Comics a bad influence?

[fishmilkshake]

By the early 1950s, Dr Fred Wertham and assorted other critics had been campaigning against comics books (and other media), saying that much of the material being produced was inappropriate for youngsters. They cited the levels of violence and the promotion of deviant behaviour, the sexual luridness of many cover images and of course let's not forget the promotion of homosexual relationships, racial intolerance and more!

All this led to a senate inquiry and eventually to the now famous "Comics Code Authority" (something Wertham didn't actually support).

So, were they really that bad? Did parents need to worry about those silly four colour funnies on the newstand alongside that funny Donald Duck fellow? I'm going to start posting some comic covers and you can decide for yourselves.

[fishmilkshake]

"Tell us or the babe gets the hot iron"

[StrayCatBlues]

Yeah... I can see that.

The golden age IS bad ass!

Superman dropping folk off buildings and the like, then we come to the Spec.

Violent pulps, over sexualisation...

They were brutal near the start.

[Hyperion]

Ah, yeah the covers and the stories were violent and sexual, but turn that around to look at the REST of media-

Current TV shows go out of their way to show as much sex, crime and violence as possible.  Breaking Bad, Sopranos and Dexter are all highly rated and critically acclaimed shows that somewhat (taken in the "holy shit this is COOL!" sense) glamorize the criminal lifestyle.

Jersey Shore, Bachelor/ette, etc- sex, shallow morals and amoral lifestyles?

Movies?  How many movies are a creative sting of violence for violence's sake with a thin plot thrown on to make it 'commercial'?

But comics leading to criminal behavior?  I never believed it.  I just can't see it.  Literacy maybe, but delinquncy?

[fishmilkshake]

Well I hope you guys haven't thrown any rocks through church windows since I last posted?

[fishmilkshake]

Just leave me be woman!


[/quote]

[Hyperion]

What's the cover dates on these issues you've put up?

[B-Lister]

I believe the congressional hearings were equal parts blessing and curse. I am no fan of the code, as it was designed specifically to muscle EC out of business. But it was clear that if something did not change, it would have destroyed the industry. And left unchecked, it would NOT have evolved as it has. There likely never would have been a Silver Age.

[fishmilkshake]

What's the cover dates on these issues you've put up?

Underworld Crime #7 - June 1953
Exposed #1 - March 1948

I believe the congressional hearings were equal parts blessing and curse. I am no fan of the code, as it was designed specifically to muscle EC out of business. But it was clear that if something did not change, it would have destroyed the industry. And left unchecked, it would NOT have evolved as it has. There likely never would have been a Silver Age.

The CCA wasn't so much designed to put EC out of business, it was created by the "Comics Magazine Association of America" because they were worried about Government regulation so offered up the CCA to self-regulate instead.

Unfortunately, when applied it meant that EC couldn't continue to publish most of their titles as they now contained no-no words like "Crime" and "Horror". Gaines cancelled most of his titles and relaunched "friendly" titles like "Valor" and "Aces High" that simply didn't catch-on as most of his phenomenal talent pool had moved on. Gaines fought with the CCA quite often and in the end simply gave up to concentrate on MAD Magazine.

Interesting fact, almost all publishers adhered to the code because most newsstands wouldn't carry sci-fi, western, superhero, etc, titles without the CCA stamp. But titles by Dell and Gold Key were huge sellers for newsstands and they continued to sell them despite them being CCA stamp free.

[StrayCatBlues]

And left unchecked, it would NOT have evolved as it has. There likely never would have been a Silver Age.

I believe this to be true...

As much as I love all those comix, I have an equal love for Silver Age silliness!

[B-Lister]

Fish, I respectfully disagree, that the CCA did not specifically target EC. They had the best talent, and were the best books, Pre code. Then the CCA came about, and since the heads of the CCA at the time were the heads of all the companies EC was outselling, of course they were going to slant the regulations in their favor.

It's all right there in Comics: Between the Panels. And Good Days and MAD.

[fishmilkshake]

Fish, I respectfully disagree, that the CCA did not specifically target EC. They had the best talent, and were the best books, Pre code. Then the CCA came about, and since the heads of the CCA at the time were the heads of all the companies EC was outselling, of course they were going to slant the regulations in their favor.

It's all right there in Comics: Between the Panels. And Good Days and MAD.

I think we were just crossing wires a bit here. I was just saying the code wasn't set-up to target EC. But now I see you mean that once in place, it was used as a mechanism to target EC.

I do wonder what would have happened if EC had of kept going and naturally evolved into superheros during that period in the silver age?

[B-Lister]

I am a comics historian, and this topic is a favorite of mine. I really love to speculate about the what ifs. If just one thing had been different, how EVERYTHING might have been different.

Comics only went back to superheroes out of necessity...would there have even been a Marvel?

[fishmilkshake]

I am a comics historian, and this topic is a favorite of mine. I really love to speculate about the what ifs. If just one thing had been different, how EVERYTHING might have been different.

Comics only went back to superheroes out of necessity...would there have even been a Marvel?

Indeed. We saw superheros die out in the Golden Age, replaced by westerns, then romance had a turn, then horror got big, then back to superheros with Julie at DC in the late 50s and then with Stan in the 60s. But then superheros have persevered in the top spot ever since. Why? Were the new superheros with even more amazing names and powers that much more attractive?

[B-Lister]

I think the infusion of Sci if elements really helped. And the approach Stan and Jack took with the 'Everyman Hero with real problems' showed the audience that this could be a legitimate storytelling medium.

Sure, it took a few decades for the rest of the world to catch on, but we got there in the end.

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