The convention took place in the Bengaluru last week and has caused quite a stir with this controversy
Bengaluru: The largest pop culture event Comic Con was hosted in the city on November 17 and 18 at the KTPO Trade and Convention Centre in Whitefield. The event attracted multitude of visitors including children, teenagers and adults. They were all given goodie bags containing their wristbands for entry, a packet of Doritos, Batman poster and an exclusive edition of the comic book - Saga by Bryan K Vaughan and Fiona Staples. Saga has left parents of children in angst.
The comic book, an epic space opera or fantasy comic series, in question contains pornographic content. The content of the comic was bought to notice by Debjani Aich, a social media commentator and lawyer.
Aich, in her Facebook post, said that the comic was handed to her eight-year-old daughter and that she has filed an FIR against three organisers of the event - Shyam Singh Rawat, Jatin Verma and Grigori Zarayskly. The complaint was filed with the Banaswadi police station under Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code. She also questioned why there was no content warning given on the cover of the comic. She has also requested the police to take necessary action against the organisers and prevent them from distributing such material in future.
Aich and her legal team are trying to book the case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The incident, she states, was a case of sexual harassment against children.
This is not the first controversy that Saga has fallen under controversies. Previously, the cover of the comic was debriefed and temporarily dropped from the Apple App Store for misinterpreted gudelines. It was also challenged by many public libraries.
While most parents were quick to stand with Aich, some took a different path by stating that the comics in general are meant for adults and not for kids. Also, if such an objectionable itinerary was found, then it is the responsibility of the parents to check on this, they said.
Comic Con Bengaluru released a statement apologising for the ‘inadvertent mix-up’ and that they as organisers do not support nor promote such content for minors.
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