IndieCrowdfund Content Guidelines & Creator Standards

Comics & Sequential Art Platform

Version 1.0 · Effective upon publication · Last Updated: May 17, 2026

This document establishes the content standards, eligibility criteria, and prohibited-content policies for all crowdfunding campaigns hosted on IndieCrowdfund's comics and sequential art platform. These guidelines apply to all campaign creators, collaborators, and submitted materials regardless of format, genre, or country of origin.

1. Platform Mission & Scope

IndieCrowdfund's comics platform exists to support the full spectrum of sequential art created by independent creators — from traditional American superhero comics and graphic novels to manga-influenced titles, OEL (Original English Language) manga, webcomics, and hybrid works that blend Eastern and Western storytelling traditions.

We operate as a non-profit-aligned platform. Our goal is not to favor any single tradition of comics-making, but to reflect the actual landscape of sequential art as it exists today — a landscape in which the influence of anime and manga on Western comics is not peripheral, but foundational.

2. Eligible Content Categories

The following types of sequential art projects are eligible to campaign on IndieCrowdfund:

2.1 Western Comics & Graphic Novels

• Superhero, action, adventure, crime, horror, sci-fi, fantasy, slice-of-life, literary, and all other genre comics produced in the Western tradition
• Single-issue series, graphic novel collections, anthologies, and one-shots
• Webcomic print editions and archival collections
• Zines and small-press independent comics

2.2 Manga-Style & Anime-Influenced Comics

• OEL (Original English Language) manga — manga-format comics created by non-Japanese creators
• Hybrid works blending manga visual grammar with Western storytelling traditions
• Comics directly influenced by anime aesthetics, panel pacing, or narrative structure
• Fan-original (not fan-derived) comics inspired by anime and manga genres: shonen, shojo, seinen, josei, isekai, slice-of-life, and others
• Manhwa (Korean), manhua (Chinese), and other East Asian sequential art traditions

2.3 Educational & Non-Fiction Sequential Art

• Journalistic comics, documentary graphic novels, memoir
• Educational comics for all age groups
• Sequential art designed for STEM, history, social studies, or literacy outreach

3. Content Standards & Age Ratings

All campaigns must clearly identify their content rating. IndieCrowdfund uses the following classifications:

4. Character Age Standards in Suggestive & Adult Content

Any campaign rated MATURE (17+) or ADULT (18+) that includes suggestive, romantic, or sexual content is subject to the following mandatory standards. These apply regardless of the comic's country of creative origin, genre, or artistic tradition — including manga, OEL manga, and anime-influenced works.

4.1 The 18+ Rule

4.2 Skeletal Maturity & Visual Age Standards

Written age labels alone are not sufficient. A character described as "18" but drawn with the skeletal proportions, facial structure, or body development of a child will be treated as a minor for the purposes of these guidelines.

IndieCrowdfund requires that adult characters in suggestive or sexual content demonstrate visual markers of skeletal and physiological maturity. These include:

• Facial bone structure consistent with a fully developed adult — including defined jaw line, mature brow ridge, and proportionate facial features. Chibi-style or heavily simplified art styles that obscure these markers are not exempt.
• Body proportions consistent with adult skeletal development — including appropriate limb-to-torso ratios, developed musculature or body composition, and the absence of prepubescent body markers.
• Character height and build that does not suggest childhood or early adolescence.
• Absence of infantilizing visual cues — including but not limited to oversized heads disproportionate to adult anatomy, underdeveloped or absent secondary sexual characteristics paired with childlike facial features, or costumes and staging that evoke childhood.

These visual standards reflect practices that have been adopted by responsible publishers and platforms across the industry as the most reliable method of distinguishing adult from minor characters in illustrated media.

4.3 Ambiguous Age Policy

Where a character's age cannot be clearly established as 18 or older through both written documentation AND visual evidence of adult skeletal maturity, the character will be treated as a minor. The campaign will be required to revise the content or remove it from the submission before approval.

5. Prohibited Content

The following content is strictly prohibited on IndieCrowdfund. Campaigns containing prohibited content will be removed, and repeat or egregious violations may result in permanent account suspension and referral to appropriate authorities where legally required.

5.1 Child Sexual Abuse Material & Lolicon / Shotacon

This prohibition exists because:

• Lolicon and shotacon content normalizes the sexualization of children regardless of whether real children were involved in its production.
• The "fictional" framing does not mitigate harm — research and legal consensus in multiple jurisdictions recognize illustrated child sexual abuse material as harmful and, in many countries and U.S. states, illegal.
• The history of this content within certain corners of anime and manga culture represents one of the most significant reputational and ethical failures of those communities — one that responsible publishers, conventions, and platforms have worked actively to address and reject.
• Platforms that permit such content, even under claimed fictional exemptions, contribute to an environment in which real children are at greater risk.

Content that will be rejected under this policy includes:

• Any sexually explicit or suggestive depiction of a character who is, appears to be, or is contextually implied to be under 18 — regardless of stated fictional age.
• Content in which adult age claims are clearly pretextual (e.g., a character with unambiguous child anatomy, proportions, and features labeled as "actually 500 years old" or similar).
• Swimsuit, lingerie, or nude content featuring characters with minor-presenting anatomy or visual markers.
• Romantic or sexual framing between an adult character and a minor-presenting character.
• Content that uses artistic style (e.g., heavy chibi or super-deformed conventions) to obscure the intended age of a character in sexual or suggestive context.

5.2 Hate Speech

• Comics whose primary purpose is to dehumanize, degrade, or incite violence against individuals or groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin.

Note: Villains, dark themes, and historical depictions of racism and atrocity are not automatically prohibited — context and intent matter. Comics that explore these themes critically are eligible; comics that celebrate or promote them are not.

5.3 Real-Person Violations

• Sexual or sexually suggestive depictions of real, identifiable living individuals without documented consent.
• Defamatory content presented as factual that targets real individuals.

5.4 Intellectual Property Violations

• Campaigns that reproduce substantial portions of copyrighted work without authorization.
• Campaigns that present unlicensed derivative works as official or authorized products.

Note: Parody, criticism, and commentary are recognized as protected uses. Fan comics operating clearly within parody and non-commercial traditions will be evaluated individually.

5.5 Other Prohibited Content

• Disinformation campaigns disguised as comics or sequential art.
• Content designed to facilitate real-world violence, illegal activity, or exploitation.
• Campaigns that misrepresent the nature of the product, creator credentials, or use of funds.

6. Review & Enforcement

6.1 Pre-Launch Review

All campaigns undergo content review before going live. Creators should expect a review period of 3–5 business days. Campaigns flagged for potential policy concerns may be held for extended review or requested to provide additional documentation.

6.2 Character Age Documentation

For MATURE or ADULT rated campaigns featuring suggestive content, creators may be asked to provide:

• Written in-universe documentation establishing character age (e.g., character bible, script pages, creator statement)
• Visual evidence that the character's depiction meets the skeletal maturity standards outlined in Section 4.2
• Revision samples if initial submission does not meet visual standards

6.3 Community Reporting

Backed campaigns remain subject to ongoing community reporting. Reports are reviewed by platform staff. Campaigns found to be in violation after launch may be suspended, and backers may be eligible for refunds at platform discretion.

6.4 Appeals

Creators whose campaigns are rejected may submit a written appeal with supporting documentation within 14 days of the rejection notice. Appeals are reviewed by a separate staff member from the original reviewer. Appeal decisions are final.

7. Creator Commitments

By launching a campaign on IndieCrowdfund, creators affirm that:

• All submitted content complies with these guidelines and applicable law.
• All characters depicted in suggestive or adult content are 18 years of age or older, both as documented and as visually represented.
• The campaign accurately represents the nature of the project and the intended use of funds.
• The creator holds appropriate rights to all submitted content or has documented authorization from rights holders.
• The creator will respond to review requests and documentation requirements within the timeframes specified.

8. Community Standards

Beyond campaign content, all users on IndieCrowdfund are expected to interact respectfully. Users may not:

• Harass, bully, or threaten others
• Discriminate or promote hate
• Post sexually explicit content (except within platform-allowed categories with appropriate age-gating)
• Promote violence, weapons, or harmful activities
• Misrepresent identity
• Spam or solicit unrelated products / services
• Post copyrighted content without permission

IndieCrowdfund Content Guidelines — v1.0. This document may be updated periodically. Creators will be notified of material changes. The most current version governs all active campaigns.