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Seduction Of The Innocent SOTI First Edition REDUCED!!

Started by goldenacase,

28 posts in this topic

goldenacase

goldenacase

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This book is in just outstanding condition a must for comic book collectors the price for this book is :news: now $450 shipped anywhere in the USA :takeit: rules will listen to PMs I just hate to sell this but all I do is spend spend :cry:Any ways a little history on this down below and then some pics this first edition does not include bibliography

 

 

 

 

 

Seduction of the Innocent is a book by American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, published in 1954, that warned that comic books were a bad form of popular literature and a serious cause of juvenile delinquency. The book was a minor bestseller that created alarm in parents and galvanized them to campaign for censorship. At the same time, a U.S. Congressional inquiry was launched into the comic book industry. Subsequent to the publication of Seduction of the Innocent, the Comics Code Authority was voluntarily established by publishers to self-censor their titles.

 

Seduction of the Innocent cited overt or covert depictions of violence, sex, drug use, and other adult fare within "crime comics"—a term Wertham used to describe not only the popular gangster/murder-oriented titles of the time, but superhero and horror comics as well. The book asserted, largely based on undocumented anecdotes, that reading this material encouraged similar behavior in children.

 

Comics, especially the crime/horror titles pioneered by EC, were not lacking in gruesome images; Wertham reproduced these extensively, pointing out what he saw as recurring morbid themes such as "injury to the eye"[1]. Many of his other conjectures, particularly about hidden sexual themes (e.g. images of female nudity concealed in drawings of muscles and tree bark, or Batman and Robin as gay partners), met with derision within the comics industry. (Wertham's claim that Wonder Woman had a bondage subtext was somewhat better documented, as her creator William Moulton Marston had admitted as much; however, Wertham also claimed Wonder Woman's strength and independence made her a lesbian.[2])

 

Wertham critiqued the commercial environment of comic book publishing and retailing, objecting to air rifles and knives advertised alongside violent stories. Wertham sympathized with retailers who didn't want to sell horror comics, yet were compelled to by their distributors' table d'hôte product line policies.

 

The fame of Seduction of the Innocent added to Wertham's previous celebrity as an expert witness and made him an obvious choice to appear before the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency led by anti-crime crusader Estes Kefauver. In extensive testimony before the committee, Wertham restated arguments from his book and pointed to comics as a major cause of juvenile crime. The committee's questioning of their next witness, EC publisher William Gaines, focused on violent scenes of the type Wertham had decried. Though the committee's final report did not blame comics for crime, it recommended that the comics industry tone down its content voluntarily. Possibly taking this as a veiled threat of potential censorship, publishers developed the Comics Code Authority to censor their own content. The new code not only banned violent images, but entire words and concepts (e.g. "terror" and "zombies"), and dictated that criminals must always be punished. This destroyed most EC-style titles, leaving a sanitized subset of superhero comics as the chief remaining genre. Wertham nevertheless considered the Comics Code inadequate to protect youth.

 

Seduction of the Innocent was illustrated with comic-book panels offered as evidence, each accompanied by a line of Wertham's sardonic commentary. The first printing contained a bibliography listing the comic book publishers cited, but fears of lawsuits compelled the publisher to tear the bibliography page from any copies available, so copies with an intact bibliography are rare. Early complete editions of Seduction of the Innocent often sell for high figures among book and comic book collectors.

 

 

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Comicopolis

Comicopolis

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That does look like an attractive copy... and very tempting for pre-code lovers!

 

 

:gossip:It is in such great condition Iam surprised its still here

 

I'm afraid it might corrupt me!

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jkc313

jkc313

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I disagree that with the biblio pages it would be a lot more. You're finding out that the market for seduction has decreased over the past 10 years. Great piece of history but Ebay has made once rare books readibly accessible

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goldenacase

goldenacase

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I disagree that with the biblio pages it would be a lot more. You're finding out that the market for seduction has decreased over the past 10 years. Great piece of history but Ebay has made once rare books readibly accessible

 

Just checked ebay there was not even a first edition SOTI listed,but if you ever come across a near mint one like mine on ebay with the biblio at my price send me a PM because :takeit:

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Count

Count

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I disagree that with the biblio pages it would be a lot more. You're finding out that the market for seduction has decreased over the past 10 years. Great piece of history but Ebay has made once rare books readibly accessible

 

Your post in skywalkers selling thread in regards to his ASM 301 in 9.8 is common and now this? Why are you on a thread crapping spree? If you don't like it move on or take it to PM. :sumo:

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goldenacase

goldenacase

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I disagree that with the biblio pages it would be a lot more. You're finding out that the market for seduction has decreased over the past 10 years. Great piece of history but Ebay has made once rare books readibly accessible

 

Your post in skywalkers selling thread in regards to his ASM 301 in 9.8 is common and now this? Why are you on a thread crapping spree? If you don't like it move on or take it to PM. :sumo:

 

 

(thumbs u

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comix4fun

comix4fun

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I disagree that with the biblio pages it would be a lot more. You're finding out that the market for seduction has decreased over the past 10 years. Great piece of history but Ebay has made once rare books readibly accessible

 

 

I disagree with your disagreement...the biblio pages would double to triple the asking price in this thread depending on condition.

 

I am a regular searcher, looking for rare and hard to find books.

 

A first print SOTI with the biblio pages intact would cost you $800 MINIMUM for one with a beat or sun faded jacket. With the jacket in any kind of good shape kick it up to $1200-1400.

 

I haven't seen one on ebay in a long time. It's far too rare for that flea market.

 

C

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Comicdey

Comicdey

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I double up Comix comments....

 

I've looked for a copy and debated buying one for years..and with the biblio always commands a significant premium even in this ebay day and age. You might get lucky...but the complete book is the prize and any first print is a gem to hold and enjoy.

 

good luck on the sale

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