place for everything, and with the industry desperately needing to tap into a younger audience, I question the wisdom of this.

The "Separation of Non-Comic Book Pornography from Comic Book Related Booths at Conventions Petition" to Wizard Entertainment Group, the leading convention producer in the industry, was created by Concerned Comic Book Creators & Fans and written by Ty Gorton, and is a call not for the elimination of porn from comic book conventions, but rather a clear separation of their booths from comic book-related booths, not unlike the adult section of a video store or the Mature-labeled comics at your LCBS.

The petition is hosted at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service, and can be found here.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It sickins me the way the Comic Book industry is today. There is abosultly nothing for kids anymore. Practically none of the comic shops are kid friendly. With naked chick zombie posters hanging all over there shop. It saddens me that the Medium I deeply love has become 90% trash.

Stephen Maher said...

The mama's boy comment was stinky.

I would argue that the porn industry does not have to hock their wares at a comic book convention.

Porn is (multi?) billion dollar industry. Your sister, cousin, co-worker has actively watched a porno. A comic book? Not as likely.

What do our heads of industry say about this issue? Our writers and artists?

Stephen Maher said...

Love that the dude who wrote the petition's email address is tygordon@MAN EATS FETUS.com

Nothing against the man or the website, just an observation.