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Age Ratings

Age ratings help ensure your comics reach the appropriate audience. Understanding how ratings work is essential for all creators on Panels Store.

How Age Ratings Work​

Rather than selecting a rating directly, you answer 8 questions about your comic's content. The system then calculates the appropriate rating based on the frequency and intensity of various content types.

Rating Categories​

For each category, you'll indicate: None, Infrequent/Mild, or Frequent/Intense

1. Violence, Abuse, or Horror Elements​

  • None: No violence or scary content
  • Infrequent/Mild: Cartoon violence, mild action sequences, implied violence
  • Frequent/Intense: Graphic violence, gore, explicit abuse, intense horror

2. Profanity, Mature Language, or Crude Humor​

  • None: No profanity or crude content
  • Infrequent/Mild: Occasional mild language, subtle innuendo
  • Frequent/Intense: Frequent strong language, explicit crude humor

3. Sexual Content, Suggestive Material, or Nudity​

  • None: No sexual content or nudity
  • Infrequent/Mild: Romance, kissing, mild suggestive themes, artistic nudity
  • Frequent/Intense: Explicit sexual content, frequent nudity, pornographic material

4. Drugs, Alcohol, or Tobacco​

  • None: No depiction of substances
  • Infrequent/Mild: Background presence, social drinking, historical context
  • Frequent/Intense: Drug use, substance abuse themes, promotion of use

5. Mental Health Struggles, Self-Harm, or Trauma​

  • None: No mental health content
  • Infrequent/Mild: Characters dealing with challenges, therapy depictions, mild anxiety
  • Frequent/Intense: Detailed depictions of self-harm, suicide, severe trauma, graphic mental health crises

6. Strong Religious or Philosophical Content​

  • None: No religious or philosophical themes
  • Infrequent/Mild: Characters with faith, cultural religious practices, philosophical discussions
  • Frequent/Intense: Intense religious imagery, controversial religious themes, explicit anti-religious content

7. Themes of Slavery, Trafficking, or Exploitation​

  • None: No depiction of exploitation
  • Infrequent/Mild: Historical context, background mentions, characters fighting against it
  • Frequent/Intense: Detailed depictions of slavery, human trafficking, exploitation

8. Controversial, Disturbing, or Adult Subject Matter​

  • None: No disturbing content
  • Infrequent/Mild: Complex themes handled sensitively, mild psychological tension
  • Frequent/Intense: Graphic disturbing imagery, extreme psychological content, deeply controversial themes

The Four Age Ratings​

Based on your answers, the system assigns one of these ratings:

L (All Ages)​

  • Suitable for all readers
  • Minimal to no mature content across all categories
  • Family-friendly material

Typical content: All-ages adventure, slice-of-life, educational comics

12 (Ages 12+)​

  • Suitable for teens and adults
  • Some mild mature content
  • Parental guidance suggested for younger readers

Typical content: Teen adventures, light romance, moderate action, mild language

16 (Ages 16+)​

  • Suitable for older teens and adults
  • Moderate mature content
  • Not appropriate for younger children

Typical content: Action with violence, strong language, complex themes, suggestive content

18 (Adults Only)​

  • Suitable only for adults
  • Frequent or intense mature content
  • Restricted to adult audiences

Typical content: Explicit violence, sexual content, graphic horror, intense adult themes

Rating Guidelines​

Be Honest​

Answer questions based on what actually appears in your comic, not what you wish the rating to be. Incorrect ratings can result in content removal.

When in Doubt, Rate Up​

If you're uncertain between two answers, choose the higher intensity level. It's better to be cautious.

Consider the Most Intense Content​

Rate based on the most mature content in your comic, even if it only appears briefly. One graphic scene can determine the overall rating.

Context Matters, But Doesn't Override​

While artistic merit and context are important, they don't override the presence of mature content. A thoughtful depiction of violence is still violence.

Common Questions​

Can I appeal my rating?

The rating is automatically calculated based on your answers. If you believe the rating is incorrect, review your answers to ensure they accurately reflect your content. You can also reach out to us via email to discuss it.

What if my comic has mature themes but minimal graphic content?

Answer based on what's shown, not just themes. Complex themes handled sensitively might receive a lower rating than graphic depictions.

Can ratings change between issues in a series?

Yes. Each comic is rated independently. Issue #1 might be rated 12, while Issue #5 with more intense content could be rated 16.

What happens if I rate my comic incorrectly?

Incorrectly rated content may be removed or have its rating adjusted. Repeated violations can result in account restrictions.

Do all regions use these same ratings?

The ratings (L, 12, 16, 18) are used across all regions on Panels Store. They're designed to be understood internationally.

Content That Requires Higher Ratings​

Certain content types automatically require specific minimum ratings:

Requires 16+ minimum:

  • Moderate violence or gore
  • Frequent strong language
  • Sexual content or nudity
  • Drug use depictions

Requires 18 minimum:

  • Explicit sexual content
  • Graphic violence or extreme gore
  • Detailed depictions of self-harm or suicide
  • Pornographic material

Best Practices​

Review before publishing: Go through your comic and note all potentially mature content before answering the questions.

Be consistent: If you're publishing a series, try to maintain rating consistency unless the content genuinely changes.

Use content warnings: Even with proper ratings, consider adding content warnings in your synopsis for particularly sensitive topics.

Update if needed: If you edit your comic to change the content, update your age rating answers accordingly.