1950s comic book censorship

Many illustrations in books and comic books were banned due to the thought of being too violent. Letter from robert merdian regarding comic book censorship. Jun 10, 2018 in the 1950s, the united states freaked out big time over comics books. If you want to sell comic books for cash, then we can help you to get the most money for your rare comics. Rip, comics code authority seal of approval, 1954 2011 in 1954, comic book publishers created the comics code to stave off government censorship.

Wertham was an anti comic book crusader who did some serious damage back in the 1950s. History of comics censorship, part 1 comic book legal. In the end, careers were ruined, companies went out of business, and comics fell under a strict censorship regime for decades. Critics certainly thought so, writes david hajdu in a new book chronicling the. Censorship and comics library technician katherine keller is fighting censorship of comic books and graphic novels through her work with the comic book legal defense fund. A short history of censorship in comics and the cbldf. Sioux falls was not immune to anti comic book sentiment 70 years ago. Each color holds a power, when a power is used the associated color fades to white. From comic book burnings to the arrival of the comics code.

A documentary about fredric wertham, who nearly destroyed the. In the eyedancers, mitchell brant is a comic book collector. In the 1950s it could be anything from archie, superman and l. Many of us in the baby boom generation remember collecting soda pop bottles and turning them in for a few cents each or saving our allowance to buy one of our favorite comic books for a dime. The mass panic over how comics could be corrupting the children in the 1950s led to the creation of the comics code authority censorship board. The story of fredric wertham, a moral crusader and psychologist who nearly destroyed the comics industry. The most popular form of censorship through the ages, the censorship of literature in the 1950s saw an effort to ban not only classics, but also newly emerging comic books and college curricula. In 1954, a popular book called seduction of the innocent linked comic books and juvenile delinquency, leading to calls for censorship. In the early 1950s, the popularity of horror comic books emanating from america prompted community boycotts and official sanctions against their sale and publication, both within the united states, and abroad in britain and canada. Here, we present to you a fascinating example of the same comic book story in two forms.

In 1954, a senate subcommittee on juvenile delinquency met to discuss the problem of horror and crime comic books. History of comics censorship, part 1 below is a webfriendly version of the cbldf presentation on the history of comics censorship, which has been delivered to audiences of scholars, lawyers, advocates and readers in the united states. Oct 24, 20 the history of comics censorship in the 1950s has been chronicled in books like david hajdus the ten cent plague, but researcher carol tilley, an assistant professor at the university of illinois, has found some new angles to the story in a surprising place. How censors killed the weird, experimental, progressive golden. Aug, 2019 by avery kaplan in the 1950s, the united states was undergoing a national panic concerning juvenile delinquency. Mar, 2015 the insane history of how american paranoia ruined and censored comic books. In the 1950s, creative expression came into the crosshairs of public officials wishing to tamp down on juvenile delinquency. Library technician katherine keller is founder of sequential tart, a longrunning website by women who like comic books. May 8, 1940 sterling norths anticomics editorial, a national disgrace, is published in the chicago daily news. Jan, 2019 in this video, we take a look at my top 20 picks for the best, most culturally significant comic book of the 1950s. The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and censored comic. The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and. The great comic book scare and how it changed america by david hajdu farrar, straus and giroux, 434 pp.

Library book banning and film censorship occurred throughout the country. Jun 25, 2019 how the code authority kept lgbt characters out of comics. In december 1948, the dunning drug company in sioux falls removed all the comics from his newsstand. Using comic books to discuss censorship and congress in action is a way to bring students into the conversation, and once there, they begin to understand some of the complexities of free speech in america. Youth groups rallied to completely rid some towns of comics, buying up every comic in their local areas to be burned. Fdrs words about nothing to fear but fear itself proved anything but prophetic for comic book censors a decade later. During the 1950s horror comic books were scrutinized as a corrupting force on the minds of young people, an issue overseen by the senate subcommittee. History of comics censorship comic book legal defense fund. The story of how comic books became public enemy no. There were senate hearings and comic book burnings. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, wertham was the intellectual spearhead of the anti comics crusade, arguing in many articles and his 1954 bestseller, seduction of the innocent, that comic books.

The history behind comic books and comic book censorship. And comics fell under a strict censorship regime for decades to come. Jun 10, 2018 in the 1950s, a moral panic swept across america and turned comic books into a social menace. Congressional inquiry was launched into the comic book industry. From comic book burnings to the arrival of the comics code history of comics censorship, part 2. The comics code authority cca was formed in 1954 by the comics magazine association of america as an alternative to government regulation, to allow the comic publishers to selfregulate the content of comic books in the united states. Its a big year for comic books and to celebrate national comic book day, lets take a look at the rise and fall of the censorship code and the rise of comics in general. Fredric wertham published seduction of the innocent, a book purporting that comic book reading causes juvenile delinquency. In 1960 bill finger wrote a batman story involving a south american rebel group releasing a mysterious rainbow creature composed of red, green, yellow, and blue on an unsuspecting rural village. During this time, modern comic books were first published and rapidly increased in popularity.

This eventually leads to the comic code and censorship. Neither of them, though, has what we now call precode issues. Sadly, students today may find learning about censorship through instances of book burning in our countrys history to be boring. But although there were federal antiobscenity laws, censorship itself was not mandated by federal or state governments. The comics code was the single most awful thing to happen to comic books and american creativity. Library technician katherine keller is founder of sequential tart, a longrunning website by women who like comic books and pop culture. Comic book censorship in the 1950s and their rebirth in the 1960s. Critics certainly thought so, writes david hajdu in a new book chronicling the rise and fall of. Frederic wertham, author of the 1954 book seduction of the innocent, which warned against the supposed evils of. Timeline of the anti comics crusade of the 1940s and 1950 s. The moral panic that almost destroyed the comic book business in the 1950s, the united states freaked out big time over comics books. The comic books of the golden age were also significantly more diverse in terms of genre than todays comics.

The great comicbook scare and how it changed america, david hajdu argues, though they were not traitors, the makers of crime, romance, and horror comics were propagandists of a sort, cultural insurgents. Since this is banned books week, ive come to bury dr. In the 1950s, the united states freaked out big time over comics books. Comic books area distinctivelyamericaninvention alongwith jazz, rockand roll, andthe western. In the 1950s, a moral panic swept across america and turned comic. Golden age batman prowls through industrial cityscapes. Over three days of hearings, numerous experts were called to testify whether the comics of the day were contributing to an increase in violent crimes among teens. She urged him not to waste taxpayer dollars on a long investigation, since the corrupting influence of comic books on young minds was so readily evident. Mar 25, 2008 david hajdu examines the great comic book panic of the 1950s. The history of comic books from the 1930s on has been riddled with. From the 1930s to the modern day, the comics medium has been stigmatized as lowvalue speech. The history of comics censorship in the 1950s has been chronicled in books like david hajdus the ten cent plague, but researcher carol tilley, an assistant professor at the university of illinois, has found some new angles to the story in a surprising place. The following piece of work is taken from a larger body of work titled horror comic books and censorship in australia 1950 1990. Comic book censorship 1954 in 1954, a senate subcommittee on juvenile delinquency met to discuss the problem of horror and crime comic books.

Comic books began as collections of newspaper comic strips. Book censorship censorship existed in the united states from its beginnings, the existence of the first amendment notwithstanding. Tencent plague tells of horror comics censorship in the 1950s. In the end, careers were ruined, companies went out of business, and. And comics fell under a strict censorship regime for decades to. Sales dwindled amid tight censorship that required archies betty and veronica, among others, to. In this video, we take a look at my top 20 picks for the best, most culturally significant comic book of the 1950s. The book was taken seriously at the time in the united states, and was a minor bestseller that created alarm in american parents and galvanized them to campaign for censorship.

Genovar regarding comic book censorship, november 24, 1953 eugenia genovar, a florida mother, expressed her views in a letter to senator robert hendrickson of new jersey. The insane history of how american paranoia ruined and censored. How the code authority kept lgbt characters out of comics. With sales falling due to negative publicity, the industry adopted a comics code authority that.

Many of the comics genres that rose to extreme popularity in the 1930s, 40s and 50s revolved around crime, ghosts and ghouls, aliens, and pulpy. Batman and robin eventually devise a plan to make it use all its powers simultaneously. Moral crusaders asserted that comics corrupted youth, hurt their ability to read and appreciate art, and even made them delinquents. A documentary about fredric wertham, who nearly destroyed. History of comics censorship, part 1 comic book legal defense. True to the mccarthyist fashion of the 1950s, hearings were held to investigate the claims made in the book and a new comics. Censorship in the 1950s by jill jennifer and nora banned art in the 1950s banned film in the 1950s there were also many bans on art in the 1950s. The beginning of modernday censorship of comics seems to have begun in the 1950s when dr. With regard to comics, many felt concerned by the disturbing and deviant subject matter, particularly in horror or crime comics. On newsstands across america in an era when the newsstand was an urban hub and an economic juggernaut comic books told tales of true crime, weird fantasy and cowboy love, negro romance, and mystery men. The code was voluntary, there was no law requiring its use, although some advertisers and retailers looked. Publishers wanted to eke out every last drop of profit they could, and comics were a. Code of the comics magazine association of america, inc. After a senate inquiry into the connection between juvenile delinquency and comic books in april 1954, the comics magazine association of america incorporated and resolved to establish a code that would allow the industry to set its own standards rather than be subjected.

The moral panic that almost destroyed the comic book business. Comic book publishers, in consultation with rightwing politicians, formed the comics code authority, a self censorship group, in the hopes that this would forestall government intervention in the industry. Why my mother threw out my comic books part 1 of 3 webages by adam blatner reposted november 18, 2009 this is based on a talk given on 61209 to the summer session of the senior university georgetown. Did you know that the comic code authority the censorship code that ruled the comic s industry for over 50 years is now completely defunct. Dcs comics were far tamer than the gory horror comics from other publishers, but there was a cleanup campaign at dc for some of the characters. Tencent plague tells of horror comics censorship in. Letter from robert merdian regarding comic book censorship, june 22, 1954.

For comic book fans, fredric wertham is the biggest villain of all time, a reallife bad guy worse than the joker, lex luthor, and magneto combined. Simply click any of the links below to see more details of the rarest comics featuring that character, and the minimum they. Fredric wertham published his book seduction of the innocent where he alleged that comic books encouraged juvenile delinquency. Censorship arising from moral panic is a constant presence in the history of comics. From 1938 to 1950 a period historians refer to as comics golden age comic books flourished without any direct competition. Jan 21, 20 within the comic book industry, it goes all the way back to the early 1950s. Comic strips evolved into comic books, with much of the material aimed at young readers. Mar 09, 2011 the beginning of modernday censorship of comics seems to have begun in the 1950s when dr. The superhero archetype was created and many wellknown characters were introduced, including superman, batman, captain marvel, captain america, and wonder woman. Frederic wertham, author of the 1954 book seduction of the innocent, which warned against the supposed evils of comics. Precode issues refer to comic books published prior to marchapril 1955.

Those who do not remember the pastare condemned to repeat it. The golden age of comic books describes an era of american comic books from 1938 to 1956. First, a brief history of comic books from their origins to the late 1940s. In the early 1950s, as women whod worked on the home front during. Apr 18, 2018 however, americans did not always receive comics well. Alarmed by a dramatic rise in juvenile delinquency in the 1950s, congress explored the possible influence of crime, horror, and superhero comic books on youths behavior. Senate held hearings to investigate werthams claims. In the end, careers were ruined, companies went out of. David hajdu examines the great comic book panic of the 1950s. This is currently a work in progress and covers the history of the horror comic, the origins and complete history of the gredown line, how it. Oct 03, 2018 1950s comic books conspiracy or scare.

Weve arranged the rare comic books by series or main character. It would later be reprinted in numerous newspapers throughout the united states. Did you know september 25 is national comic book day. Today the comics code is dead, but calls for the censorship of comic books continue. However, since batman is arguably the american comic book personified, the characters eras are commonly shoehorned alongside the major eras of comics. Jun 11, 2018 there were senate hearings and comic book burnings. Letter from robert merdian regarding comic book censorship, june 22, 1954 he considered them a deterrent to crime, since every story ended with the criminal being caught, instilling fear in any reader contemplating misdeeds. Fredric werthams 1954 book seduction of the innocent had rallied opposition to this type of material in comics, arguing that it was harmful to the children who made up a large segment of the comic book audience. In the 1940s, comic books were often feminist, diverse, and bold. The comics code authority cca was formed in 1954 by the comics magazine association of america as an alternative to government regulation. Kefauvers subcommittee released a report in 1955 that rejected government censorship of comic books, but called on comic book publishers to selfregulate. Stories of men lifting up cars complete with engaging art were more fun than expensive hardcover books, ideal for an audience during the great depression and world war ii.

Devin obryans presentation on censorship in 1950s comic books. In the 1950s, a moral panic swept across america and turned comic books into a social menace. Sep 06, 2019 comic publishers that wrote within the genre, again used propaganda and comics to show the evils of communism now that nazism was destroyed. Much has been writtenand debatedabout the censorship and witch hunts that plagued the comic book industry in the 1950s.

As can be seen, the covers are much more violent than their 1940s predecessors are. Comic books, censorship, and moral panic mudd manuscript. Sales could be counted in hundreds of millions, and more than 80% of kids and 90% of teens were reading them. Studentcurated exhibit at sterling library explores the. Local comic book enthusiast and collector john lay will discuss comic book censorship in the 1950s and bring a collection of comics from that era. The cca allowed the comic publishers to selfregulate the content of comic books. As an entertainment medium, comics were the digital devices of their day. During the 1950s horror comic books were scrutinized as a corrupting force on the minds of young people, an issue overseen by the senate subcommittee on juvenal delinquency, which sought to ban comic books. May 8, 1940 sterling norths anti comics editorial, a national disgrace, is published in the chicago daily news.