2D Lolis One Step Closer To Ban In UK

Since our previous report about UK's proposed bill banning virtual child pornography, things have been getting worse for British lolicons; and for certain artists alike, who have grown fond of portraying their underaged muses (imaginary as they may be) in sexual situations. Just a short couple of weeks ago, the dreaded bill - known as the "Coroners and Justice Bill 2008-09" - was still tangled up in the parliament's House of Commons.



Sadly, the bill's brutal attack on people's freedom of expression was met with little resistance, allowing the would-be law to get one step closer to fruition. This week, the bill's first reading took place in the House of Lords, which is "a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords". A more formal debate on all aspects of the bill (the so-called second reading) will follow on April 27.

At the same time, a more firm opposition is finally starting to take shape. InTheNews writes that "comic book artists are to fight a law which bans depictions of children in sexual situations, saying it could criminalise legitimate artists and fans". Even Alan Moore - the mind behind current blockbuster movie Watchmen - is known to have drawn a piece of erotic fiction featuring underaged girls, called The Lost Girls. So for example anyone who bought that, the artists argue, "would be automatically criminalised by having it in their possession".

Alan Moore's daughter, Leah is one of the founders of the Comic Book Alliance, as this group of artists is known, and their campaign is being joined by several other high-profile comic creators - including Bryan Talbot and Neil Gaiman, writer of Stardust (on which the recent fantasy movie was based) and The Sandman series. Still, the Ministry of Justice is trying to put them down by claiming that their concerns are unfounded.

"It is not our intention to criminalise the legal entertainment industry, the art industry or pornographic cartoons", a spokesperson said. "The proposed offence has been carefully constructed to target the material which causes most concern and is at the extreme end of the spectrum. Images will have to meet certain conditions to be considered illegal."

This "material which causes most concern" is no doubt a hint at Japan's most extreme manga and anime titles that reach the old-fart British islands. Admitedly, some of the Japanese creators may be pushing it a bit too far. But I would still very much like to know what exactly are those "certain conditions" that would deem a loli drawing illegal.