Thursday 24 September 2015

Grindhouse-hunting

Copies of the controversial Grindhouse No.8 are banned in Canada but they're now getting into UK comic shops. I've no idea how well it's distributed though, but my nearest Forbidden Planet had one yesterday. It's published in a sealed plastic bag because of its sexually graphic story by Alex De Campi and John Lucas, but my back page strip (which isn't sexually graphic but does feature Satan) can be seen through the polybag. Milo Manara art on the front cover, comic strip by me on the back cover. What a team-up. :-)

Grindhouse: Drive In, Bleed Out No.8. Published by Dark Horse. $3.99 (about £3.15 in UK comic shops). A digital edition is also available from the Dark Horse Comics app and Comixology.

5 comments:

TwoHeadedBoy said...

Comics are still getting banned in this day and age? Crazy.

As long as they're not being sold to kids, anything should be permissive. And if it offends you, just don't buy it, no need to ruin it for everyone else.

Lew Stringer said...

I agree but it's not that straightforward unfortunately. As it was explained to me, if the comics had been seized by customs for investigation it's not just the one comic they seize. It's the entire shipment of American comics for that week. Marvel, DC, everything. So it's better to err on the side of caution and not try to import a controversial comic into Canada than to risk having everything impounded for investigation.

Thankfully Grindhouse has now made it into the UK, albeit a couple of weeks late, so I don't know if the distributors used a different method or whatever.

Manic Man said...

can't see why it's banned.. Not my taste but as long as it's marked, I can't see the problem with adult comics.. I have a problem with ones that try to go too far in there area (for example, being a 'family friendly' comic and pushing to do more adult then they should in the age range it's aimed at) but if you sell as adult, you should be fine with adult..

On an unrelated note.. I had a great visit to a local charity shop today. while I noticed some Viz annuals on the same shelve next to kids annuals, I picked up volumes 3-7 of the original 1950's "Eagle Annual'.. £3.50 a piece. can't moan.. ah what a different world.. telling kids to use a sharp razor blade and Asbestos paper to make a model plane ^_^

Lew Stringer said...

Well there are laws about importing what might be considered pornography and as I said, if customs seize a shipment it's the whole shipment, not just one publication. Dark Horse were wise to err on the side of caution and not offer it for distribution in Canada because if it had been impounded, all the other comics, - Marvel, DC, Image, etc, - would also be impounded. Lost revenue for retailers. Annoyed readers. Not worth the risk.

Lew Stringer said...

Not to mention annoying fellow publishers of course.

Basically it's not about whether a comic deserves to be banned or not. It's what happens if it's held up by customs. Even if it's later released and considered perfectly acceptable, it's still a headache for a lot of people.