Well, here we go again. Alan Moore’s graphic novel Neonomicon has been removed from the shelves of the Greenville Public Library in Greenville, South Carolina after a parent challenged it (The parent in question apparently thought from looking at the cover that it was a child’s murder mystery. WHAAT? In my wildest dreams I would NEVER guess this was the cover of a child’s murder mystery). But wait, there’s more to this story. The library’s internal review committee voted to keep it on the shelves. Access Manager Barbara Yonce was quoted as saying “it was purchased on the basis of being an award winner and on the reputation of the author, but then with further consideration, we decided that those qualifications were outweighed by some of the disturbing content of the item.” The library director, Beverly James, decided to overrule the committee’s recommendation based on her own personal reaction, and told the media the removal was based on the committee’s recommendation. Her words (from the Greenville Journal):

‘Neonomicon’ was added to the library’s collection based on the reputation of the author as one of the most outstanding writers in the genre and the fact that the book won the 2011 Bram Stoker Award from the Horror Writer’s Association in the graphic novel category. Nonetheless, had we known in advance about the disturbing material contained in the book, it is unlikely we would have added ‘Neonomicon’ to our collection. For that reason, we have withdrawn it from the library’s collection.

Winner of the 2011 Bram Stoker Award? Maybe that should have been a clue to possible disturbing content. The Stoker doesn’t go to graphic novels about adorable fuzzy bunnies, unless they have sharp knives and are chasing you (like our own Horatio) Taking it off the shelf in the adult fiction section? Not cool. A LIBRARY DIRECTOR overriding her committee’s recommendation to keep the book? I have no words for that.

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF), National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) and American Booksellers for Free Expression (ABFFE) have joined forces to advocate for the restoration of Neonomicon to the Greenville County Public Library System. For more information about that, and to see the letter they wrote, click here.