Comic book retailers warned about ALTERNATIVE COMICS #2

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Comic book retailers warned about ALTERNATIVE COMICS #2

Diamond Comic Book Distributors warned retailers not to give copies of ALTERNATIVE COMICS #2 to children. This is the free comic Georgia comic book retailer Gordon Lee stands accused of giving to a 6-year old and his 9-year old brother.

According to Alternative Comics Publisher Jeff Mason, Diamond made sure that all of their retailers knew that the book was intended only for mature readers. Diamond even sent out the following written warning to retailers:

Please don’t give Alternative Comics #2 to children without adult supervision!!
From Diamond Daily:

FCBD: Watch for Mature Readers Titles
Free Comic Book Day, Diamond Daily, Thursday, June 17, 2004

As in Free Comic Book Days past, all of the Gold Sponsor titles (those required to be in participating stores) are all-ages appropriate, in order to make certain that the event has a family-friendly character and to make it easy for stores to participate regardless of their regional standards.

The Silver Sponsor titles — being optional — are not required to be all-ages appropriate. As in the past, some are intended for mature readers only and were solicited as such.

As you receive your FCBD editions, be sure to bear in mind that the following titles were solicited as being for mature readers, and be certain to hand them out only to the appropriate customers.

Diamond No. Title

APR040027J ALTERNATIVE COMICS #2 FCBD EDITION (MR)
APR040041J ADVENTURES OF BARRY WEEN SECRET CRISIS ORIGIN FILE FCBD EDITION (MR)
APR040042J LOVE FIGHTS #1 FACING THE GODDESS FLIP BOOK FCBD EDITION (MR)

Gordon Lee is charged with two misdemeanor counts of Distribution of Harmful to Minors Material, each carrying a penalty of up to one year in prison and up to $1,000 in fines. The comic contains nudity and adult language. It’s unclear why Gordon Lee chose to give this particular book to young children, especially if he had been warned a head of time by the distributor that it wasn’t intended for children.

Posted In Comic Books | Permalink | Subscribe

13 Responses to “Comic book retailers warned about ALTERNATIVE COMICS #2”

on 07 Nov 2007 at 07:18 1Bob

I think he should be strapped to a bacon slicer and have one slice cut off him each day. Starting at his feet.
on 08 Nov 2007 at 11:08 2Mark Engblom

"It’s unclear why Gordon Lee chose to give this particular book to young children, especially if he had been warned a head of time by the distributor that it wasn’t intended for children."
Well, considering he’s a middle aged man working in a comics shop, Lee may not be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree.
on 08 Nov 2007 at 11:15 3Rick

" Well, considering he’s a middle aged man working in a comics shop, Lee may not be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree."

You may be right Mark. Did you hear about Lee chasing two women shoplifters? He chased them out of the store and jumped on their car as it was speeding away. I think one of them had tried to steal a $12 puzzle.

I can’t see risking your life over something as stupid and unimportant as that.
on 08 Nov 2007 at 14:09 4Turkishproverb

Lord, this is great, its like the Al-Gezeera news version of the story..

You ARE aware that it was an EMPLOYEE of gordon’s that gave the boys the comic, and that he has REPEATEDLY said it was a mistake for the employee to do so?
on 08 Nov 2007 at 18:51 5Steve

Rick, stop being such a douchébag.

Ahhh, but WHICH Rick? Eh? Eh? Eh.
on 08 Nov 2007 at 18:56 6Steve

Obviously I meant the other Rick, whose comment was apparently just erased by the real Rick, who is not a douchébag.

And now I look like a douchébag.

Douché—no, that’s enough.
on 08 Nov 2007 at 19:29 7Rick

Steve, yeah I deleted it because I thought he was pretending to be me. Maybe he wasn’t.

Anyway, he asked why I was lying.

I probably am a douchébag though.
on 09 Nov 2007 at 01:59 8John

Why ARE you lying about the case, Rick?
on 09 Nov 2007 at 05:35 9Rick

Why ARE you lying about the case, Rick?

I’m not lying. Everything I’ve written about this case is sadly and unfortunately true.
on 09 Nov 2007 at 10:51 10RonSchooly

Rick is lying about it because he stands to gain a TON of money from his lie.

PS- YOU’RE ALL RETARDED.
on 09 Nov 2007 at 10:57 11Rick

Hey, I’d rather be called a liar then to be told to "go and drink penis".
on 09 Nov 2007 at 11:05 12Rick

Turkishproverb, If Gordon Lee has in fact REPEATEDLY said it was a mistake for the employee to give the book to the kids, could you please show me where he said this? The only quote from Lee about this whole thing I have ever been able to locate is the one where he said:

“Though I am willing to apologize for this particular art book getting in the hands that found it offensive, I will adamantly agree that the book is not ‘harmful to children’ or ‘obscene.’ In my opinion, this book is no more offensive then viewing the beautiful paintings of the Sistine Chapel or reading one of the best selling books with stories of sex, lust and nudity known as the Bible.”

In this quote, he only says that he is willing to apologize, but puts some rather odd qualifiers on even offering an apology.

He doesn’t actually apologize. He doesn’t say it was a mistake.
on 10 Nov 2007 at 01:39 13RonSchooly

ALL OF YOU SHOULD GO AND DRINK PENIS!