Image Comics announces ratings system

Image Comics has announced a new ratings system for its titles.

The system will rate the suitability of different comics for readers of varying ages and is designed to be consistent with the one which DC Comics instituted in January of this year.

The four rankings will be as follows:

E - EVERYONE (all ages, may contain minimal violence)
T - TEEN (12 and up, may contain mild violence or mild profanity)
T+ - TEEN PLUS (16 and up, may contain moderate violence, moderate profanity use and suggestive themes )
M - MATURE (18 and up, may contain nudity, profanity, excessive violence and other content not suitable for minors)

"Retailers have been asking us to more clearly define which audiences our various comics are aimed at for some time, and we're pleased to finally comply with those requests," said Image Comics publisher Eric Stephenson.

"It's been nearly a decade since the comics industry began the process of abandoning the Comics Code Authority, but during that time there hasn't been one consistent rating system. The system DC employs is by far the clearest, so it makes sense to go with that."

The wholesale abandonment of the controversial Comics Code was completed in January of this year.

Evidence emerged soon afterwards that the CCA had been defunct since 2009.