Comic Publisher 'Baffled' by Apple 'Censorship Problem'

Apple's 'baffling censorship problem' has left app developers and comic publishers unsure about what they can submit to the App Store, after an issue of space fantasy comic Saga is blocked for containing adult content.

[UPDATE, 11 April]: Comic distribution platform Comixology, which handles the Saga series for Image Comics has released a statement saying reports of Saga issue 12 being banned by Apple are untrue.

Comixology CEO and co-founder, David Steinberger, said the following:

"As a partner of Apple, we have an obligation to respect its policies for apps and the books offered in apps. Based on our understanding of those policies, we believed that Saga #12 could not be made available in our app, and so we did not release it today.

"We did not interpret the content in question as involving any particular sexual orientation, and frankly that would have been a completely irrelevant consideration under any circumstance...it should be clear that Apple did not reject Saga #12."

Steinberger went on to say that his company's interpretation of Apple's policies was mistaken, and Saga issue 12 is now available through the App Store.

Original story, 10 April.

Edition 12 of the comic, which is distributed through an iPhone and iPad application, was not allowed to be published because it contained two scenes of gay sex. Explicit adult content is banned under Apple's terms and conditions, but previous issues of Saga have been granted access to the App Store, despite having similar content.

Ron Richards, director of business development at Image Comics, told IBTimes UK: "Censoring of apps is definitely a problem, especially for apps that contain content [such as comics, books, magazines].

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Comic Publisher 'Baffled' by Apple 'Censorship Problem'