Most comic books now have warnings or ratings on their covers if they contain mature content. Marvel Comics and DC Comics, the respective publishers of Spider-Man and Superman, mostly publish material that would be “G” or “PG” at the theater, except when a rating or warning on the cover indicates otherwise. When such warnings are present, the material is usually comparable to a “PG-13” film — or an “R” rated film if the comic is part of DC’s Vertigo line or Marvel’s MAX line — but no more explicit than that.

Parents can safely assume that Archie and its spinoffs are all “G” material, and that Mad magazine is usually “PG-13.” Parents should assume that comics from DC’s Vertigo and Marvel’s MAX lines are for adults only, unless parents screen specific issues. MAX comics are not available on newsstands, but are sold in comic-collectible stores. Parents should also assume that the following comics are for adults only unless screened: Heavy Metal, Vampirella, Love and Rockets and its spinoffs (except the children’s book Measles), and anything that says it was authored by Robert Crumb.

The content in Elfquest comics has varied from innocent fairy tales to sexual romps, and the earliest issues with mature content did not always bear warning labels. So parents of younger children may wish to screen older issues of Elfquest for mature content.

Parents of young children likewise might want to screen comics from small, independent publishers. Some of those publishers put out critically acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction that make good reading for adults and older teenagers but are inappropriate for children.