Comics Code Authority 1954 Guidelines
Standards of the Comics Code Authority for editorial matter as originally adopted
1.
Crimes shall never be presented in
such a way as to create
sympathy for the
criminal, to
promote distrust of the
forces of law and
justice, or to
inspire others with a
desire to
imitate criminals.
2. No comics shall
explicitly present the
unique details and
methods of a
crime.
3.
Policemen,
judges,
government officials, and
respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to
create disrespect for
established authority.
4. If crime is
depicted it shall be as a
sordid and
unpleasant activity.
5. Criminals shall not be presented so as to be
rendered glamorous or to
occupy a
position which creates the
desire for
emulation.
6. In every
instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal
punished for his
misdeeds.
7. Scenes of
excessive violence shall be
prohibited. Scenes of
brutal torture,
excessive and unnecessary knife and gun play,
physical agony,
gory and
gruesome crime shall be
eliminated.
8. No
unique or
unusual methods of
concealing weapons shall be shown.
9. Instances of law enforcement officers
dying as a result of a criminal's activities should be
discouraged.
10. The crime of
kidnapping shall never be portrayed in any
detail, nor
shall any
profit accrue to the
abductor or
kidnapper. The criminal or the kidnapper must be
punished in every case.
11. The letter of the word "
crime" on a comics
magazine shall never be
appreciably greater than the other words contained in the
title. The word "
crime" shall never
appear alone on a cover.
12.
Restraint in the use of the word "
crime" in titles or subtitles shall be exercised.
General Standards Part B:
1. No
comic magazine shall use the word "
horror" or "
terror" in its title.
2. All scenes of horror, excessive
bloodshed,
gory or
gruesome crimes,
depravity,
lust,
sadism,
masochism shall not be permitted.
3. All
lurid,
unsavory,
gruesome illustrations shall be eliminated.
4. Inclusion of stories dealing with
evil shall be used or or shall be published only where the intent is to
illustrate a
moral issue and in no case shall evil be
presented alluringly nor so as to injure the sensibilities of the reader.
5. Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking
dead,
torture vampires and
vampirism,
ghouls,
cannibalism, and
werewolfism are prohibited.
General Standards Part C:
All elements or techniques not specifically mentioned herein, but which are contrary to the spirit and intent of the
Code, and are considered violations of
good taste or
decency, shall be prohibited.
Dialogue:
1. Profanity, obscenity, smut, vulgarity, or words or symbols which have acquired undesirable meanings are forbidden.
2. Special precautions to avoid references to physical afflictions or deformities shall be taken.
3. Although slang and colloquialisms are acceptable, excessive use should be discouraged and wherever possible good grammar shall be employed.
Religion:
Ridicule or attack on any religious or racial group is never permissible.
Costume:
1. Nudity in any form is prohibited, as is indecent or undue exposure.
2. Suggestive and salacious illustration or suggestive posture is unacceptable.
3. All characters shall be depicted in dress reasonably acceptable to society.
4. Females shall be drawn realistically without exaggeration of any physical qualities.
NOTE: It should be recognized that all prohibitions dealing with costume, dialogue, or artwork applies as specifically to the cover of a comic magazine as they do to the contents.
Marriage and Sex:
1. Divorce shall not be treated humorously nor shall be represented as desirable.
2. Illicit sex relations are neither to be hinted at or portrayed. Violent love scenes as well as sexual abnormalities are unacceptable.
3. Respect for parents, the moral code, and for honorable behavior shall be fostered. A sympathetic understanding of the problems of love is not a license for moral distortion.
4. The treatment of love-romance stories shall emphasize the value of the home and the sanctity of marriage.
5. Passion or romantic interest shall never be treated in such a way as to stimulate the lower and baser emotions.
6. Seduction and rape shall never be shown or suggested.
7. Sex perversion or any inference to same is strictly forbidden.
Code For Advertising Matter:
1. Liquor and tobacco advertizing is not acceptable.
2. Advertisement of sex or sex instructions books are unacceptable.
3. The sale of picture postcards, "pin-ups", "art studies", or any other reproduction of nude or semi-nude figures is prohibited.
4. Advertising for the sale of knives, concealable weapons, or realistic gun facsimiles is prohibited.
5. Advertising for the sale of fireworks is prohibited.
6. Advertising dealing with the sale of gambling equipment or printed matter dealing with gambling shall not be accepted.
7. Nudity with meretricious purpose and salacious postures shall not be permitted in the advertising of any product; clothed figures shall never be presented in such a way as to be offensive or contrary to good taste or morals.
8. To the best of his ability, each publisher shall ascertain that all statements made in advertisements conform to the fact and avoid misinterpretation.
9. Advertisement of medical, health, or toiletry products of questionable nature are to be rejected. Advertisements for medical, health or toiletry products endorsed by the American Medical Association, or the American Dental Association, shall be deemed acceptable if they conform with all other conditions of the advertising code.