Comic Books and Censorship

Freedom of information is one of the most difficult and pressing concerns facing young adult services librarians. Nonbook materials, such as videos, music CDs, Internet resources, and magazines, can act as lightning rods for censorship challenges from parents or community groups.

Comic books have usually escaped the attention of self-appointed censors, in part because few libraries collect them and those that do generally avoid purchasing controversial titles. However, due to their highly visual format and because (often incorrectly) the public views comics as a medium aimed at children, certain comic books can become a natural target for censorship challenges.

The Spectre; © DC Comics Warner Communications Inc

Community Censorship

As the religious right's assault on the Harry Potter books has shown, even the most innocent and well-intentioned fantasy titles can draw fire from certain community groups.

Although comic books have not come under heavy fire in recent years, they have been targets of community censorship in the past, as the history of the Comics Code Authority indicates.

Certain comics genres may become magnets for community concern:

Censorship from within the Library

"Bluntly stated, libraries don't buy [comic books] because librarians don't like them."

Patrick Jones, Connecting Young Adults and Libraries: A How To Do It Manual, second edition (Neal-Schuman, 1998).

Librarians themselves can be among the most formidable of society's censors. Self-censorship, cloaked as library selection policy, may reflect little more than librarians' biases against certain formats or subject matter.

What Libraries Can Do

Any library developing a significant collection of comic books and/or graphic novels should have written policies and procedures in place long before receiving any request from the community to ban specific titles from the library.

Librarians should also be familiar with the comic book titles in their collections and realize that some materials may not be appropriate for younger readers.

Organizations Which Fight Censorship

Among the many nonprofit groups combating censorship in America, librarians and supporters of comic books in libraries should be aware of the following two groups:

  • American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom
    http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/
    All young adult services librarians need to be familiar with ALA's policies and activities relating to intellectual freedom.
  • Comic Book Legal Defense Fund
    http://www.cbldf.org/
    The CBLDF is nonprofit organization which promotes freedom of expression in the comic book industry and provides legal assistance to comic book publishers, creators, or retailers facing challenges to their First Amendment rights.

 

 

compiled and maintained by: Michael R. Lavin, Lockwood Memorial Library
send comments to: Michael R. Lavin,mrlavin@acsu.buffalo.edu
design by: Catherine Collins
additional design work by: Don Gramlich
with the assistance of the: Educational Technology Center
last updated on: December 21, 2000