foul language warning for the readers?

[Adorabledesolation]

I have a character I'm hesitating to introduce. Why? Because his language is so foul he literally has made a beta reader cry (with laughter.) I've already pushed back introducing him, because I plain old chickened out. Here's my question, should I put a warning on the pages he appears in? Or should I just go ahead and risk offending? Rewriting the character is out of the question because his platitudes are just so funny.
Any body else have this problem or am I the only one?

[Jops]

Has your comic been completely nice and kid-freindly up until the point he new character is introduced? If not and especially if some, even mild, cussing has occurring already, don't bother with the warning.

Coarse language is now something you hear every day: on the bus, in the streets, at work, in movies, games and so on.
As long as it fits in well with the general comic atmosphere, it's fine. Because, honestly, it's not really the bad word itself that migh be offesinve, it's more how the language matches the comic that can eventually turn off the readers.

Just to give an example:
Imagine a classic James Bond style spy-story. You got a comic that follows the same flavour, even in terms of language. Aside from the occasional "oh shit", it'd be pretty much clean. Then imagine, all of a sudden, having a new character that puts the f-word 3 times in every line he says, even when not under pressure or stress. That's likely to actually spoil the flavour of the comic itself, which can be quite annoying to the readers.

The same readers, however, will probably have no problems with a comic about criminals and thieves containing much much worse language. Why? because it fits with the context.

[VinnieD]

You could always just insert *bleep* every time he swears. I find bleep effects to be in themselves hilarious, especially when it's such a long string of bleeps that you're left wondering what they were even talking about.

[Spaceprincess]

I don't fucking see what the god damned fucking problem is with using whatever god damned cock sucking swear word you want to pull out of your asshole. shit!

I find its more fun to use words like fudge nuggets or fart cakes. but a good old american F bomb is usually lots of fun.

I made the choice from the get go with my second comic to include colorful language and then put a web ma tag on it.

[Adorabledesolation]

Has your comic been completely nice and kid-freindly up until the point he new character is introduced? If not and especially if some, even mild, cussing has occurring already, don't bother with the warning.

It's all been squeaky clean except for a single "f" word.

You could always just insert *bleep* every time he swears. I find bleep effects to be in themselves hilarious, especially when it's such a long string of bleeps that you're left wondering what they were even talking about.

I like bleeps-- but I spent days asking my friends to collect the most offensive things a human being could say. It's seem a shame to waste all that effort.

I don't fucking see what the god damned fucking problem is with using whatever god damned cock sucking swear word you want to pull out of your asshole. shit!
I find its more fun to use words like fudge nuggets or fart cakes. but a good old american F bomb is usually lots of fun.
I made the choice from the get go with my second comic to include colorful language and then put a web ma tag on it.

*snicker* fart cakes *giggle*
I was wondering-- how stupid would it be, to put a warning above the scroll only for the days he appears? Just so someone isn't taken by surprise.

[McDuffies]

I don't know what's the use of the warning - would a reader who's easily offended just skip the pages with the warning and miss the whole chunk of the comic? When you choose to feature this character, you already made a choice about what kind of comic you're making and they'll will have to deal with it. Warnings for nudity have some value for people who are surfing from public places, I don't think faul language on screen would have the same effect.

[Turi]

Unless you expect small children to be reading your comic, I don't see a problem. It is your comic, and if anyone is offended by a bit of foul language, when it clearly is a part of a single character's behaviour in an internet comic strip, they need to reassess their priorities.

[Adorabledesolation]

When you choose to feature this character, you already made a choice about what kind of comic you're making and they'll will have to deal with it. Warnings for nudity have some value for people who are surfing from public places, I don't think faul language on screen would have the same effect.

Unless you expect small children to be reading your comic, I don't see a problem. It is your comic, and if anyone is offended by a bit of foul language, when it clearly is a part of a single character's behaviour in an internet comic strip, they need to reassess their priorities.

I don't fucking see what the god damned fucking problem is with using whatever god damned cock sucking swear word you want to pull out of your asshole. shit!

You are all quite right of course! I guess I just needed to hear it said, err, written.
Now I'm wondering if I've *gasp* somehow offended myself, and I'm using readers as an excuse.

[Yeahduff]

context.

This is all that really matters. Will the new character subvert the tone of your comic in a fun way, or a jarring, awkward way? Judge how to proceed with what's best for the comic itself and what you have the ability to pull off. Everything else means fuck all.

[peterabnny]

Also depends on the format. If you're published in mainstream outlets (i.e. community newsletters, newspapers, etc.), I would guess you're under the same content confines as the overall outlet you're featured in. If you're self-published or the publisher that carries your stuff also carries "adult" comics, you're fucking gold.

Me, if I the time to do more comics, I'd have no problems pushing the PG-13 limit. As it is, tho, the strips I release are nearly always the same that go to print, so I have to behave. I never hear back from anyone, but I know I'm being read - I've crossed the line before and I've been made known that by my editor, usually after the comic already went to print.

Furries, tho, are another animal (pun intended). At this point I can literally do ANYTHING I want, 'cause none of those fucking freaks actually read me. With these people, the comics that are rude, crude or spooge are the ones that get read. The kind of stuff that I do, or Vinne does, has no appeal. I have great freedom in a forum like that, but it's a very lonely freedom.

[Adorabledesolation]

context.

This is all that really matters. Will the new character subvert the tone of your comic in a fun way, or a jarring, awkward way? Judge how to proceed with what's best for the comic itself and what you have the ability to pull off. Everything else means fuck all.

This character definitely subverts in a fun way. And he's fun to write. I guess that and context is all that should matter.