Sorry, Brits: You won’t get a chance to buy Black Kiss 2 legally as a print comic after all, it seems. As Bleeding Cool reports, Howard Chaykin’s follow-up to his original porn comic has been banned by Diamond UK, with this letter to British retailers explaining the situation:
Retailers will be aware that the first issue of Howard Chaykin’s Black Kiss II was rather explicit compared to other comics distributed by Diamond UK. We at Diamond have now had the opportunity to review the second issue and the explicitness has not diminished at all! In fact there are scenes depicted which may fall foul of UK Customs’ regulations on the importing of indecent and obscene material. Consequently Diamond has taken the decision not to distribute any further issues of Black Kiss II in the UK.
Had Diamond UK continued to import this title and encountered problems with Customs, it could have had a knock-on effect on the timely distribution of all titles in the UK. A situation wanted by no one.
All orders for Black Kiss II #2 along with Black Kiss II #1, have been cancelled by Diamond UK. Black Kiss II #1 will be made returnable at a later date. Please look out for details in Discussions.
Retailers wishing to read more on Customs’ regulations should check the HMRC website:
I am sure there will be fallout from this decision. Part of me wonders whether it’ll mean an increase in digital sales, while I also find myself wondering whether or not there could be enough demand in the UK for the title that a British edition could be printed by a publisher there, a la Alan Moore’s Lost Girls. Is there even a Diamond alternative/rival that could carry the original…?
Still, at least future issues of the series can rightfully plaster “Too Hot For The United Kingdom!” on their covers.
