August 21, 1998
(AP) - At children's eye-level: posters showing a muscular warrior raising a sword dripping with blood and a woman aiming a gun with bullet holes behind her.
The images were on display Sunday at Comic-Con International, the annual comic book convention.
As incidents of children engaged in violent crimes seem to be on the rise, questions again are being raised about the impact on youth of violent images in comic books, TV and film. Recent school shootings and other tragedies have people questioning whether children are influenced by such forces.
The decades-old debate continues.
``We're always an easy scape-goat,'' said Chris Oarr, executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which helps publishers and artists. ``We're vulnerable.''
Supporters of the comic book and science fiction-fantasy industries say they shouldn't be blamed for youth violence.
``The stuff I do is really violent and I have no qualms about it,'' said comic book illustrator Tim Vigil.
Vigil, who was selling his books, ``The Wrath,'' ``Gothic Nights'' and ``Broken Halo,'' said parents have to take responsibility for what their children see and discuss it with them.
``Far, far more culpable than the media producers are parents with guns in their homes,'' said Tony Rosen, general manager for Troma Team Video.
Comic-Con organizers said they try to keep offensive material out during the event.
``We really make it a point to try to restrict access to these materials from children,'' Comic-Con spokesman David Glanzer said.
Some psychologists and child advocates argue there is no escaping the media and the effects violent images can have on children.
``People are copycats. People are going to be influenced by what they see,'' said Robert Fellmeth, director of the University of San Diego's Children's Advocacy Institute.
The problems occur when children are not told by family members or others that violent behavior is wrong, said Fellmeth.
``We see that theme again and again, violence without consequences, without pain, without grief, and that's tragic. It creates a psychotic world for children. It can blur reality,'' he said.
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