Not up to code - DC drops out of the CCA

[Blue Saint]

Announcement

For better or worse the Comics Code Authority has been a defining element of the American comic book experience. A controversial subject yet at the time of it's birth seen as a necessary evil to protect the industry from outside censorship. Many have also levied that it was used to force EC Comics out of business. But since the 70's the code began to lose it's grip on content and in the last decade and a half it has been seen as little more than a quaint holdover from a past generation. As it now stands the last two members are Archie Comics and Bongo Comics.

 

[Blue Saint]

ICv2 - DC Leaves Comics Code
ICv2 - Archie Drops Code

Well the code is now dead. As it turns out Bongo Comics had dropped out of CCA over a year ago, and frankly no one noticed in fact Bongo Comics didn't even mention it. Which after DC's departure left Archie as the sole remaining member. That was until today, when Archie Comics announced that starting in Feburary that their books would no longer feature the Comics Code Authority Seal of Approval. With this announcement the Comics Code Authority is now defunct, leaving behind a legacy that have shaped the American comic book industry in untold ways.

In a weird way the death of the CCA couldn't come at a better time, once seen as draconian doctrine that nearly killed the industry it's demise is reminder that comics can survive even against seemingly insurmountable odds. Whether it is the declining American market or the Tokyo ban, as long as the creators and fans preserver comics will continue at least for another month.

 

[Sentinel King]

Very good and wise decision!

 

[Skyknight]

The best defiance of the code was Stan Lee's drug story in ASM

 

[Blue Saint]

The best defiance of the code was Stan Lee's drug story in ASM

No the best defiance of the code is "Judgment Day" (from EC's Incredible Science Fiction #33, a reprint from Weird Fantasy #18). It was the last comic EC published and it was a gigantic **** you. Got to love EC.

 

[Digifiend]

What took so long?

 

[Demi-Fiend]

Cool.

 

[Bigdog]

Whatever, didn't notice a thing. So will the comics get better now or will they be still be merely fanfiction wirtten by nerds in charge? Because I don't pay attention unless its indie , older comics or manga anymore considering the dip in quality. Sure there are a few outstanding ones but I'm a skeptic.

Has anynoe picked up Batman Beyond yet or Inc. ? Those might be awesome.

 

[ryuuseipro]

Whatever, didn't notice a thing. So will the comics get better now or will they be still be merely fanfiction wirtten by nerds in charge? Because I don't pay attention unless its indie , older comics or manga anymore considering the dip in quality. Sure there are a few outstanding ones but I'm a skeptic.

I think it'll be a little bit of both.

Despite the impact of this news, I don't think we're going to get a lot of changes, besides comics having a ratings system now. Comics still have the potential to get better, and it IS getting better, at least in the TPB front. Even Fantagraphics and Dark Horse are doing reprints of classic comics, like Peanuts, Archie, Harvey, etc.

But the opportunist nerds at DC & Marvel still continue their fanfiction self-indulgence, and it'll get continually decadent and aggressive. (Expect more grimdark, more character deaths, more shock value, more reinventing/re-imagining, more recycling, even more unnecessary titles, etc.) They'll party over this news like it's 1999, but then, things will just go on like it never happened.

That's the Yin and the Yang of it.

I'm not even going to talk about webcomics, though; The future of comics is already there. Penny Arcade, Dumm Comics (my two favorites), etc. There's quality stuff with the potential to have print comics!

 

[Medivh]

Whatever, didn't notice a thing. So will the comics get better now or will they be still be merely fanfiction wirtten by nerds in charge? Because I don't pay attention unless its indie , older comics or manga anymore considering the dip in quality. Sure there are a few outstanding ones but I'm a skeptic.

Has anynoe picked up Batman Beyond yet or Inc. ? Those might be awesome.

Not to derail the topic horribly, but I think, given the amount of writers who they do Marvel or DC for awhile and then they demand their own original stuff or move to Avatar Press or Dark Horse to produce their own thing, it's no surprise that long-running titles/characters may have taken a slight drop in quality from what once was. Warren Ellis is a good example. Last I saw he was at Avatar, making his own original series, 'No Hero' I think it was called. Or something to that effect.

The last time I'd heard of him was writing Nextwave for Marvel and doing work for them, and the rumors that I've heard say he basically bailed because he got to a point where unless you pay him a buttload of cash, there's not alot of ways you're gonna get him to write traditional superhero/supervillain comics. Apparently he's just not interested in that approach anymore. And amongst some, I don't think that's a rare viewpoint. No surprise that we see a bit of a drop in quality. I think it's what makes Johns so awesome. As someone put it: 'He's perfectly content playing with someone else's toys. He doesn't need his own. and in the industry, that's a good thing.'

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Back on topic....

I'm surprised that there's not more outrage by parents groups about the fall of the CCA. Not that many kids read western comics nowadays, but still. Given the penchant for 'childproofing' media we have here in the U.S., I'm surprised I haven't seen any decrying or backlash.

It's good that it's gone, but it's kind of a shame as it seems to prove that even with all the movies and resurgent interest, there's still not alot of interest for comics.