News

Apple Removes Image Comic Title in Some iOS Apps, Keeps It in iBooks

Image Comics and comic creators Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky said in an interview with the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund last week that Apple has removed Sex Criminals #2 from its iOS comic book apps. The issue can still be purchased through Apple's iBooks platform. According to the announcement, Apple sent the creators and Image Comics the following message:

"We found that one or more of your In-App Purchases contains content that many audiences would find objectionable, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines." Apple had delayed the release for an extended review before making the decision.

Regarding Apple's censorship policies, Image Publisher Eric Stephenson stated "There's no real standard, and it's just kind of inconsistent and hypocritical.”

Comixology pulled 56 comics from its iOS app to adhere to Apple's guidelines on adult and inappropriate content in May. The platform previously pulled Saga #12 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples but later added it to its iOS app after word spread that Apple had banned the issue.

Apple began enforcing stricter standards on sexual content in 2010, leading to censorship of the underground comics app Comix Classix: Underground Comics, as well as rejection of 30% of Kodansha's e-manga titles.

Thanks to configspace for the news tip

Source: ICv2

Update: Brian K. Vaughan's full name added. Thanks, Sepherest