It bothers me how creators these days talk about how they think gratuitous violence is sleazy and they won't put any into their stories, so their readers can be assured that any violence that does appear in their stories will have meaning - and then it's all heads getting ripped off, entrails and blood everywhere, close-ups of acid in the face... What, then, are these people's ideas of "gratuitous?"
I realize Mark Waid hasn't expressed this sentiment specifically - it's just a general attitude I've picked up from the industry lately, from multiple creators. Does anyone know what Amazing Spider-Man's current rating is?