Every year, the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) receives reports of book challenges from around the country–that is, a request from an individual or group for a book to be restricted or removed from a library or classroom. Over the years OIF has tracked the reasons cited for these challenges, and comics are challenged for many of the same reasons as prose novels do.
A few years back, Tim Leong distilled the data regarding comics and graphic novels into the infographic below! Click on the image to view it full-size, and read on for more information on each of the categories and challenged books. You can also buy a poster of Leong’s infographic in the Rewards Zone.
Offensive Language
One of the most common reasons for challenges–probably because it’s such a low threshold. Just a few vulgarities can be enough for some people to want a book removed!- Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley
- Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes
- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
- Sandman by Neil Gaiman and various artists
- Sidescrollers by Matthew Loux
- Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age edited by Ariel Schrag
Unsuited to Age Group
Parents sometimes challenge a book they feel is inappropriate for their child or teen, even though it may be just right for someone else.- Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley
- Maus by Art Spiegelman
- Sandman by Neil Gaiman and various artists
- The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
- Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Obscene Images
This is a major reason why comics tend to be popular targets! Of course, obscenity is defined in law and these books aren’t it, but that doesn’t stop challengers from using the term with abandon!Violence
This can range from fantasy or slapstick violence to depictions of historical events.- Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore and Brian Bolland
- Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
- Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
- Tank Girl by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett
Nudity
Again, this is a category that naturally affects comics and even picture books more than prose works, even though they might describe the same content.- Dragon Ball by Akira Toriyama
- Ice Haven by Daniel Clowes
- In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
- Tank Girl by Alan Martin and Jamie Hewlett
- The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
Bigotry
Challenges in this category are often leveled without regard for context.Sexual Content
This is the top challenge category overall, and as with Offensive Language above it encompasses multitudes from teenage gossip to actual sex scenes.- Amazing Spider-Man: Revelations by J. Michael Straczynski, John Romita, Jr., and Scott Hanna
- Big Hard Sex Criminals by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
- Drama by Raina Telgemeier
- The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill
- Neonomicon by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows
- Palomar by Gilbert Hernandez
- Pride of Baghdad by Brian K. Vaughan and Niko Henrichon
- Saga by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
- Sidescrollers by Matthew Loux
- Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age edited by Ariel Schrag
- The Color of Earth by Kim Dong Hwa
- This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
- Y: The Last Man by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra
Drinking/Smoking/Drugs
Even when the characters indulging appear to be of age, some adults object to any depiction of mind-altering substances in comics.- Bone by Jeff Smith
- Stuck in the Middle: Seventeen Comics from an Unpleasant Age edited by Ariel Schrag
Anti-Family
This category can encompass anything from same-sex parenting to divorce to child abuse.LGBTQIA Content
Challenges against LGBTQIA-themed works have been steadily increasing in recent years, but in part that may be because they’re also becoming more mainstream for all ages!- Drama by Raina Telgemeier
- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel
- Sandman by Neil Gaiman and various artists
- Stuck Rubber Baby by Howard Cruse
- This One Summer by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki
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