10 Comics That Broke All The Rules
7. DC's Partial Abandonment Of The CCA (1984)
When it came time to publish The Saga of the Swamp Thing #29, DC opted to completely abandon the CCA seal, and in its place, "THE NEW DC THERE'S NO STOPPING US NOW." The issue was the first since the regulatory body was created in 1954 to not feature the seal.
The particular rule-breaker in question for the issue was none other than Alan Moore. The enigmatic writer flat-out refused to censor the story to meet CCA requirements, so the CCA similarly refused to authorize the seal on the cover.
The story focuses on the relationship between Abby and her new husband, Matt. There's a love scene in the book, which wouldn't have been appreciated by the CCA, but the revelation of their relationship later in the issue crossed the line.
It's revealed that Abby wasn't married to Matt; rather, he was actually her uncle, Anton Arcane! At the end of the book, he finds her naked and passed out (after scrubbing her skin with a wire brush). He grabbed her by the hair and said, "Just say, uncle." Incest is still taboo, so you know it wasn't cool with the CCA in 1984.
Despite the clear breaking of the CCA rules, DC stopped submitting issues of Swamp Thing for seal approval after this issue. It and the ones that followed received a major sales bump without the seal.