Maybe some of you UK members can answer this?

[The Troll King]

I've brought this up a few times on these boards as it's something I remember from nearly 20 years ago when I use to ship many things all over the world.

 

I was always very careful about customs regulations regarding prohibited items and one thing I've always remembered is that the UK specificially forbids the importation of "horror comics"

 

Here is a link:

http://www.intlmoveuk.com/customs_info.html

 

Here are the prohibited items:

PROHIBITED ITEMS

 

•Firearms

•Valid Firearms Certificate issued by the police authorities

•All handguns other than certain .22 caliber target pistols, are now illegal in the United Kingdom. Importation is strictly prohibited

•Ammunition, flick knives, explosives and fireworks

•Drugs and narcotics

•Counterfeit currency

•Pornographic material and horror comics

•Meat, poultry, fish and other animal products

•Radio transmitters (CB radios, walkie-talkie, cordless telephones, etc.) not approved for use in the United Kingdom

•Trees, plants, shrubs, seeds, bulbs, soil, potatoes and certain other vegetables and fruits

•Most animals and all birds, whether alive or dead (i.e. stuffed) and certain articles derived from protected endangered species including furskins, ivory, reptile leather and goods made from the endangered species

 

I thought that by now the restriction would have changed and I remember having customers years ago that I asked why they are prohibited but I've never been able to find the answer.

 

Anyone know the history behind this?

How many of you UK collectors are in violation?

[Flaming_Telepath]

It's actually still law and you do have to be careful about what's brought in.

 

I think you'd be fine with House Of Mystery, but some of the ECs?

[goldust40]

The content of so much that is regularly imported to UK shops these days is considerably stronger than pre-code or Bronze horror, although such product does have age restrictions on the cover (suggested for mature readers, etc.).

 

It's an antiquated law that probably came about due to the Senate hearings and the furore over pre-code books, and the possibility that British kids may have gotten to read them (if they were available in the U.K., which they rarely were).

 

As only adults can afford such items these days, the law is outdated, but as with such things over here, there's too much red tape for anyone to do anything much about it.

[The Troll King]

Is there any way for you guys to find the history behind this?

 

I wonder how many times packages are kept or destroyed because of horror comics in them?

[lizards2]

The USPS specifically asked me if the "comics" were "horror comics" last time I shipped to the U.K.

[gaz973]

The USPS specifically asked me if the "comics" were "horror comics" last time I shipped to the U.K.

 

[lizards2]

The USPS specifically asked me if the "comics" were "horror comics" last time I shipped to the U.K.

 

 

Luckily, they didn't ask me if they were "horrible comics" since they were X-Men

[Aces]

The USPS specifically asked me if the "comics" were "horror comics" last time I shipped to the U.K.

 

 

Luckily, they didn't ask me if they were "horrible comics" since they were X-Men

[tth2]

The USPS specifically asked me if the "comics" were "horror comics" last time I shipped to the U.K.

 

 

Luckily, they didn't ask me if they were "horrible comics" since they were X-Men

[Juswuh]

A law was passed in I think 1954, forbidding something like "the importation of material of a horrific nature told mainly or entirely in pictures." There was an outcry in the British press at the time, questions asked in Parliament, etc, because horror comics were being brought into the country and sold cheaply in an irregular way. (One example cited was that they were sold in fish and chip shops.)

[goldust40]

A law was passed in I think 1954, forbidding something like "the importation of material of a horrific nature told mainly or entirely in pictures." There was an outcry in the British press at the time, questions asked in Parliament, etc, because horror comics were being brought into the country and sold cheaply in an irregular way. (One example cited was that they were sold in fish and chip shops.)

 

Presumably to wrap the fish and chips.