This thread is going to be used for clarification on the various rules and what-not that relate to applications. I will try and keep this first post up to date with a total listing of all "rulings" that may arise out of various application threads. Feel free to discuss such stuff below as well, but remember that only this initial post is "official." :-)
Violence: I notice a lot of people trying to point out that their comic (or what-not) will keep violence to a minimum. Most of these are not what I'd even consider borderline cases though. This suggests that many people are thinking I'm a lot stricter than I really am about this.
Violence Ruling: Violence shall not be excessive. I've yet to see an example of excessive violence in any application or site here. Violence is allowed for anything short of "violence for the sake of violence." There are people who get their kicks from things like watching snuff films, or seeing horrid depictions of blood and gore. Most anything short of that is probably okay. Basically, if the violence is plot or story related, no problem. Start posting pictures of dead babies to get your jollies, and you're out. What I do ask for anything above about a PG-13 rating is that you post some sort of warning before people see it.
Porn/Sex/Nudity: This is another one that comes up quite frequently, and a lot of confusion seems to revolve around it. It's pretty much the same as the violence one though.
Porn/Sex/Nudity Ruling: Nudity is allowed. Sex is allowed. Porn is not allowed. Let's seperate the three. Porn is nudity and/or sex only for reasons of carnal gratification. Are you drawing or writing a scene as part of a real story or plot? Or just for purposes of arousal and pleasure? I really think this one should be pretty obvious to most people... with the possible exception of anyone who genuinely reads playboy for the articles. :-) The easiest analogy is the difference between R and NC17 rated movies. NC17=No (most of the time.) R is allowed, but like violence, I ask you to have warnings for any content above about a PG-13 rating.
Drugs/Drug Use: This is again, similar to the prior two.
Drug/Drug Use Ruling: Promotion of drug use is explicitly forbidden. That doesn't mean you have to make every story into an after school special or anything, but rather that you can't post instructional materials for creating, obtaining, or using drugs or drug paraphernalia. Can you show a character shooting up or doing a bong hit? Yes, if it's part of a legitimate story, and not just a ploy to circumvent the restrictions here. Like the above rules, if drugs come up in context, that's okay, but drugs should not be the focus of the content.
Multiple Accounts: Some people have multiple, distinct projects they run, and sometimes it's useful to have them under seperate accounts/sites.
Multiple Accounts Ruling: You can have and/or apply for multiple accounts. Getting a second account is going to be tougher to justify though. You'll need to truely have two independant sites that independantly qualify. Usually this happens when a single artist has multiple comics, both of good quality. In cases like that, it actually can make things easier on me to keep them seperate, as I can assign seperate domains to each one, keep stats seperate, and even promote them more directly though things like the newsbox. Bottom line: If you think you need a second site, then feel free to apply. Be sure to note that it's a second site though. The worst that'll happen is I say no. :-)
Personal Sites vs. Home Pages: I've said in the past that I don't accept simple "home pages" or blogs. However, I do take personal art/comic sites, many of which have blogs.
Personal Sites vs. Home Pages Ruling: While I will not accept a site that is merely meant to be a person's daily journal or contact point, I do allow people to do most anything that want on the side. That is to say, if your site is accepted for the comic you run, or an art showcase you have, you are free to also keep a personal journal, pictures, links to your favorite band, or other things that would normally be part of a "home page" site.
An amusing quote I found to help explain the Porn/Sex/Nudity issue.
The big problem with pornography is defining it. You can't just
say it's pictures of people naked. For example, you have these
primitive African tribes that exist by chasing the wildebeest on foot,
and they have to go around largely naked, because, as the old tribal
saying goes: "N'wam k'honi soit qui mali," which means, "If you think
you can catch a wildebeest in this climate and wear clothes at the same
time, then I have some beach front property in the desert region of
Northern Mali that you may be interested in."
So it's not considered pornographic when National Geographic
publishes color photographs of these people hunting the wildebeest
naked, or pounding one rock onto another rock for some primitive reason
naked, or whatever. But if National Geographic were to publish an
article entitled "The Girls of the California Junior College System
Hunt the Wildebeest Naked," some people would call it pornography. But
others would not. And still others, such as the Spectacularly Rev.
Jerry Falwell, would get upset about seeing the wildebeest naked.
-- Dave Barry, "Pornography"
Or the U.S. could stop being so damn sensitive overthings. It's too bad that our country has one of the highest sensoring ratings in the world. Completely pathetic!
Here's an idea! Rather than laying the sensoring on technology and media, how about putting the responsibility where it's supposed to be... with the parent(s)!
I don't know about how well they sensor things, but their censoring sure has gotten out of hand. It's probably because our country was pretty much built by Christian religious zealots, though. And we all know how THEY feel about these things...
I think I'll just avoid this one...
I enjoy both nudity AND porn :)
Still avoiding...
Added a clarification for Home Pages vs. Personal Sites
Sorry about such a pain.
i can't wait to paste a website!!!
Added section for Drugs and Drug Use.