Rules of the Road (Everyone Please Read) - Updated 6/7/12

[Captain Jim]

Welcome to the Batman forum. All CBR posters are invited to participate on this forum, with restrictions:

1. As with all CBR forums, verbal attacks on other persons are not permitted. It doesn’t make any difference if it’s another poster, a creator or anybody else. It is not tolerated, so don’t do it.

2. On this forum, you are asked to keep your language at a PG level as much as possible. In particular, the use of the “F-bomb” is not tolerated. You are also asked to avoid using slang words for the male and female genitalia.

3. Put some thought into it. Starting up a thread with a one-or-two-sentence summation of a thought isn't good enough. You're not supposed to just give a topic and then say, "Discuss". If you want to talk about something, talk about it. Put some effort into it, make it a springboard for future conversation. This also applies to "stake claiming" threads.

Infractions of these rules may cause a post to be edited or deleted without notice. Repeated infractions may necessitate an official warning.

I’m really a pretty easy-going guy and try to interfere with the posting process as little as possible. Have a great time on the forum and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

[Sean Whitmore]

Howdy, folks. Recent weeks have shown me the necessity of making a few other rules apparent. They're not new rules, we've just always considered them to be self-evident before now.

4. Stay on-topic. There is a bit of leeway with this one, but quite frankly, it's at the mods' discretion. Batgirl appearing in Red Robin doesn't mean that issue's thread can dissolve into an overreaching discussion of how Batgirl has been treated over the years. A thread criticizing the "Batman Inc" direction of the books is not an invitation to air every grievance you've had with Morrison since 2006.

5. Discuss the topic, not each other. You can criticize stories, you can pick apart arguments; what you cannot do is make the discussion about your fellow posters. If you dislike another poster, you're free not to respond to them. If they're being a pest, you're free to report them. But these threads are not for personal discussions. And to you rules-lawyers, that still applies even if you technically manage to avoid breaking Rule #1.

And speaking of Rule #1, everyone should read it again. I don't care if you know it, just read it again. All the words. Cause there's a zero tolerance policy regarding that rule and if you find your posts deleted or thread closed or find yourself banned for breaking it, do not come to me or Jim for an explanation.


SEAN

[RonnieThunderbolts]

One more rule to add, like those added by Sean above, that was previously believed to be self-evident, but recent activity suggests it ought to be put a bit more clearly. This one is taken verbatim from the Avengers forum, as they put it so well.

6. Your opinion about something is not in and of itself worthy of its own thread. I understand that you have opinions and that you think they're interesting, but we already have so many discussion threads in which you can express your opinion that you do not need to form your own thread to do so. Also, relating to both this rule and rule 3 above, upcoming issues that have no preview to discuss, and only a cover and a solicit don't require their own individual threads and are to be discussed in the monthly Bat-title solicitation threads

[thwhtGuardian]

A further addendum:

7. Please do no post here just to plug your blog, if you have something to say or wish to share a review for a particular book actually write it out in a post rather than simply leaving a link to your site. If you cannot abide by this rule your post will be deleted.

[Captain Jim]

A couple more which, again, are just things I'm spelling out which should be self-evident.

8. If you quote and reply to another post which is deemed unacceptable, don't be surprised if your post is deleted as well. This doesn't necessarily mean you did anything wrong. But if the original post is unacceptable, it is often necessary to delete follow-up discussion as well.

9. If the moderators or administrators of this forum decide your post is unacceptable for any reason, it will be deleted. Please note, we have no obligation to contact you to tell you we're doing this or to give you an explanation. In most instances, the reason should be self-evident.

Btw, this would be a good time to re-read rules 1-7.