Disclaimers In Fiction

A webcomic I stumbled upon recently contained this disclaimer in its description:

This comic is only for open-minded, patient, and understanding readers. If you don't have these characteristics, you will not be able to survive this comic.

From Unintentional Game.

As a rhetorical device, the notion of an author screening an author's readers, instead of the other way around (while simultaneously complimenting those who decide to read it anyway), is an eminently clever little device to set expectations and weed out readers who will be inclined to provide negative reviews of your work. This isn't the first time I've seen this trick used, although it isn't a very common one, but it only really struck me how sophisticated a game to play this is until now.