Murderdrome - KILLER APP
EyeCandy #1 We’re still doing what we can with Murderdrome, in the meantime, we’ve had success with one of our other titles - EyeCandy#1 is a new children’s comic, built using the Infurious Comics Engine - we’ve also added all sorts of cool extra features, you can download it for 99cents at the Applestore LINK
By now, you might have heard that Murderdrome has been banned by Apple. This is due to the part of the sdk that suggests content must NOT offend anyone in ‘apple’s reasonable’ opinion. Here at infurious, we would love to work with Apple to ensure a content rating system can be put in place to allow material that is no more offensive than many of the R rated films available to download on iTunes.
PLEASE leave a comment committing your support to us - we’ll forward ALL of these to Apple, so that we can ensure that not only Murderdrome, but that ANY comic submitted to Apple doesn’t fall foul of the same censorship.
For Your delight, the complete first episode of Murderdrome, available exclusively here:
August 25th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
This is ridiculous that this has been banned…the content is comic violence, with no use of serious language and no sign of anything else that would be offensive. I’d rate no higher in rating than an episode of Simpsons or Family Guy…and after watching the video demonstration of the comic in action, it really shows what can be done with comics on the iphone, giving fans a plethora of extras all at the slide of a finger tip.
I whole heartedly support Murdedrome in this.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
It seems entirely unfair that Apple are being so inconsistent about censorship. So I can pay for and download a blackly humorous cartoon or a movie full of stylised violence, but not a similarly themed comicbook? What cobblers.
Hell, they’ll let me download episodes of THE TUDORS, which is full of much more realistically rendered beheadings, but without any trace of MURDERDROME’s redeeming humour.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
[...] the InfuriousComics web site: By now, you might have heard that Murderdrome has been banned by Apple. This is due to the part of [...]
August 25th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
This seems utterly preposterous, given that the iTunes store affords me the freedom to download material ranging from NWA’s Fuck Tha Police to Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible, both of which contain far more genuinely unsettling violence and sexual content than this work. Personally, I can’t see anything in the samples here that’s any more over the top than an average episode of South Park (over 100 currently available) or the popular, nostalgic hitman comedy Grosse Point Blank.
The innovative nature of the interface seems to be precisely the kind of thing which Apple as a company purport to support in opening up their devices to 3rd party developers. I am not in favour of any kind of censiorship of reading material, but it there really is a question mark over the content, surely the answer is to work together with the creators to thrash out some guidelines for flagging the content of future titles.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
It would be a real shame if something this creatively brilliant was prevented from getting wider exposure. Hmmm… is Apple working on something similar? It should definitely be made available, though I’d agree with a rating system in line with the films Apple presents for download. I hope Apple will continue to support the creativity that has been at the centre of their products and philosophy for so many years.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I’m rather surprised that Apple, an organization that prides itself on supporting artists and designers in their creative endeavors, would even consider an outright ‘ban’ of an App that has so much potential to support both professional and aspiring artists; as well as bring entertainment and enjoyment to so many more.
I understand Apple’s concerns about censorship, especially given that the App’s debut title is entitled Murderdrome, but there certainly isn’t anything in the visual content that makes it stand out from any other comic book title or graphic novel that to my knowledge a minor could purchase legally (in both the UK or USA; unless there are more global instances that are causing them concerns? But either way I’m sure that similar instances would also apply to things already available through iTunes).
I’m not sure if age limits are applied to the purchase of certain global comic categories but surely an age of consent agreement/notice being displayed at the beginning of any title, plus a clear written statement the Apps Download listing, would secure that all legal aspects were covered.
I do hope Apple can help you make this great idea a viable and successful one.
Good luck.
August 25th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Given the content that can already be downloaded via apple, I find this decision ludicrous- but I guess some people can find something to offend them in a blank canvas if they look hard enough.
Apple are missing a trick here. There is potentially a huge market for this kind of stuff and I don’t mind admitting that I was wondering how to cash in on it myself within seconds of seeing the demo- and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one. Terrible decision, Apple.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Apple, I urge you, stop and think different. Your whole image is founded on being trailblazing futurists.
What Infurious Comics are trying to do with MURDERDROME - for your iPhone - looks exactly like the kind of future I and many others would love to buy into. The horizons it conjures are sprawling.
You, on the other hand, appear bent on reinstating the “Comics Code” of 1954.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
It is, as others have pointed out, an absurd decision considering the films and music that can be downloaded. Unfortunately, when you’re creating material that’s dependent on a single platform - whether that’s Apple or Diamond Distributors - you’re at the mercy of their whims.
August 25th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
The material - as pointed out by others - is clearly less contentious than television, movie and music content offered by Apple themselves, so I can only assume the best-case scenario is a prejudice against the form itself. It’s sad that a company that wishes its brand-name to be taken seriously in the marketplace as a byword associated with forward-thinking and innovation is held back by prejudices against comics that were led to rest in the 1980s by the likes of Watchmen, a graphic novel which will soon be a major motion picture accompanied by press coverage that will drag the form back into public scrutiny, where basic journalism will discover the vast range of material and subject matter covered.
This decision is a sadly petulant response that will be overturned in time, no matter who chooses to dig their heels in at the moment, just as music companies rallied against downloadable content and now we have the money-juggernaut that is iTunes, an enterprise that’s widely regarded as a success, but was at least a decade overdue thanks to limited vision in the relevant industries. E-comics are an emerging breed supported by AOL Time-Warner through their Zuda brand, and various other companies set up to take advantage of the delivery method, such as major videogame company Rebellion, who have been offering their world-reknowned 2000ad comic for download for quite some time now. Once downloadable comics start making serious money (and trade paperbacks and graphic novels account for almost 20 percent of book sales in the UK), decisions like this one will become more rare, and such incidents will be brushed under the carpet in the name of spin-doctoring, but it’s sad to see this happening all the same.
It is censorship, and that is inexcusable to any right-thinking individual - especially when it holds back the potential success of a medium.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:28 am
I cannot understand this decision.The material in question is just a bit of lightweight fun that even raised a smile in its closing part [the court judgement]It should be taken in the context of what it is.A bit of fun .It is drawn in a fun style as well.It features one decapitation and a couple of other similar mutilations that were so sanitised that they were or are harmless even to children.
The lightweight nature of the material should negate the use of the decapitation as it was drawn in a lightweight comic style that should not offend anyone and what makes this decision even worse is that Apple have targeted this work when its policy of censorship is totally inconsistent when compared to other media available through Apple downloads as quoted in other comments.Their decision is totally unreasonable and because of the above points has no substance.[In the real world anyway].
The only way that Apple can justify this absurd decision is to censor every bit of material that is available through their downloads instead of needlessly targeting Murderdome as if to make some sort of example that makes no sense to anyone.
Censorship without a consistent policy of censorship on the part of Apple just comes across as victimisation and an injustice to those who have been censored.
Perhaps it is the use of violence in a fun sense even if it is highly sanitised that Apple have taken offence to and perhaps it is the word murder in the title that they have taken offence to .
Who knows ?
An absurd decision whatever the reason they give.
Context is needed here .
August 26th, 2008 at 12:34 am
I find Apple’s position on distributing Murderdrome to be unfathomable. Far more extreme and far less stylised violence is already available from any number of downloads available through the same service. Why this original and creative endeavour is being singled out for censorship is beyond me,
August 26th, 2008 at 12:41 am
It’s ridiculous that comic censorship is even an issue in 2008. And I’m disappointed that Apple, of all companies, is pulling this 1950s knee-jerk stunt. If nothing else, their track record shows no reason for them to do so:
They can’t be against the content; as others have said, there are certainly more graphic and/or disturbing things to be downloaded through Apple than this.
They can’t be against its “artistic merit” (as subjective a thing that is); not with such cinematic, ha, classics as Death Race 2000 and Purple Rain sitting in their movie library.
They can’t even be against the medium of comics; the Watchmen Motion Comic featured on iTunes not long ago says otherwise.
Banning this app is uncalled for, at best, and short-sighted at worst.
“Short-sighted” isn’t a phrase often used to describe Apple, and I can’t imagine they want it to start applying now.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:25 am
Whilst I respect Apple’s stance in taking a moral stand point, it does contradict the fact that such imagery is allowed in other media.
I think a ratings system is a fair way to go. Just as adults can buy 18 rated films (I believe it’s R related in America) or games, a similar scheme should be applied to Iphones media across the board.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:58 am
I really can’t see the reasoning behind this ban. As others have said, there is material every bit as likely to cause offense available through the same service, and it’s quite obvious that Murderdrome’s violence is of the cartoon variety, and has its tongue set firmly in its metaphorical cheek.
Apple does not yet have a reputation for kneejerk reactions and stifling creativity. They should be careful that they don’t get one.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:15 am
The idea that this is “may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users” is a little puzzling, as the same can be said of occult apps like iScope (horoscopes) or YouDo Voodoo, the various alcohol-promoting apps, or any number of the ebooks published (including the Bible). You don’t have to look long or hard to find iPod users who find these objectionable. So why apply that standard so arbitrarily?
August 26th, 2008 at 5:00 am
After watching that demo… I geeked out. Apple do the right thing here… Use the same system as movies.
August 26th, 2008 at 9:00 am
You’ve rejected this amazing concept because MURDERDROME may be considered offensive… On the basis if ‘comic’ violence you’ve rejected it, violence which is no worse than that found in much of the media we see everyday.
I cannot believe that apple would have a ‘Disneyesque’ mentality when presented with the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of a ground breaking concept.
With comic-adapted movies becoming the box-office mainstay, surely comics could be one of the few potential growth areas in this economic climate.
I am sure consumers will still be willing to part with relatively small quantities of money, for something like this that entertains them. The hardware exists and has market penetration, the software has been developed, creativity for this kind of application is relatively cheap and therefore, the risk to apple is very low.
Think of the opportunity to license this application to the likes of Marvel and DC to help promote the next big box-office comic adaptation. Interestingly, original Watchmen panels are, for the most part, exactly the right shape for an iPhone screen…
With this application at your fingertips you have the ability to regenerate the interest in comics and inspire a whole new generation - Do what you are renowned for: support these creators and innovators, take a chance with Al Ewing, PJ Holden and Infurious comics’ creation because it’s genius and there’s money to be made.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:16 am
Apple’s decision does seem shortsighted and incongruous.
Is it possible to separate the app and the content? Or is each new story going to be sold as a separate “app”?
I think you’ve got a great product and I hope this impasse doesn’t last long.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
It looks good to me and ‘clever’ too. I’m hoping to pick up one of these soon and something like this would be a nice change when travelling around.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
[...] Murderdrome, an iPhone comic from Belfast Comic creators Al Ewing and Paul J. Holden was rejected from the iTunes App Store for breaking Apple’s content guidelines. Comments from famous comic creators are appearing in support of some sort of ‘ratings’ system like for movies/music for the App Store. [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
[...] Murderdrome, an iPhone comic from Belfast Comic creators Al Ewing and Paul J. Holden was rejected from the iTunes App Store for breaking Apple’s content guidelines. Comments from famous comic creators are appearing in support of some sort of ‘ratings’ system like for movies/music for the App Store. [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
[...] Digital Comic Banned from iTunes App Store Murderdrome, an iPhone comic from Belfast Comic creators Al Ewing and Paul J. Holden was rejected from the [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Add me to the list of people supporting rating for the Apple App Store - and a good parental control option on the iPhone/iPod.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
seriously? no offence but on prima fascia the comic appears horrid. great premise, toss people together to have ‘em kill each other. Mad Max much? earlier comment mentioned “comic violence” — suggest you check definition. “Comic” violence would tend to indicate a slapstick element to detract from the action…. such as, man pinches girl on butt, girl slaps man in the face twenty times. THAT is comic violence. THIS is just violence. And a pretty dead-end premise. You guys need to distinguish “comic” violence — actions intended for comedic relief — and violence that just happens to be in a “comic” which has become an outdated term. Graphic novel, picture story, use what you want.
Bottom line, if you can’t understand why a story about a game where people murder each other might be considered offensive to others, you’re an idiot.
And with regards to “R” movies being available, double-standards of violence etc.
Consider that it’s the culturally-held belief that ratings make it a parent’s responsibility whether or not a child sees that material. There is no control to this end with regard to a graphic storyline, and think of cigarette-advertising as an analogy. If it looks like it might appeal to kids (pictures! duh), but might be bad for kids (murder! duh), keep it away from kids.
You guys seriously don’t understand where they’re coming from?
I hate censorship as much as the next guy, but you’re not being censored, you’re just having your content kept away from impressionable youngsters and *hello!* apple’s PAYING CUSTOMERS that may take offense and express it in an economic fashion (cancel me).
This really isn’t that difficult to understand.
August 26th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I can understand your reason behind the term “comic”, but when compared to the number of graphically explicit material from “comic” shops that are easily available to purchase by teens as well as young adults, this isn’t that much different.
I think that the main issue isn’t the actual content, its the ability to be able to control who downloads what. Apple saying that it can’t be submitted to the store because of the content is wrong. It should be submitted with a high teen or adult rating, or the ability to set parental controls.
Since seeing the whole introduction comic and reading it, I would most likely purchased it, especially if kept at the $1.99 threshold, and I can see from the numbers that a lot of other people feel the same way.
I’m hoping that a reasonable solution is sorted soon and we can start downloading interesting “comic” books electronically, especially as my girlfriend entertains her shopping habits.
FK
August 26th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I think this is a mistake from Apple. The idea of a store not stocking a product simply because they don’t like the content is rank foolishness.
The problem here is that Apple, as well as certain people in this comments section, are making the boneheaded assumption that graphic storytelling is a medium for children. This is epitomized by the comment from “critic” above where he says “If it looks like it might appeal to kids (pictures! duh), but might be bad for kids (murder! duh), keep it away from kids.”
Murderdrome isn’t a work for kids, it’s not being advertised as a work for kids. You might be assuming that comics are for children because “pictures! duh” but that’s your ignorance, not Al or PJ’s design. Comics were never a child-only medium, and are even less so today. Yes, they have “pictures”, but so do movies, and I don’t see anyone saying that film is a medium intended for children.
Age rating is a good idea here, but only if coupled with greater knowledge of the medium and its content from those ultimately responsible, namely parents. If a parent is ignorant enough to think GTA4 is suitable for their six year old, is that Rockstar’s fault? If a parent is ignorant enough to think a comic called MURDERdrome is good reading material for a child, is that Infurious Comics’ fault?
August 26th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Apple is on the verge of becoming the most dominant media distribution company in the world. That they would engage in marketplace censorship is enough to make me reconsider my status as a fan of the company. Apple should use ratings and, possibly, create an age-appropriate “adult” store for material. Denying complete access to their store is wrong. Such a progressive company should not use WalMart-style tactics.
The video of your electronic comic is really great. Congrats on creating an innovative presentation for this new medium!
August 26th, 2008 at 4:29 pm
you shouldn’t have called the app “MURDER”drome in the first place.
are you really surprised that this could offend some people.
anyway, good luck.
cheers.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
I think that Apple should implement a rating system for iPhone applications. Infurious comics is pushing the envelope for digital comics.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Perhaps Apple should start removing some of the e-Books that are already there. The Bible is chock-full of sex and violence. Dracula has death-a-plenty (not to mention the feeding on human flesh).
Why are these OK, but a comic not?
August 26th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Btw, I can see why Apple would ban this but I still think that they should create a rating system. In the meanwhile, I suggest that IC tone it down.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
Free The Belfast(ish) ONE.
Silly decision. I take it they will be pulling The Running Man, Death Race 2000 and all other future-violent sports related material. What would the Harlem Heroes make of it.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Apple you have shown yourself to be philistines. Shame on you.
August 26th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
[...] by England-based Al Ewing and Belfast-based Paul J Holden of Infurious Comics and has now been put online by the duo so that their fans don’t miss out on the pair’s latest [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
In reply to Ian Rennie:Just in case i was misunderstood in my reference to children in my comment.
I quote myself in saying “that they were or are harmless even to children “.
By that i mean although the material is *not* aimed at children ,if children were to read it it would be harmless.Quite a different thing entirely.
I started reading comics when i was 11.I am now 40 and i still read comics and reread the material i read when i was 11+ and enjoy it just as much.I advocate that the comic medium should be enjoyed by all ages.
August 26th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Belfast company’s iPhone app banned…
A Belfast-based Infurious Comics are looking for a rating system for comics on iTunes after their iPhone and iPod Touch app ‘Murderdrome’ was banned by Apple for breaching guidlines on content. Here’s the app in action:…
August 26th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
RELEASE IT THRU CYDIA
The beauty of democracy is that you have options. Forget the app store, release it thru cydia or installer.. Dont let ur hard work go to waste!!!!!!!!!!!
August 26th, 2008 at 8:18 pm
As I’m sure you can guess, I am appalled with this decision. I’ve been following this project with glee, looking forward to the results.
I hope there is an about-face made on this decision. Good luck, guys.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
[...] Link: Infuriouscomics>>Murderdrome - Killer App [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
apple should can resolve this silly mess by simply extending the existing rating system that already exists for other media so that it also include ‘books’.
there is NO justification (ever) for ANY censorship.
the itunes music store is being censored in china (for the recent ‘Songs for Tibet’ album) - so apple really needs to set an example here!
August 26th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
As a parent, I appreciate companies that help in my fight to stave off the flood of objectionable material inundating our families. I wish they would do more to keep the explicit songs, TV shows, movies, etc. out of the iTunes store. Even though there are other ways that children may be exposed to this type of content, I’m still opposed to additional and easily accessible avenues for its distribution.
Bash me and censor my voice if you want, but I agree with Apple’s decision. A ratings system really doesn’t help much and at times makes things worse when it causes curiosity to be piqued by those who don’t know any better or don’t care.
I realize I’m vastly outnumbered on this forum with my opinion, but you’ve got to know there are those who have a different and valid perspective on this subject.
August 26th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Just came across this by Mike Cane
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/apple-forfeits-ebooks-by-banning-a-comic-book/
That totally rounds it up for me. A lot of work went into his posting and I’m sure it will be well received.
FK
August 26th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Steve R above does make a valid point, but in all honesty it is almost impossible to keep everything from your children, unless your with them 24×7. I know I used to hide my Playboy magazine at the age 12 inside a giant bear I had.
At least some form of categorization would help people give an educated guess as to what the content might contain. Rather that than nothing at all.
FK
August 26th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Sorry but I totally agree with Apple. Also asking Apple to come up with a ratings system is a bit rich, it’s not really their responsibility.
Now if an independent ratings organization such as the MPAA would do the ratings, then it seems totally fair. I just don’t think it’s fair to ask a software company to become a game/book/movie ratings organization.
Also, in the US there’s another odd issue. While there are video game ratings, allowing young children to purchase the games is not enforceable, whereas age restrictions based on MPAA ratings I believe are. The real problem here is not Apple, but a lack of consistency in how we rate and distribute literature.
Apple is making a safe call, allowing their app store to be kid friendly. That’s fine with me. The root of the problem you’ve stumbled across goes far beyond Apple.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
As usual, WordPress is not doing the pingback.
Here is the post:
Apple Forfeits eBooks By Banning A Comic Book!
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/apple-forfeits-ebooks-by-banning-a-comic-book/
And for those who do not understand the word “ban,” see in the Comments:
http://mikecane2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/26/apple-forfeits-ebooks-by-banning-a-comic-book/#comment-6883
August 26th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Peter Wolf, I actually agreed with your comment, and my post wasn’t intended as a criticism of yours, it was more aimed at people like Critic making comments about “you’re just having your content kept away from impressionable youngsters”.
I think in general my problem is this: why should the selection of entertainment I have access to be limited by what someone else thinks is acceptable? As long as the content is breaking no laws, then attempts to stop a consenting adult from accessing it come across as prudish.
August 26th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
Mark me down in the “staunch Apple supporter” column, but, here, they are absolutely, unequivocally, wrong. Not only is the content — as already eloquently remarked upon here — much less offensive than much of the content already available via Apple’s own digital distribution network, the innovations in Infurious’ reader format (pencils, inks, colours, letters) has HUGE potential.
Please, please, think again, Apple.
Cheers
Jim
August 26th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Quite frankly, this is ridiculous when you consider what you are allowed to purchase through the Apple store in other media. You are allowed to purchase violent movies from Apple to play on your iPod, or songs containing violent or sexual lyrics. ‘Muderdrome’ is drawn in a rather cartoony style, it’s hard to think that anyone could be truly offended by the unrealistic violence within it’s pages. Let’s be honest, if someone is likely to be offended by the material contained within the comic, it is highly unlikely that they will be prone to download an application with a name such as ‘Muderdrome’ in the first place.
The question this really prompts is “Where does this censorship end?”. If Marvel were to distribute X-Men, or Avengers or any number of other titles through the App store, would the violence contained within those pages pass Apple’s censorship restrictions. Really, they need a board of moderators to judge ages restrictions on titles. Since one needs a credit card to download apps in the first place, does this not count as a marker of the downloader’s age? Could Apple not put some sort of prompt before allowing the download, which asks the user to verify that they are over the age of 18.
I am also quite confused because Clickwheel is an available application on the App store, and Clickwheel allows you to read 2000 A.D. which is quite often bloody and violent itself. How come this is OK? Is it because the content is provided through a third party?
This is akin to the censorship that the comic book community encountered in the 1950s, with the implementation of the the Comic Code Authority. I really hope that Apple rescind their decision, and some agreement can be arranged.
- Edward Kaye
August 27th, 2008 at 1:30 am
DISGUSTING, Apple! Bring down your mature content in the movie store while you’re at it. Hypocrisy should never be tolerated from a company that ‘thinks differently’
August 27th, 2008 at 5:41 am
just change to a PSP comicdeal
I am not an APPLE Fan, they are like Darth Vader and his guys.
So I think I will never get an Apple Deal because my onlinecomic will be the bloodiest shit of the world and of course the bad guys will look like iphones with legs…
But very cool comicstyle.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:55 am
Apple wants to be like Disney was, and protect it’s brand for a broad audience with socially acceptable standards. But even when Walt Disney was working, you could go to see other films, go to other parks. The App Store like iTunes, is the only place to go. Like the Internet itself, it’s power lies not in it’s sensibilities, but in it’s openness. iTunes works precisely because *every* form of music for every taste can be found there. This is the source of it’s success. The App Store is becoming a place where not everything a user might be looking for can be found. For everything — well, they have to look elsewhere. Elsewhere is certain doom for the App Store, and for the locked version of the iPhone OS. If Apple wants to keep its control — and profit — it must give its users and authors freedom, and become a garden where everything can grow and thrive. If only the few are allowed to grow, nature will still provide for all the living things of the world somewhere. Just not among Apple’s manicured lawns and pruned flowers.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:40 am
[...] Murderdrome - KILLER APP, Infuriouscomics Blog, PJ Holden [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 6:54 am
A rating system ist certainly part of a good solution. On the other hand, there’s way too much violence everywhere. Citing Laurie Anderson: ‘Death is a cartoon. It doesn’t look like it hurts very much’. I think it’s good to make a statement against the ubiquitous presentation of sensless violence. Apple has done the right thing. Stuff like Murderdrome will only be missed by sickos.
August 27th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Apple is behaving in a hypocritical and outdated fashion. They seem to be suggesting that because it’s a comic, then it will attract and corrupt children. A simple ratings system will sort this out rather than an outright ban.
Absolutely disgraceful. Apple, give the public a chance to decide. We don’t need you telling us what we are allowed to see.
And the comments from ‘critic’ above are just as bad. You obviously have absolutely no understanding of the the issues under discussion. Comics are not just for children. There is an obvious tongue in cheek humour on display in Murderdrome which has seemingly gone straight over your head. Stick to The Beano, ‘critic’.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:03 am
It’s an app and that is your problem. The ebooks will run into a similar issue, eventually. Comics just push the boundaries more often so it’s a quick call. Lost Girls, cough cough.
By making it an app you’re asking Apple to read every single comic panel by panel in case someone drew a naked fanny and a dildo. Heck even nipples.
You need to separate the reader software from the content. I can see why you didn’t; it absolves you of the need to build the store for content, and just piggy back off Apple’s app store instead. In avoiding the effort to build a store, don’t whine when Apple avoids the effort to police the content.
Also, by shoving the content through the app store, you’re limiting yourselves. Digital comics should be *huge*.
August 27th, 2008 at 11:17 am
[...] There are several lessons to be drawn from this. One is that if you have a comic that is only available via a single platform, as Murderdrome is, you are putting your fate in someone else’s hands. The other is that the medium still does matter; as The Register points out, despite a vaguely worded ban on “objectionable” content, iTunes is still running South Park and “dodgy” movies. The curious can read the first chapter of Murderdrome here. [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Is it a bit of a double standard when I can not get this comic, but can go straight to the iTunes movie store and download the watchmen animated comic containing scenes of rape, murder and other assorted mayhem with no problems at all?
Apple, please do not become big brother. Do not Censor. Please rate the content. Cordon it off from youngsters with parental controls, But do not pretend for a minute that we want you to restrict content from all.
Thanks,
Don
August 27th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Freedom is what differentiated this country from the rest of the world and allowed us to become the best place in the world to live. Censorship brings us back down on par with any number of dictatorships and communist governments, all of which attempt to control the minds of their people through tactics such as intimidation, unjust imprisionment and censorship of people and the press. In this country people should have a right to be offended but they don’t have a right to say that someone or something that is offensive to them can not exist or be published. Book burning or banning should send shivers down the spine of anyone who ever watched Hitler lord over a Nazi book burning. Censoring a book, comic or otherwise, has no place in our society.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
GRATUITOUS VIOLENCE IS THE REAL OBSCENITY!
That said - I do not believe in censorship.
August 27th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
I’m glad apple censored this product. It isn’t needed and it’s dark and disfunctional storyline, if not offensive to many, is another negative floating around in society reather than something positive or inspiring towards a good life. This product isn’t bad neccessaraly because of it’s content (mature adults can deal with it if they choose to read this stuff) but because kids and young adults can be taught anger and violence even more easity than functional, loving ways to live their lives. People need help working out of any anger they feel, not diving deeper towards it. Apple did the right thing.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
So you are in favour of anything that glamourizes violence, especially publications targeted at adolescents. Anything that does this is counterproductive, anti-social and utterly destructive and should not be published. In fact, adolescents should be protected from this kind of product because it leads to real, physical violence even if those adolescents that love your kind of products now, er, scream murder. If you can’t be productive, creative and social, you should really wonder if you still know about right and wrong. You obviously got it wrong. But then you’re probably in favour of 14-year olds carrying knives, stabbing people, attacking seniors, grandthefting autos and generally emptying pumpguns into high-school classrooms. You are part of the reason of the state our society is in. Don’t say it’s just comics, you would be lying. You’re in it for the money and you agree that it might give ados the wrong ideas but you would accept that if it made you enough money to buy the cribs and wheels you want. You’re promoting litterary fascism, dope dealers of the mind, brain killers. Get a grip.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Steve, we are not interested in your filters.
August 27th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
[...] La BD, un poil violente, s’appelle Murderdrome et était censée être téléchargeable sur le store iTunes d’Apple. Mais le géant à la pomme a fait savoir qu’il jugeait ce comic numérique contraire à ses valeurs, rapporte le site Macworld. Les auteurs, Al Ewing et PJ Holden (le duo signant sous le nom d’Infurious), s’insurgent évidemment contre cette décision et proposent d’instituer un classement des BD, comme cela existe pour les films (interdit aux moins de 12 ans, -16 ans, etc.). Ils appellent également à les soutenir en laissant un commentaire ici. [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
vendors can not sell anything they want, it’s not censorship, it’s their right. someone else can sell it if they want
August 27th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
[...] a term in their SDK that prohibits offensive content in “Apple’s reasonable opinion.” In a blog post the InfuriousComics says “we would love to work with Apple to ensure a content rating system can be [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Apple Fascism at its best.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Thank you Apple for doing the right thing here. We have enough violence in our world. People want to make money by poisoning the minds of the young and unsuspecting. It’s time to clean up our media. We can focus on more positive activities. Good for you, Apple! Stand strong against ignorance!
August 27th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Apple, if you determine this is to potentially harmful to sell on your site, don’t.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
This is nothing but censorship - shame on Apple for going to this level. Since when should it be a corporations role to determine what is or is not appropriate for consumers to purchase. Adults can make those decisions for themselves, and parents should decide what is and is not appropriate for their children. This is not Apple’s call.
I am a HUGE Apple fan and promoter and user of their products. This action, if not reversed, will seriously make me consider going back to Microsoft et al.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Congrats to Apple for doing the right thing! Don’t bend to pressure to push sex and violence! FYI this is not censorship! Apple is a company not the government. Infuriouscomics is not “entitled” to force a company to push their filth.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
BEST ADVERTISING Murderdrome WILL EVER GET - THIS IS GOOD - NOW BACK TO WORK!
August 27th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Great - now Apple is making the call on what we can view or read. If you liked government censorship, corporate censorship should be a real joy. There is no excuse for censorship, let the marketplace determine what people want.
August 27th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
[...] creator of the Comic series is not very happy about the rejection and is inviting readers to comment on the unreasonable rejection of their application. The concept of shunning violent [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
If this is out, so should Sin City and a thousand other movies. Why’s Apple playing censor board - it just makes the platform, shouldn’t content regulation be the business of whoever’s business it is?
August 27th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Hey, Apple, thanks for being hypocritical. I know that times change, but do you remember that very early commercial, painting IBM as Big Brother? Yeah, that’s you now, and you’re setting yourself up to be toppled in much the same way that you toppled IBM so many years ago.
August 27th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
This just in Apple censors free speech. Taking cue from China, where it manufactures the iPhone with slave labor!
August 27th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I think Apple is doing the right thing.
It is protecting its brand experience, which is the main reason it is succeeding in a very competitive business environment.
If you can make a business case for why Apple should take a risk with its customer experience, please do so, but I have not heard any such argument. Only pleadings about Freedom of Speech, which are not relevant to this setting.
August 27th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Fuck your censorship bullshit.
APPLE doesn’t need to give your trash any thing.
FUCKTARD liberal whiney asshat.
CENSOR THAT FUCKER…
August 27th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
This is a business decision. Infurious is not being censored. They can publish there work freely. Apple isn’t the only game in town. And, quite frankly, the comic’s a bit derivative and not “brilliant” as some previous posters have stated. Pick your battles more carefully. This one’s not worth it…
August 27th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Apple was right to make that judgment. It’s about time that a public company established some boundaries of decency.
Your company needs to ask the relevant question, “How many young people are having their judgment abilities and sensitivities harmed or compromised by this publication?”
If you don’t care about the kids and their futures, you will continue to rationalize your publication and its messages of harm, pain, and degradation.
August 27th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
[...] “PLEASE leave a comment,” wrote the strip’s creator, Paul Jason Holden. “We’ll forward ALL of these to Apple, so that we can ensure that not only Murderdrome, but that ANY comic submitted to Apple doesn’t fall foul of the same censorship.” (link) [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
[...] one of the company’s iPhone ads misleading. Apple’s being accused of censorship after banning the Murderdrome comic from the App Store for violating the terms of its SDK which prohibits “content or materials that in Apple’s [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
It makes NO sense to censor this… it’s a comic for crying out loud! I’m beginning to loose my faith in Apple.
August 27th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
[...] After word of the comics’ Tuesday night disappearance spread, publisher, Infurious Comics, had offered up the first episode for free along with a call for reader support on their blog. [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Apple does not have subversion authority over my Constitutionally protected right to free speech as guaranteed by the 1st Amendment. Seems like Steve Jobs needs to be reminded of that simple fact.
Please forward my comment to Apple so that they may be informed with my extreme displeasure with their “community standards” to which all iPhone users must be subjected to.
Their arbitrary “community standards” must not be allowed to trump our Constitution! Fight the good fight, fellas. If I must, I’ll show my support by destroying my iPhone 3G and boycotting Apple.
August 27th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
This is rotten! Apple allow both the bible and the quran, books filled with detailed histories of violence and extermination but deny access to a comic? This is downright laughable! Shame on you Apple! (and have just bought both a 24″ iMac and a iphone 3G…..am I a sucker or what?)
>:-(
August 27th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
so when can we expect this intriguing app to appear on the cydia installer? Those of us who’ve already expanded beyond apples sandbox will be much appreciative! Don’t let the bastards get you down…
August 27th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Since when does Apple get to decide what I can and can’t read? If you want to warn me that content may be explicit or violent, okay. Then I can proceed or not. My choice. Not Apple’s.
The same applies to content creators. Apple should not be involved in judging the content that people wish to provide other than assessing compatibility and security.
@Chris: The point isn’t literary worthiness. Opinions of worthiness will always differ between people and viewers. The argument that because something is available elsewhere isn’t the point. One could then argue that a public school that bans books or a publisher that alters content is not something we should be concerned about because the content is available or unaltered elsewhere.
This is, in fact, precisely the battle to chose.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
“Apple was right to make that judgment. It’s about time that a public company established some boundaries of decency.
Your company needs to ask the relevant question, “How many young people are having their judgment abilities and sensitivities harmed or compromised by this publication?”
If you don’t care about the kids and their futures, you will continue to rationalize your publication and its messages of harm, pain, and degradation.”
- Good Lord! First let me point out that you need a credit card to download anything from the app store. In theory this should block children from reading it. Perhaps a parent would allow their children to download it using their card, but that is their judgment call. People should be trusted to use their own judgment in these matters.
In the UK I remember we had the 9 p.m. watershed which prevented kids watching “subversive” material. I currently live in Canada where there is no such thing. Cable channels show movies and shows at all times of the day that contain violence, sexual content, swearing etc. A disclaimer always come up at the start of a show to advise the viewer to use their own discretion as to whether to watch the programme or not. This assumed that people aren’t stupid, and can judge what they do and do not wish to watch, using their own intelligence.
I would also like to point out that Canada has some of the lowest crime rates, and best education standards in the Western world.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I find it sad and it tires me as an adult, to be told by others what is good for me to read and what not. If Apple feels that certain content could offend some or even a lot of people, put a sticker with a warning on it as is done w/ music and films…
August 27th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
If the legends bigger than the truth print the legend !This first episiode of Murderdrome has done just that -infamy within it’s own lifetime !!
August 27th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
I am also developing apps for the iphone and would like to have a rating system. Most of my application ideas also have an adult theme and feel like I should have an outlet for selling them on this platform.
At least, if apple does not allow this adult content to be distributed through the app store, give us another option for distributing content.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most iphone customers are over 18. there is no reason why we need to have this kind of censorship when other content (music, movies, podcasts) are potentially much more offensive than this.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Comics like these, as with TV shows, video games and movies are all crap and are a sad representation of some of the problems with our culture at large. Why can’t our kids grow up with warm positive images as we did. Congratulations to Apple for having the balls to stand up to this crap. It’s not an easy position, but I admire it.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Your comics are shit. That is why Apple censored them. You and others who think you have the right to do anything you want are fucked up.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Charles, the “wholesome images” of the Rockwell era sure have done a lot of good for society at large. Republican closet homosexuals, priests with their altar boys, Son of Sam, and an entire generation of babyboomers that just don’t understand that the culture they loved of global consumerism and the greed it entails is responsible for the global economy’s continual stumbles. Yeah, let’s paint everything with rainbows and sunshine and pretend life is good when you say it is. Works great for North Korea.
No, we don’t need to be protected from negative images. I don’t support Apple’s particular decision in this matter, for anyone who thinks that I do… I support *their right* to act as a hypocritical corporation that panders to the conservative interests of their stakeholders. Bad or good, companies have the right to not make any sense. Don’t like that? Change it, but don’t pick on Apple for being part of the machine.
Why shouldn’t they censor it? Uhh, how about because iphone has internet, and where internet be, all deviance in the human condition can be discovered. In other words, it’s moot.
But recognize that our minds are shaped by the images we see, and that repetition of particular themes has a cumulative effect on one’s worldview. “Innocent fun” sure, maybe for you, but brain chemistry is a funny thing. And a lot of us have defects in ours from living in a borked society, and you get the potential to become increasingly cynical and jaded by reinforcing negative images as entertainment. If you’ve got the “sociopath” defect, and Mom didn’t do a great job of watching what you were up to, you might start to get dark ideas from dark content, and go have a ball.
Do I believe any of this is going to happen from reading this content? Not at all. But is it in the realm of possibility? Absolutely.
And if you don’t believe that, sit down with a psychologist for an afternoon for a friendly chat.
Dark entertainment is a double-edged sword. It can provide valuable insight into the depths of emotion in the human soul, but it can feed a damaged psyche as well. That’s why companies act in this fashion. They don’t want to offend stockholders, and feeding what some consider “prurient interest” may be considered offensive.
Don’t be mad at Apple, take society to task first. If the world stops screwing up, we’d probably have exponentially fewer crazy people to worry about. There’s your answer, get to work :-p
August 27th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
[...] if all of this weren’t enough, Apple itself created some more controversy after it moved to ban the violent comic book Murderdrome (which is based on the ComicReader app) from its App Store. As [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I don’t own an iPhone/iPod Touch for just this reason. I’m opposed to censorship, and since apps can only be bought from Apple’s store, which can be censored without limitation as they arbitrarily please, Apple has the power to unilaterally squash anything they please. That is simply not right.
That aside, censoring for *content* is a bizarre choice for a device which offers internet access. If they think a cartoon is offensive, imagine the offensive content that can be found by using Safari…. Perhaps you could post your comics on an iPhone-friendly web site and sell an app that grabs the comic from that URL?
If they want to require a warning of some sort (”You must be an idiot to spend $1000 on an app that doesn’t do anything”, “If you are offended by cartoon violence, this app might offend you”, etc.) fine: but keeping anyone from getting something just because Apple doesn’t like it is unacceptable.
August 27th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I generally am not a fan of graphic novels. I can’t say that I appreciate this comic. I definitely would not be in the set of people who purchase it. But even though I don’t care for such, I am firmly in the camp saying that censoring it is absurd.
From the time I first heard about Apple’s plans to exercise such a degree of control, I predicted that they would find themselves in this type of situation, where they have made a questionable and arbitrary decision to deny something that is not substantially different from other things they allow. They set up a no-win situation for themselves from the beginning.
They are a business. They have made this decision based on business prospects. The most effective way to convince them of their stupidity is to demonstrate to them that the decision has a negative impact on their business. Part of that is done publicly in the online world (e.g. articles publishing newfound reservations about Apple doing eBooks if they have a censorship bent, volumes of reader comments expressing dislike of their behavior, etc.) and part of that is done less publicly by talking to Apple directly. So don’t just post comments on blogs and articles - contact them directly and let them know your opinions on the subject and how it affects your view of their company and the likelihood that you will purchase their products or services.
For my part, I am considering an iPhone purchase at some point. Even though this isn’t something that I would have appreciated or have been likely to purchase, just the knowledge that they are banning such things from the device make it less likely that I will get one. Because I know that if they are going to choose to ban something like this that sooner or later they are going to choose to ban something that I would want. That is unacceptable. I plan to let them know it directly, and I encourage others to do likewise.
August 27th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Maybe it’s also because this is a crap comic. Really, read it, it’s crap, the art is good but there’s no story at all, just a big load of crap.
August 27th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Appalled to hear about this! Apple definitely need to reconsider their decision. Surely some kind of simple ‘Parental Advisory’ warning on their part would suffice…?
August 27th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
You guys are morons.
August 27th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
[...] forms of content that Apple sells - violent movies and music with explicit lyrics - is not. In a blog entry, publisher Infurious Comics made an interesting proposal to Apple: “we would love to work with [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
Just strip out the comic. You would have been fine without the comic, just upload the app and include your comic, Murderdrome as a sperate download. Your app has to comply with Apple’s rules. Your content is no worse that South Park, so Apple won’t ban Murderdrome. Be smart about this.
August 27th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
[...] if all of this weren’t enough, Apple itself created some more controversy after it moved to ban the violent comic book Murderdrome (which is based on the ComicReader app) from its App Store. As [...]
August 27th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
[...] author Infurious is furious over Apple’s decision to ban their latest release, Murderdrome. Cited for [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 1:26 am
While the storyline to this strip is not particularly original or it is its own take on similar themes it looks like the main character is expressing a certain amount of disgust at what he is involved in but has to do it in order to survive then perhaps this will lead to either some sort of message about violence or killing for sport and how its bad for the soul and that sort of thing [which would justify its violent theme ] or it will just be a Boring strip that contains violence that doesnt make any kind of statement whatsoever may be enjoyable to some but is ultimatly pointless.
So in a way Apple are judging incomplete material without seeing where it is going and without understanding the context of the violence contained in it.
What kind of logic is that ?
The creators should not have drip fed the material to Apple and should instead present it as a complete work then it can at least speak for itself.
I am defending this material not because i like it particularly but because i think apples decision for the above reason is wrong.
All adults should be their own Censor and if Apple wanted to take a moral high ground that is based in reality then it would not manufacture its products in China .
August 28th, 2008 at 1:57 am
[...] author Infurious is furious over Apple’s decision to ban their latest release, Murderdrome. Cited for [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 4:20 am
[...] censorship; or at least applying their own moral judgement of whether an application can be listed. Such is the case of Infurious Comics and their Comic Reader that was meant for easier distribution and reading of web comics on the [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 6:30 am
[...] censorship; or at least applying their own moral judgement of whether an application can be listed. Such is the case of Infurious Comics and their Comic Reader that was meant for easier distribution and reading of web comics on the [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 8:50 am
[...] censorship; or at least applying their own moral judgement of whether an application can be listed. Such is the case of Infurious Comics and their Comic Reader that was meant for easier distribution and reading of web comics on the [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 9:37 am
All you guys that are bashing “censorship” need to get some perspective. Sometimes a line exists, and sometimes people cross it.
You may wonder ‘Who is Apple to say what is appropriate and what isn’t?’, and may I suggest that you consider:
1)It’s their site — do they have ANY say in what they publish?
2)Blocking content isn’t always bad — I dare anybody to defend publishing child pornography. Is this as bad as that? Of course not, but a line needs to be drawn.
3)The guy chopped off somebody’s head, played a game with it, and then stabbed somebody else through the face! How can you rationalize that as being okay?
4)There is a difference between blocking a work of art and blocking a ridiculous, vapid comic strip.
Furthermore, it’s not like Apple is charging into the artist’s home (excuse me: “artist’s” home), breaking his pencils, trashing his computer, and forbidding him from creating this strip. They’re not busting into your place, pushing you away from your computer as they erase all “offensive material” from your files. They’re just saying: “we won’t publish that here.” If you need to read this comic so bad, go find it somewhere else. Nobody’s stopping you.
For those of you who say that this content is milder than other material offered on Apple’s website, that is your opinion. I disagree. I find the depictions of violence to be stylized in such a way as to make them funny and appealing (as opposed to shocking and sobering). Are you honestly suggesting that my opinion is less valid than yours?
My point is, whenever there is disagreement, somebody has to make a decision. You may disagree with Apple’s decision, and you have every right to feel that way… just as they have every right to make that decision.
August 28th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
[...] if all of this weren’t enough, Apple itself created some more controversy after it moved to ban the violent comic book Murderdrome (which is based on the ComicReader app) from its App Store. As [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
I’m not really going to talk about the content of Murderdrome, since at the moment I haven’t read it. However, I think that the comics reader APP is a major leap forward in the medium.
This should be where Apple embrace a developer for making a piece of software that will entice many more users to their platform. It could end up being a standard for digital comics. Instead they’ve taken a pretty short-sighted view of it, ignoring the paradigm-shattering format and concentrating on what the content is.
Personally, I don’t think that it should be an issue - in order to purchase apps from the app store you need to have a credit card. To have a credit card you have to be over 18, in which case you should be old enough to just for yourself whether or not the content as described is for you or not.
I’m looking forward to whatever Infurious come up with next - I’m incredibly excited about this platform and I hope that other comics creators will start creating iTouch content as soon as possible.
August 28th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Apple should come up with some sort of Advisory warning if they feel that content on the app store needs it. After all I am sure Murderdrome would be allowed if were a video podcast and not an application.
August 28th, 2008 at 5:20 pm
PERSONALLY I’M GLAD THAT APPLE WERE RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO
BAN THIS COMIC WITH ULTIMATE PREJUDICE!!!!! YES ULTIMATE PREJUDICE!!!!
IT is only ULTIMATE PREJUDICE that will suffice for the purveyors of this FILTH!!!!
I’D KILL THEM ALL if I was in charge of the government! KILL THEM ALL AND SEND THEM TO MURDER!!!!
August 28th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Really…..
If you don’t like it you do not have to read it….there are even books that are on the shelfs of book stores that people will not read…..why because they just do not like that type of book….
Look Apple you are making money or is it because you are not making enough money from it…..really
really………..what is next on the list of corp America
August 28th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
[...] trata de Murderdrome, un cómic donde predomina las escenas de violencia sin sentido, donde se ven motosierras, [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
[...] that lets them remove any software from your iPhone at any time. But now they’re getting into content censorship as well. The notion of having a computer where Apple dictates, now and forever, what software I can [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
How dare you insinuate that Emperor Steve could anything less than infallible. His knowledge of the Force is greater than you can imagine. If he bans this comic book you should just accept that he knows something you don’t. The Apple Empire will crush all you Rebel scum!
August 28th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Completely ridiculous of Apple. They are a provider, nothing more. For them to censor and ban is as bad if an ISP did it. If it’s something they are so concerned about, then they can come up with a ratings system. Other wise, bring back murderdrome!
August 28th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
First, other U.S. based conservative companies are trying to control content. It starts with DRM for music and videos, then subjective censorship, what happened to 1st amendment rights? Apple has been an admirable and highly criticized company before, and had its shares of moving in the wrong direction, with or without Steve Jobs. Now, Apple back in the negative spot light. Hopefully, they will make the right decision without pissing off it’s new and loyal customers.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
I am glad Apple has done this. Well done Apple. We get enough violence from TV
August 28th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Good work Apple! There is more than enough of this kind violent trash floating around and more than enough places to find it. It is Apple’s sandbox. If you don’t like the rules go somewhere else! If people are going to make technology decisions based on this, great! Go get a Treo, or a Zune and have fun!?
August 28th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
[...] After word of the comics’ Tuesday night disappearance spread, publisher, Infurious Comics, had offered up the first episode for free along with a call for reader support on their blog. [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
[...] After word of the comics’ Tuesday night disappearance spread, publisher, Infurious Comics, had offered up the first episode for free along with a call for reader support on their blog. [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
[...] After word of the comics’ Tuesday night disappearance spread, publisher, Infurious Comics, had offered up the first episode for free along with a call for reader support on their blog. [...]
August 28th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
I don’t understand. If Apple removed your app then the should go ahead and remove Facebook’s too for that matter. According to Apple’s guidelines “obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content” could be anything. I know for a fact that there are groups on Facebook with obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content in them. So come, Apple, man and take down Facebook’s app, too. This means they’ll need to remove those iPhone commercials featuring Facebook’s app, too. I have a better solution: MPAA ratings. Place a warning on the app or something to alert me of offensive content and I’ll be the judge.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:04 am
I’ve seen more questionable material available for my iphone. I think apple may have made a mountain out of a molehill. Still thought, maybe the publicity will catapult you to greater heights than you think. I look forward to your future publications.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:04 am
[...] Murderdrome may be stupid, it may be offensive and it is certainly gorey - but it’s no worse than a lot of comics that you can get at Barnes and Noble or Borders. You can view the full first issue at the publisher, Infurious Comics. [...]
August 29th, 2008 at 9:14 am
Just done a bit of poking around the net with Murderdrome, and the story isn’t a new one.
Murderdrome was originally penciled by Simon Penter back in 1997. You can see his artwork here:
http://www.simonpenter.com/html/murderdrome_0.html
So this is nothing new, just a new medium for distribution. The bloody story is over 11 years old.
FK
August 29th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Y’know, I’ve seen far worse in episodes of Itchy & Scratchy on The Simpsons.
“If it scares you to read that one imaginary person killed another, why not take up knitting?” : Ambrose Bierce
August 29th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
The movie and music associating has explicit and different Letters to show the rating system. The fast that the App store would have to also is retarded. I could not imagine going online and going on I wonder what R rated applications I can download, or maybe even X! I am sure apple wants to check and give a letter rating for your stuff. Trusting software providers is harder then movie and music as you can hear or see what needs to be rated, anyone can program something that offensive into it and if you dont press the right keys, enter a password ect then you can’t view or hear the content.
a rating system for applications is a mute point. Games sure, Comic books in solid form sure, Comic Books in virtual form, grow up.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Hi,
a friend knows that I am in to the comic genre and informed me about this situation. I would implore apple to reconsider censoring legal comercial material. The American people have a right to decide for themselves what they want to watch and what they want to purchase. I do believe in some regulations and I absolutely believe in a ratings system. But I think as a company that deals with material in a free market society you have a responsibility to provide comericial legal material, with a responsible rating system attached. Otherwise you seem to over stepping your bounds. Apple is a secular company and people expect freedome of choice not moral judgement.
Although I appreciate your position and your concerns about your image, and yes I believe your well intending ethics, I think you will inadvertantly pave the way for a less scrupulous company to move in, create shock marketing, and hurt your bottom line. I would be concerned that other products that you offer will be lost in the shuffle and it will become a shock entertainment driven market. This has been seen in radio, TV, and Movies.
Have faith that the guy who may view a comic meant to be adolescent against is just doing it as a guilty pleasure and not a means to degrade the moral fiber of society. If you want to lead the way again provide legal comercial material and a responsible rating system so people know what they are purchasing and that should be sufficiant and appreciated by 90% of people interested in your products.
August 29th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
For all those who can’t understand the censorship is because in order to BUY off itunes you must have a prepaid card or a credit card. Chances are your an adult, They also ask your age. The app store is meant to be a friendly place to get software not a soon be be porn theater where you can get stuff that would make them look bad.
Why does it matter how old the comic book story is? It doesn’t as it still has nudity and violence.
Why does it matter if the ITUNES STORE can rent and R rated movie but not sell Pornographic comics? Cause they don’t want subjected material to be sold on a medium that is easily obtained. This is like arguing why iTunes doen’t rent porn and dirty games available for ipod. iTunes video and Rental system has a OFFICIAL RATING system used around the world. It’s not theirs. Rating stuff by a system like movies and music is, is put before boards and panels and rated and is costly, Do you want that cost added to your total profit, I smell no money for your few dollar apps.
What’s acceptable on tv is not the same as what Apple sees ass acceptable. Just cause you can say Pussy and TV and the Radio does not mean Apple thinks its proper or needed to be a thing to say in an application.
Last of All as mention Apple has clearly stated what is VIABLE content via their RATING SYSTEM OF E FOR EVERYONE. If you can not follow it tell your customers how to use paypal and purchase the stuff to transfer it. Why can’t you give it in PNG or JPG or PDF format? Movie, game, tv, and music ratings are entire organizations that control this. Simple stating this has pornographic and violence and disturbing images is not a valid rating.
August 30th, 2008 at 5:26 am
http://www.infuriouscomics.com/2008/08/murderdrome-killer-app/
Steve Jobs is a pansy ever since he became bedmates with Bill Gates and Wintel. Apple doesn’t even make Macs anymore but expensive Mactel PC’s that make the Wintel crowd proud. If Steve Wozniak doesn’t just step up to the plate and bitchslap Steve Jobs and take the reins, then Apple is doomed to become Amiga Inc, just making damn software for phones and mp3 players. Yes it is true that Steve Jobs has lost touch with his roots, and dug them up and set them on fire. Hello, Al Gore is on the board of directors, Mr. “I invented the internet in 1992″ married to Tipper Gore head of the PMRC read parental advisory stickers forced on music artists. Tell me what is wrong with this whole picture. Steve Jobs needs a new job, time to move on to the next NeXt. Always stupid things he does, more style than substance, the best selling Apple ever, the Apple //gs which he cancelled that was a great idea, because it is more important to him to look cool than build or support computers that last. Think about that next time you want to plunk down $10,000 to buy the newest Apple iThing that is the answer to all your worries. Just think if IBM actually did buy Apple instead of a recourse to Steve Jobs’ rein of propriety terror, the best Macs would be being made right now with the PPC architecture still, shipping with the brand new Quad G6 chips, running at 3 GHz per core and not burning up like CrapTel chips. Oh wo wo wo time to go back to the drawing board Steve Jobs give Steve Wozniak a raise and see what he would do. :O
August 30th, 2008 at 7:00 am
[...] KILLER APP - "Here at infurious, we would love to work with Apple to ensure a content rating system can be put in place to allow material that is no more offensive than many of the R rated films available to download on iTunes." wait, apple censored a comicbook? [...]
August 30th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Steve Jobs and Apple wil go down if they don’t open up. Apple has always been patronizing but censorship of content is the beyond comprehension.
August 30th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Llane wrote: Why does it matter how old the comic book story is? It doesn’t as it still has nudity and violence.
MURDERDROME has violence - that’s it. Not nudity, not sex. Just comic violence that is no worse than Itchy and Scratchy.
Apple sells Watchmen on their US Store which has heaps more violence and a picture of a blue pee-pee. Worse, without any ratings. They sell Reservoir Dogs without a rating. They sell a lot of ‘18′ rated material without a rating. But they knock back a comic. This goes totally in the face of the nonsense statement that Apple has clearly stated their desires with the App Store. They show incredible inconsistency, incredibly poor judgement and worse, inability to properly manage their own stock.
We’re not asking for anything more than the ability to self-censor. To guide consumers on content and help those who don’t want to see anything other than ‘ponies in pastel shades’ keep away from content they may find scary.
September 1st, 2008 at 4:22 am
Frankly, this material, while protected by law, is gross and I’m glad that Apple is showing good taste by not allowing it.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:28 am
[...] Comics für das iPhone nicht für den Verkauf im App Store zugelassen. Die Geschichte “Murderdrome” war den Verantwortlichen bei Apple zu brutal. In der Vereinbarung des iPhone-Entwicklerkits [...]
September 1st, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Apple needs to be more open with what they allow in the store. A ratings system would make sense. Look at games like Kill Monty from Freeverse - a mac desktop game for now - but I wouldn’t let a young kid play that one. Parental controls?
As others have mentioned, Safari is capable of pulling in truly offensive content. Another problem is how to deal with customer support. Suppose you buy something from the App store and you are truly offended. Can you return it, get your money back?
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:28 pm
“Maybe it’s also because this is a crap comic. Really, read it, it’s crap, the art is good but there’s no story at all, just a big load of crap.”
Of course, one man’s big load of crap is another man’s solid gold. For instance, I think that both you and your opinion are a load of old crap too, but I’ve absolutely no doubt that somebody, somewhere, thinks you’re a real diamond. It’s not me though.
Meanwhile, there’s no such thing as bad publicity- so please keep your crap opinions coming. Failing that, maybe you could create something that we can critique. I promise I’ll try to use something a bit less lowbrow than ‘crap’, when the time comes.
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
“Murderdrome was originally penciled by Simon Penter back in 1997. You can see his artwork here:
http://www.simonpenter.com/html/murderdrome_0.html
So this is nothing new, just a new medium for distribution. The bloody story is over 11 years old.”
Actually, no. The story is only a couple of years old at most and was conceived as (gasp!) parody. The fact that it was set in the dizzying future of 1997 was part of the joke.
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
[...] the guys at Infurious Comics created Murderdrome (Death Race without the cars, looks like) and submitted it to the App Store as [...]
September 4th, 2008 at 1:00 am
[...] week, Apple banned the bloody electronic comic, Murderdrome. The comic’s creators wrote on their blog: “This is due to the part of the SDK that suggests content must not offend anyone in [...]
September 4th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Wow, I am suprised at the number of people on here who agree with the form of censorship that Apple has pushed onto another company. I didn’t think that it was the right of one company to censor another company, after all this is America land of the free, where we are suppose to be free and our freedoms are protected, one of which is the freedom of speech.
Over the past 40 years I have become suprised at what people have found offensive yet have not stopped and taken the time to see how many things in that person’s life are just as offensive.
Since I have used the internet since 1993, I have become more shocked over the content that is available on the internet. I am suprised that the people on here and companies like Apple or Microsoft would take away the freedom of speech from a small company instead of stopping say “child pornography”, xtube.com, public access tv, and an endless list that goes on and on.
I wonder how many people on here who are supporting Apple’s decision, of those who watched the beheading of the American in Iraq on the internet, or how many of those watch pornographic or violent material.
So if something so small and trivial as this can be censored which really doesn’t depict anything extremely graphic, violent, or sexual in nature, what other things will soon be censored. I suppose those agreeing with Apple would also cover up Michelangelo’s David, destroy Mapplethorpe’s paintings, ban the books of say Lovecraft, Poe, Shakespear or King. Ban the movie Saving Private Ryan or Schindler’s List due to it’s violence, or ban The Crying Game due to it’s sexual content. Ban the Beatles White Album or Sgt. Pepper, due to it’s reference to