Seduction of the Innocent: Add some, remove some

[SOTIcollector]

I've been here at the boards for a number of years and collecting comics related to Fredric Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent for many more years. However, I'm new to the registry, so please be patient if I make a newbie error or two.

 

It looks like the SOTI set has some errors: some books that don't belong and some others that do. Some are pretty clear-cut. Others may be open to debate. I hope this is the correct forum in which to discuss them.

 

I would suggest that these books should be included in the set:

True Love Problems and Advice Illustrated #11. This was mentioned in the text of SOTI, on pages 185-186. Details of this and other additions are here.

Seduction of the Innocent Website News Archive

Gang Busters #3 should be included. It was pictured in SOTI with the caption "comic-book map for crime."

World's Finest #44 should be included. It was mentioned on pages 9 and 190 of SOTI.

Batman #64 should be included. It was mentioned on page 191 of SOTI.

 

As for things that should not be included, two are pretty clear.

True Crime v1#4 should not be listed as a SOTI book, because Wertham didn't mention it. Overstreet has had this information incorrect for a long time.

Haunt of Fear 23 was not referred to in SOTI. For many years, Overstreet had this incorrectly listed as an SOTI book; they have since corrected this error.

 

Some other changes to the SOTI set should, IMHO, be made, but perhaps it would be best to define what the set is intended to include.

 

My assumption is that the set is intended to include only actual books referenced by Dr. Wertham in SOTI. This means reprints that came out after SOTI was published in April, 1954 should not be in the set. If a story is identified, but it is not known for certain where Dr. Wertham saw the story (such as the blood drainage story in Red Seal 16, which was reprinted in Authentic Police Cases #3 and also appeared in Giant Comics Edition #4), all pre-1954 books with the story could conceivably be SOTI books and belong in the set. If a story was printed in multiple comics prior to April, 1954, and it IS known for certain which comic Dr. Wertham was referencing, then the book that Wertham referenced should be in the set; the book Wertham didn't mention is not an SOTI book. If these assumptions are correct, then I suggest the following:

 

- Exclude Frontier Romances 1. Although this book reprints a story used in SOTI, it was published in 1958, four years after SOTI came out. If this is an SOTI book, then the set should include dozens of other post-SOTI reprints as well.

- Exclude Dynamic 17. The "red hot poker" story in this book was seen by Wertham in Crime Reporter 2, according to Wertham's files at the Library of Congress. Therefore, since Wertham wasn't referring to Dynamic 17 and it's unlikely he ever even saw that book, I'd suggest Dynamic 17 is not an SOTI book.

- Exclude Xmas Comics #6. Although at least some of the copies of Xmas Comics #6 contain Captain Video #2, the text of SOTI refers to Captain Video by its title. Therefore, Wertham saw this story in Captain Video #2, and Xmas Comics #6 is not truly an SOTI book.

 

That's my two cents worth. Your thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fantastic Thor]

Nice recap Steve

 

I agree

[Johnny545]

Nice recap Steve

 

I agree

 

I second this - great summary and I agree with the proposed changes.