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View Full Version : Questions regarding appropiate topics in relation to fancomics



Green-Shirt Q
2012-06-09, 09:22 PM
So, I've read the rules, and the Inappropriate Topics section includes real-world politics. Perfectly understandable, but I don't know if my idea for a fancomic on the fancomic section would fall under that and I thought it would be better safe than sorry, asking you guys first if it's okay to make the fancomic with this concept.

Quite simply, the fancomic would be set in the real-world 1920s (except for some differences, such as fictional characters being real-life people). Naturally, this is real-world, and it's possible some politics may be mentioned. Not in great detail, and the focus wouldn't be around poltics, but with any historical period piece it would need to at least be adressed.

Same thing with race, because the 1920s is a decade with great developments and racial significance. Naturally, there would be no hateful portrayal of characters of a different race on my part, but the prejudice would probably need to be adressed in the universe of the story as well. While I believe I could avoid bringing it up or adressing it, that would probably be seen as something of a cop-out.

So, just wanted to make sure if these topics in a fancomic-story would be acceptable to cover in a non-biased, historical and respectable manner. If not, totally understandable, and I'll simply shelve the idea for some other time outside these boards.

Thank you. :smallsmile:

[EDIT] I feel like it would be wise to clarify further what story elements I am asking about, and what I mean by real-life poltics in the 20s and racial issues.

These would all be past, historical political issues. No mention of anything happeining currently or any specific political parties will be in the comic. But certain things, like mentioning Prohibition, looking back at the causes of World War One and forshadowing the eventual World War 2, are technically real-world poltics.

Albert Einstein was planned to be character in this, and while I haven't finished the research I've planned to do on him quite yet, I can see by briefly skimming my notes that there was some controversy involving his citizenship. Those things may be mentioned. Another real-life person set to make a prominent apperance was Al Capone, where naturally his pressence demands coverage of the topics of law enforcement, prohibition, tax evasion, and crime. All real-world poltics, technically. Oh, and mentioning of alcohol would technically also be an illegal drug during this time, which is also an inappropriate topic.

Lastly, when it comes to race, Louis Armstrong was set to be a prominent character in this as well. While it's noted in several points of research that he was quite celebrated in both African American and White cultures, even being allowed to access rights not even available to famous African Americans at that time, I can't imagine he completely avoided prejudice (again, more research on my part needs to be done). While he himself would be a fairly and respectably portrayed character, I think it would be necessary to at least show my estimation on what his reaction to certain cultural trends regarding racism may be, including Blackface performance and the disrespectful pigeonholding of African American musicians. Also, racial slurs would be mentioned, although censored for the comic, obviously. I could avoid mentioning ALL of this, but I believe that somehow the work would be incomplete and anachronistic without it.

So while I'm not planning to bring up modern controversial poltics, or avocate racism in any way, I was planning on adressing these issues within the context of the setting of the comic, and in history. I just need to know if this is acceptable, or if these technicalities are still covered under the guidelines and it would be inappropriate to make this concept on your boards.

Zherog
2012-06-10, 10:24 AM
The general guideline is, basically, to err on the side of caution. If you aren't sure then don't post it. That probably isn't quite the answer you were seeking, though.

Douglas
2012-06-10, 11:35 AM
The only way I could see this maybe squeaking by the rules is if you somehow make it abundantly clear that anything you show on these subjects is merely illustrating historical fact, and do it in a way that cannot reasonably be construed as you expressing an opinion on any of it. Even that would be extremely borderline and risky, especially if people discuss your comic on these boards since that would invite discussion by your audience on the merits or lack thereof of the subjects in question.

Wait for an official mod answer, but I'm pretty confident it'll be pretty much a quote of Zherog's answer.

Roland St. Jude
2012-06-10, 12:49 PM
The general guideline is, basically, to err on the side of caution. If you aren't sure then don't post it. That probably isn't quite the answer you were seeking, though.Sheriff: This is pretty much the answer. We can't know for sure the content of your comic or what discussion it prompts until it happens. So we advise you err on the side of caution and only post things that you're comfortable comply with the Forum Rules.

You're only responsible for what you post, but if your comic generates inappropriate discussion, we'll have to lock the thread.

Note that historical vs. modern, fact vs. opinion, inflammatory vs. benign, or well-intended vs. malicious, are not the tests. The test is fictional vs. real world. PbP games are by default fictional. Discussions in FB are by default discussing the real world. These defaults are sometimes overcome (for example, I've seen real-world religious arguments in the OOC of a PbP game). Gaming topics tend to go either way depending on how effectively the thread starter and others make clear that they are discussing fictional versions and not using real world analogues to inform that discussion. A fan comic seems to be most like these gaming discussions. Is this piece of historical fiction purely fiction and not a commentary on (or provoking discussion of) real world political or religious occurrences? Historical fiction in any form is one of the grayest areas to apply the inappropriate topics rules.

My impression is that this is probably a project better suited for another forum.