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Where Dr. Wertham Found Crime And Horror Comics For Seduction Of The Innocent

Started by BOOT,

13 posts in this topic

BOOT

BOOT

Posted
Posted

I posted this in another thread about Comics And The Law here: RAP SHEET - Comics And The Law

 

But figured many Horror, Crime, and Seduction Of The Innocent collectors might not click through, so I'm posting the info in a separate thread. Please excuse what some might consider a dupe thread, but I've never seen this historical connection made before.

 

In Seduction Of The Innocent, Dr. Frederic Wertham included many pictures from objectionable comic books. SOTI was published in 1954.

 

But in 1951, a New York State Joint Legislative Committee issued a report on the Publication of Comics.

 

Many comics featured in SOTI were highlighted in this earlier report, including some of the more infamous ones, like the picture within a picture "for children who know how to look."

 

By the way, Wertham was not listed as being on the NY committee. But he did get some mileage out of their work!

 

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More pics on the other thread...

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40sJohn

40sJohn

Posted
Posted

Cool thread, SOTI never gets old. (thumbs u

 

After reading OSPG #9 in the late 70's, I wanted to read SOTI and did so through my high school library, of all places. Actually, it's an interresting read.

 

However, as shown in the last panel that you posted in the first post of this thread, he had a bad habit of misrepresenting panels to fit his theory when explicit panels couldn't be found. :mad:

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BB-Gun

BB-Gun

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Posted
Source for the moll in the stockings panel?

3242096607_181b7b77ce_b.jpg

Walter Johnson art from Authentic Police Cases 6. He stole it from a Ward panel. He also stole a Baker cover for a western splash page.

4661961992_9d0a0eb3c3.jpg1625487513_4ed0d94121.jpg

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BB-Gun

BB-Gun

Posted
Posted
I posted this in another thread about Comics And The Law here: RAP SHEET - Comics And The Law

 

But figured many Horror, Crime, and Seduction Of The Innocent collectors might not click through, so I'm posting the info in a separate thread. Please excuse what some might consider a dupe thread, but I've never seen this historical connection made before.

 

In Seduction Of The Innocent, Dr. Frederic Wertham included many pictures from objectionable comic books. SOTI was published in 1954.

 

But in 1951, a New York State Joint Legislative Committee issued a report on the Publication of Comics.

 

Many comics featured in SOTI were highlighted in this earlier report, including some of the more infamous ones, like the picture within a picture "for children who know how to look."

 

By the way, Wertham was not listed as being on the NY committee. But he did get some mileage out of their work!

 

100147.jpg

100149.jpg

100150.jpg

100151.jpg

100152.jpg

 

More pics on the other thread...

From Women Outlaws 1 "Cattle Kate"

4724473785_26389e74c2_b.jpg

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Aman619

Aman619

Posted
Posted
100149.jpg

 

ya know, we think of comics as kids stuff back then, so strolling past the comics section, a parent (or politician) might look at this selection as a bit "dark" for kids. no?

 

unrelenting crime and violence in what "used to be" a kids medium. People freak out all the time about similar stuff today. (videogames)

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seank

seank

Posted
Posted
Source for the moll in the stockings panel?

3242096607_181b7b77ce_b.jpg

Walter Johnson art from Authentic Police Cases 6. He stole it from a Ward panel.

 

Thanks for the pointer. What Ward panel? Do you have a source and image for that?

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goldust40

goldust40

Posted
Posted

Thanks for posting that Peanuts cartoon panel - the last time I saw it would've been in the letters section of Peter Bagge's Hate (due to one of the comics on that display having the same name).

 

Schulz rarely had his finger on the pulse of pop culture, but he did here.

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GGA_Fan

GGA_Fan

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Wertham seemed like the gang leader in the crusade against comic book creativity and free speech. Thanks for posting that issued report by New York State Joint Legislative Committee.

I found it very informative, and love their examples, especially the [font:Arial Black]picture within a picture[/font] panel. That cracks me up everytime, plus, and I don't know why, but every time I look at it I get a craving for a Filet-O-Fish.

 

200px-Filet-O-Fish.jpg

 

Could Wertham have been trying to cash in on the impending anti-comic book frenzy that he sensed was coming when he wrote S.O.T.I.? Here's a pic of one of Wertham's cronies.

 

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