A few months ago, we told you about the ongoing battle over freedom of the press in Ecuador. The government of President Rafael Correa was using new media regulations to intimidate political cartoonist Xavier Bonilla, who was told that he…
Category: International
Ultraman Loses Battle Against Malaysian Government
Malaysian Home Affairs Ministry has banned the Malay language edition of popular Japanese comic Ultraman, The Ultrapower stating that the book contains “elements that can undermine public security and societal morals,” according to the Associated Press. The specific element in…
Japanese Vandal Targets Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl
An insidious sort of censorship is taking place in Japan: Someone has vandalized hundreds of copies of Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl at public libraries throughout Tokyo. The vandalism began early last year, with a copy The Diary…
Sacrebleu! French Politician Attacks Picture Book
A few weeks ago, France found itself in the midst of a rare controversy over a children’s picture book after a prominent politician said on television that it made his blood run cold. The work in question? Tous à poil,…
History Repeats Itself: How Korean Manwha Met the Same Fate as American Comics
For a time in the 1980s and ‘90s, South Korean manwha enjoyed the same success as their Japanese manga neighbors. Sadly, though, while manga continued to grow and make inroads internationally, print manwha were decimated at home amidst a panic…
Flying Spaghetti Monster Banned From UK University Event
Pastafarians, don your colanders! Posters depicting the satirical deity Flying Spaghetti Monster were recently banned from an activities fair at a public university in London because they could be “religiously offensive,” reports The Independent. On their recruitment posters, members of…
The Lost Comics Code of Australia
The Comics Code Authority highlights one of the darkest periods of comic book history. As a direct result of criticism from the Senate, the Code was implemented by the comics industry, leading to years of self-censorship in an attempt to…
Anime Series Changes Timeslots After Complaints to Japanese Watchdog Group
An anime series featuring erotically charged scenes between stepsiblings will be moved from 10:30 p.m. to the early morning hours on Japanese TV after the non-governmental Broadcasting Ethics & Program Improvement Organization (BPO) launched an investigation into complaints about “heavy…
Malaysian Cartoonist Zunar Speaks at Busboys and Poets in Washington DC
Malaysian cartoonist Zunar, the pen name of Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque, was arrested for seidition in 2010, hours before a collection of his new political cartoons was published. Zunar faced down his government and successfully avoided the sedition charges and won…
Palestinian Cartoonist Threatened After Criticizing Militant Group
A Palestinian cartoonist who shared a drawing critical of militant group Al-Quds Brigades on her Facebook page has apologized and deleted the post after receiving death threats and harassment from supporters of the organization. Last week, in response to recent…