Site Rules and FAQs

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Static Shock

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#1  Edited By Static Shock

Rules and FAQ

1. No Nudity or Sexually Explicit Photos

No porn or Hentai. No images with genitalia. No bare butt pictures. Failure to heed this rule will likely result in an immediate ban.

No overtly sexual pictures. This includes pictures of simulated sex, which includes, but is not limited to, clothed humping, jerking off motions, implied oral sex, etc. Like with the other rules, this one is up to the interpretation of the moderators.

How come nudity is allowed in the wiki and not in the forums? The wiki intends to be completely comprehensive in terms of all comics ever published. In order to be comprehensive we need to include all issues, not just the ones that might not offend someone. As with drugs (below) it is acceptable to discuss pornography in comics, provided that it is on topic! In other words if you want to discuss why certain comics were banned or censored go ahead and do so, but keep the explicit details out of it, as well as any links to material that would be considered inappropriate, even if it comes from our own wiki.

2. No Drugs

Again as with this being a child friendly site, discussions dealing with the use of hard drugs may be locked, and the users partaking in these discussions may be given warnings. Just to be clear this refers to any discussions of drug use beyond what is legally permitted, so feel free to have a discussion about beer, tobacco (and coffee!) but anything else is against the rules

unless

it is specifically in reference to something which has occurred in comics. So start a thread about Roy Harper's addiction to heroin if you like, but don't start a thread about how much you like heroin.

3. Language

Banned:

  • Fuck
  • Faggot and any derivations (to include negative sexual slurs)
  • Racial slurs and any derivations
  • Use of "retard" or other related slurs
  • Use of "rape" to flippantly describe something out of context (this extends to any word/synonym that is to convey a similar message)

The mods hope that this clarification will help Viners know exactly what words they can get busted for and what words are technically okay.

A few notes by way of explanation:

  1. We ask, of course, that just because you can use certain words that you still treat each other civilly. Insults are still against the rules. You can't call someone a "bitch" and then get upset when you get a warning. "But 'bitch' is an okay word to use in the forums!" you might say. Sure, but not in the way you used it.
  2. You can't use the F-word. Don't edit it to make it "okay." (No: f***, f_ck, fvck, f$ck, etc.) We don't want to see it. Pick a different word. Move on.
  3. Sexual orientation slurs are out. People have a problem with the ban of the word "faggot." Get over it. It is hateful speech and not allowed. Included in this rule is the use of "gay" to paint something negatively.
  4. Racial slurs are out. It does not matter if you claim right to a word or phrase because it belongs to "your people" - don't use them. We don't want to foster an atmosphere of exclusion. This extends to edits (examples: n!gg@, g00k, ch!nk, wetb@ck, etc.).
  5. Do not refer to someone as a "retard" or to something as "retarded." Also, do not tack "-tard" onto the ends of words. Calling someone a Narutard is the same as calling them a retarded Naruto fan. Don't do it.
  6. "Rape" is a word with incredibly negative connotations. It is not a joke word and should not be used to casually describe the outcome of a fight where rape isn't even involved.

In addition, do not use words for the human anatomy that are deemed offensive. Do not use sexually explicit language. Use of images or gifs with the middle finger are prohibited.

As to videos with language: If there is language that is not safe for work then please put a warning before the video as NSFW.

4. Don't Use Slurs Against Someone's (Supposed) Race, Creed, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Etc.

Using terms that fall under these makes you seem especially ignorant, and well, boring... we've heard it all before so don't bother with it... The community here at the Vine is diverse. That said, everyone will be treated with respect, regardless of skin color, age, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender and the like.

An infraction of this rule is an automatic (permanent) ban.

5. Adding To The Vine‘s Encyclopedia, But Not Sure How...?

There's a lovely button at the top right hand side that says "Help" either click on that or follow this link, failing that, ask a Mod, we're always here to help.

6. No Threatening People

Pretty basic fact here, whether you think your joking or not do not abuse or threaten users. Warnings leading up to bans will ensue as a result.

7. Drama

Don't cause it, don't get caught up in it. Keep the threads free from it! Mods will crack down on you if you create a thread designed to stir drama.. keep it cool man.

8. NO ABUSE OR HARASSMENT

This includes any threatening behavior or insults towards other users. Mods have to deal with it you will get an immediate ban, no warning. We do not tolerate abuse. Be careful what you might consider an insult as well, the Vine is made up of a vast number of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. What you might think is an acceptable word to call someone might not be according to them. An example of this is the word "liar" which is often used in debates.

In the interest of being absolutely explicit about the topic, suicide is not a laughing matter, and anyone that is seen to not take it seriously on the site, will receive a warning or a ban, depending on the severity.

9. A Note on Forum Conduct Guidelines

Up to this point you will have noticed the guidelines dealing with forum conduct (no pornography, no abuse, no harassment, no slurs of any kind. As it pertains to the forums we have a nifty little feature for quoting content from previous posts.

Quoting threads that exhibit breaches of site conduct rules can also be construed as breaking those rules.

So be careful what you quote, don't let another person's words get you in trouble.

10. Know what forum you need to start your thread in

There are two forums which staff use for official purposes. You are free to comment there and to discuss the topics as much as possible, but only the staff should create new posts in these forums. They are Comic Book Preview and Contests. If you have an actual contest then feel free to post it in contests, but it should not be used as an excuse to spam. Equally know what belongs in General Discussion versus Battles versus Off Topic.

11. No Piracy

Pretty basic, do not add links to illegal downloads or sites in which comics are read without compensation to the creators. (This includes personal image hosting sites in which a user uploads a comic and links to the image.) Don’t talk about downloads or promote them on the site. It can get the site in a lot of trouble and also cause massive issues for the staff. You may talk about multimedia sites, but don't link to something where members are forced to download content or that violates copyright law.

12. Issues With Other Viners/Members

If you have a problem with another user we can not stress enough to use the Flag system, when you post you will see a flag button use it, Moderators are on top of the flagging system as much as possible and we will deal with the issue at hand. Try to make sure to utilize that button and not attack the user in question, be the bigger man or woman, flag em and ignore em!

13. Trolling & Spamming

Will get you banned… Simple as that. This site is for all users to enjoy and this kind of behavior ruins it for everyone.

14. Use The SEARCH Function!!

Its at the top of the threads and easy to find, using it will help you to not have your thread deleted or locked! that way all your hard work put into making the thread will not go astray!

Quick guidelines for making a thread:

  • Spell all names correctly in the subject line.
  • Do not put in punctuation marks in the subject line
  • Use proper spelling and capitalization in your posts.
  • Limit your thread making, try not to spam the forums with daily threads, think before you create! we want the site to be full of awesome, not packed with pfff
  • Capitalize all proper nouns and at least the first word in the subject line
  • BE SURE that you post your thread in the proper forum or sub-forum. You can find these by going to the main page for that character/team, etc & clicking on 'forum' down the left-side.
  • If you create a battle thread make sure to not only read the rules of the battle forum but also and we stress this LINK CHARACTERS!! it makes it easier for people to find!

15. Think Before You Type

Remember that the artists, writers etc are real life people, be aware of what you say about them.

When to quote--Wildvine

Spam: What is spam & what you should do

Don't spoil things!

16. Mods Are Here To Help

If you have any kinds of issues or do not understand what to do that’s what the mods are here for. We will support you with anything you need.

Also if you have ANY ISSUE with a moderator feel free to talk to them direct in PM and include a staff member, or if you feel its necessary take it straight to a staff, you do not have to put up with any kind of abuse from moderators and staff are here to moderate the moderators.

Staff

Moderators

17. English, Please

While we understand users come from all over the globe this site is English based and needs to be kept that way. Comic reviews, however, can be done in another language.

18. NO PLAGIARISM AT ALL!!

19. Submissions

If you're looking for a page that really needs work then head over here and work on one that really needs info from people in the know...

Basically it's easy to get points here: do quality submissions and you get the points for them. simple as that.

For those complaining that their submission got rejected, it's probably for one of three reasons...

1. You're plagiarizing another site... NOT ACCEPTABLE HERE DO NOT PLAGIARIZE

2. The level of spelling and grammar was unacceptable.

3. The information was incorrect.

Let me put this straight, if you continually mess with the database content you WILL be put on a Wiki ban and you won't be able to edit any more pages, the points will mean nothing to you.

Now that we've got that out of the way here's a few hints for the serious submitters out there that will help them work on site content and have their submissions approved quickly and easily...

SPELL CHECK YOUR SUBMISSIONS!

we can't stress this enough, so many submissions we get are complete nonsense because people don't read through the submission first and it's riddled with stupid mistakes and terrible spelling.

20. Warnings and Bans

Mods will issue you with a warning if you are flagged or if you are disrespecting the rules of the site. Three warnings will be issued before you are banned, bans will start with a forum ban then move onto an IP ban, if you receive a warning heed it, you do not want to get banned. In extreme cases you can be banned straight away, this is not inclusive of any abuse towards other members. Mods make the decision based on your actions, this can vary from member to member as we try NOT to ban and allow people to change, your actions speak for you.

21. Flagging Posts

A lot of people just PM the mods when they see something offensive in a post. There is a flagging system in place.

Q: When is it OK to flag something?

A: If there are expletives/swear words that aren't semi-censored.

Q: When is it NOT OK to flag something?

A: Just because you don't agree with something, it does not mean you get to flag it. For example, Battles threads often grow heated. You should provide a valid argument; don't flag a post just because you don't agree with someone else's argument.

Q: What happens if my post is flagged?

A: If your post is flagged and the Mods deem it necessary, then you will receive a warning. If you continue, you will receive either a forum ban (you wont be able to post in the forums) or an IP ban (you will not be able to log on to the site).

If you have any more questions on what should be flagged, refer to the 'What To Flag and What Not To Flag' thread, which is pinned at the top of the General Discussion board.

22. Karma Points

When you flag a post, both you and the poster receive a "Karma Point." If a Mod agrees with the reasons for the flagged post then both users keep their karma points. If a Mod disagrees with the flagged post then the Viner who was flagged will lose their karma point, but the person who raised the flag will keep a Karma Point.

If you reach a total of 5 Karma Points you will lose your ability to flag posts. If a user reaches 10 Karma Points, then you lose your ability to post in the forums. Every day all users lose 1 Karma Point.

23. Images

When uploading images for characters, concepts, and the like in the wiki section of the site, do not to upload duplicate images. They will be deleted.

In general, do not upload/post full page scans. As Comic Vine rises in popularity, so does its scrutiny by the comic companies.

Exceptions:

  1. Reporting news - (Typically reserved for Staff)
  2. Reviews - When the scan serves as an example for the review
  3. Commentary - Actually addressing the merits of the scan's composition
  4. Research - Probably not applicable to our site
  5. Express permission/license - (Also typically reserved for Staff)
  6. Images from comics/manga in the public domain

To be safe, stick to reducing a scan down to a panel. This has not caused much of a problem. (Besides, we don't want to see the panel of Batman smacking Robin go away.)

Due to the legal nature of this rule, please don't try to get cute and exploit/try to find loopholes or justify using a full page scan when one isn't necessary. Mods will delete abuse and give out warnings where appropriate.

Battles: An argument can be made that battles are a form of research. This is very weak. But, as scans are a part of the culture of battles, Comic Vine will allow up to three pages of full page scans per issue to show feats and context for a point of debate. (Note: We would prefer the use of panels.) "Pictures or it didn't happen" needs to stop. The days of showing half a comic because of a battle sequence are over. If someone does not agree that a certain feat went down as argued then up to three scans can be used (if panels are insufficient) as evidence. This is not to say that if three scans cannot adequately show the point then the claim is false, it just means that everyone needs to find the book and find out for themselves. Sides of debates do not always have the same information and it is up to the civil debaters to find out for themselves the validity of another's statement. This rule extends to Respect threads and CaV tournaments.

Please be advised, if it is not already obvious, that uploading an image to post in a thread adds the image to your gallery. Full page scans do not belong in your gallery. As such, if you want to take advantage of posting a full page scan for a battle then find a way to do it without uploading it.

Previews: Do not think that you can repost preview pages just because a company gives our site access. Preview pages are licensed to specific sites. Comic Vine is granted permission to post early pages of upcoming books; you are not granted that permission. If you want to show off a preview then make a link to the preview. This goes for previews exclusive to other sites. We do not have permission to repost the scans. Provide a link if you want to showcase scans for a preview on another site.

It should go without saying that you may not post full issues to Comic Vine -- not even to your personal gallery. These should be deleted.

Policy/Purpose/Clarification

Remember that this rule is legal in nature. This has nothing to do with the complaint of users scan-bombing. The law technically says that no full page scans should be used. There is no right to reproduction if the copyright owner has not given permission. Battles have been a part of Comic Vine for a long time; we have gone this long without intense scrutiny. However, it would be naive to think that this will last forever. We have had some complaints already from comic companies. The site is willing to stick its neck out for three full page scans.

Manga is covered by this rule. Just because foreign companies have not pursued infringement in the past does not mean that we can ignore their rights. This goes for webcomics, too. The caveat is if the publisher/owner has given permission to reproduce the content. Rare, but it happens when people truly want their work out.

The argument that using scans promotes picking up new books holds no water. That is a great side effect of sharing comics, but it is not an exemption for potential copyright issues.

A workaround is by posting links to external photo/scan sites. We don't have any control over that. We just don't want the full scans on our site. Also, links to videos of the full comics are against the rules, as that is akin to linking to a pirated copy.

We understand that people will be sensitive to this new and supposedly harsh rule. We just want to make sure that Comic Vine is able to continue operating without much interference from outside (legal) forces.

24. Screen Captures of Conversations

There will be times when you feel as though that what you are trying to say has been misrepresented by other users, the moderators or even the staff. In these cases it is permissible to do a screen capture of the conversations if you feel like you are being punished unduly for what you have said. Equally it is ok to make screen captures of material which is offensive to you or to others. However ... once you have addressed the staff and/or the moderators of your concern, it is your responsibility to determine whether you need delete those screen captures from your image gallery as this is potentially an invasion of privacy as you are broadcasting what can be construed to be a confidential conversation to the public for their consumption. In this case it may also be the moderators or staff who determine that what you have posted should be deleted if you are not prompt in doing so. As screen captures of private material should be used only for issues dealing with a user grievance, the sharing of screen captures in a public forum without the consent of all addressees in the PM will be considered a breach of privacy, and may be dealt with administratively in the form of warnings or bans.

25. Concerning Spoilers

Enjoy the site , its here for all of us who share a love of comics so use it well!