Nudity and swearing?, Nudity and swearing? Options

[Mike_W]

Nudity and Swearing . . . OK, just picked up my first issue of HEAVY METAL in like 15 years . . . why did I feel like I had to keep my head down and like I was buying a Playboy?

With the success of shows on HBO and SHOWTIME like the Sapranos, True Blood, Dexter, Californication, Rome, Deadwood . . . to name a few . . . why aren't more comics being created for what I would imagine are mature readers who are buying the books?

I'm working on my own book and find myself typing "*#$^" in stead of swearing, and have no naked people . . . do i need too? . . . would i be dooming my book if we did?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV42Ev-s8D0

I realize we can't see Mary Jane and Peter full frontal between the sheets, with all of the cartoon and kids ti-ins . . . but why are we being more excepting of the HBO approach . . . or are we?

Any thoughts?

[ChadStrohl]

Had a random thought as I read the newer posts...

Nudity and/or swearing doesn't add any level of realism any more than having tall skyscrapers, barren deserts, or wet water. It really comes down the most comfortable way to establish the writer/reader relationship. If a writer is uncomfortable using certain words in everyday life, then I have a feeling that is going to show through in the writing almost as much as a writer trying to convey astrophysics without knowing much about it. If the writer has established that connection with the reader, then the use of or lack of nudity or swearing won't even register in the reader's mind.

Also... what is realistic anyway? We write stories were people fly, shoot energy beams, wander fantastic worlds, fight monsters, etc. Does a boob shot or the drop of an F bomb make those stories any more believable? I'm assuming the character's in our stories go to the bathroom, eat a bowl of cereal while watching infomercials, and do their laundry, but those "realistic" things aren't necessary to tell a good story.