SEDUCTION of the INNOCENT- The Find a Copy that Fits Your Budget Sale

[SOTIcollector]

Anybody up for another SOTI sales thread? I have four copies of the book that almost single-handedly destroyed the comic book industry, in various editions and conditions, so I'm sure there's something here to fit your budget.

 

Dr. Wertham's research sparked comic book hearings by the New York State Legislature and the U.S. Senate. Here's your chance to read for yourself all about why many parents believed the comic books of the late 40's and early 50's to be dangerous, and why

magazines had articles with articles directed at those parents, such as "What can YOU do about comic books?"

 

This book has been kept in print pretty much continuously since the 1990's, in a so-called "limited edition" available on Amazon. I'd call that "limited edition" a sham, since, every time an edition sells out they just print more. Here's your chance to get an original 1954 print.

 

The usual rules. No HOS. Nobody on probation. In-thread trumps PM. And, most importantly, nobody who is Red Rocks. Otherwise, all are welcome.

 

Free shipping in the US; I charge exact cost for shipping outside the US, but that can be expensive because I'll only ship in a way that allows for full insurance.

 

Check out my feedback here on the boards or on eBay (ID: MyComicArt.com). You'll be happy with your purchase and with my packing and shipping.

 

I ship only once a week, typically on Saturdays, so please bear in mind that there may be a delay in shipping.

[SOTIcollector]

Copy 1

Former library copy 2nd print from 1954. Re-bound and trimmed. In amazing shape. The typical library markings inside, and the spine of the original binding is attached to the title page.

The last pic is intended to show the library stamp along the bottom edge, but the photo didn't come out. If it's important to you, I'll be glad to take another photo.

I really like the trimming on this one. The original books were bound and left untrimmed, leaving very uneven pages at the edges of the book. This was trimmed as part of the re-binding process, leaving a much better looking book.

All 16 illustration pages present. Photocopy of the bibliography page is included.

$65 shipped in the US, barely more than the cost of a modern reprint on Amazon.

 

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

 

Copy 2

Second print from 1954. No dust jacket and no bibliography. Unmarked except for a pencil price on the title page, and pencil scribbles on two otherwise blank pages. Inside covers

are particularly nice, and do not exhibit the bleaching of the orange color inside the covers that is so common with this book.

The lack of an R colophon on the title page is what lets you know this is a second print. If you buy a copy, from me or from somebody else, be sure you know how to tell a first print from a second print. Over the years, many second prints have been sold as first prints, so be sure to educate yourself before your purchase.

All 16 illustration pages present. Photocopy of the bibliography included.

$95 shipped in the US.

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

 

 

Copy 3

First print from 1954. No dust jacket and no bibliography. Some cover staining. Bumped lower right FC. "25" in orange marker on the red page inside the FC.

One stray pencil mark in chapter 1.

All 16 illustration pages present. Photocopy of the bibliography included.

$125 shipped in the US.

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

 

 

Copy 4

First print from 1954. The R colophon on the title page is what shows that this is a first print. With very rough dust jacket, but no bibliography. Dust jacket has splits along the spine, and has so little holding it together that I can't promise the front won't separate from the back during shipping.

The book itself is in outstanding shape. Unmarked and with very little wear.

All 16 illustration pages present. Photocopy of the bibliography included.

$200 shipped in the US.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FineCollector]

Do book people hate tape as much as comic people do?

[snitzer]

Any other 1st prints for someone with more of a budget to work with?

[comicparadox]

Any other 1st prints for someone with more of a budget to work with?

BSD alert!?

[SOTIcollector]

Any other 1st prints for someone with more of a budget to work with?

 

Thanks for the inquiry. Out of respect for the rules, I can't post the first print with bibliography here.

[The Kaptain]

Any other 1st prints for someone with more of a budget to work with?

 

Thanks for the inquiry. Out of respect for the rules, I can't post the first print with bibliography here.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but why can't you post the first print with the bibliography?

 

Also, why is the bibliography missing on these? Was it removed? Did it fall out?

 

Thanks.

[SOTIcollector]

Any other 1st prints for someone with more of a budget to work with?

 

Thanks for the inquiry. Out of respect for the rules, I can't post the first print with bibliography here.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but why can't you post the first print with the bibliography?

 

Also, why is the bibliography missing on these? Was it removed? Did it fall out?

 

Thanks.

 

This forum is for items that are not for sale elsewhere. Since that book is for sale elsewhere, I didn't list it here.

 

As for the bibliography, here's the story.

 

When the book was printed, it had a "bibliography" on a single leaf (pp. 399-400) at the end of the book. This so-called bibliography was just a list of publishers whose comics were cited in the book. After the book was printed, the publisher ordered that the bibliography be excised from the book prior to distribution. So most copies of the book have a very neat stub where that leaf was carefully sliced out. Wertham didn't even find out about the bibliography's removal until after some people complained to him that their book was had been mangled. Wertham said that the publisher, Mr. Rinehart, had ordered the bibliography removed due to fear of lawsuits from comic book publishers.

 

Some copies did make it out into the public's hands with the bibliography intact, but they are far tougher to come by than the ones without the bibliography, because most copies of the book were distributed without the bibliography.

[Chip Cataldo]

That would be the copy I would want.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

[Bronty]

I'll take copy 1 if shipping to canada is OK and is the same or a little more.

 

cheers.

[snitzer]

That would be the copy I would want.

 

Peace,

 

Chip

 

+1

[SOTIcollector]

I'll take copy 1 if shipping to canada is OK and is the same or a little more.

 

cheers.

Thanks, Bronty.

We'll call Copy #1 tentatively sold, then, until I can get to the Post Office on Friday and get you a shipping quote.

[SOTIcollector]

By popular demand, here it is. The holy grail for collectors who, like me, are fascinated by those dark days when the comic book business almost went out of business. Seduction of the Innocent, first print, with bibliography and dust jacket. $695

 

In case you're not familiar with this book, here's the story of that bibliography and why it's so hard to come by.

 

This book was printed with the "bibliography" (really just a list of publishers) on pages 399-400. However, the publisher of SOTI (Rinehart) was afraid that this bibliography would open him up to lawsuits. So he ordered the bibliography removed from the book prior to distribution. The offending leaf was carefully sliced out of almost every copy of the book before it was sold. Wertham said he didn't even known about the removal of the bibliography until he got complaints from readers who wondered why their book had been mutilated.

 

It's not clear to me how some copies with the bibliography survived. I own one that was a reviewer's copy, and I have owned library copies with the bibliography as well.

 

This book was previously offered at another site, which is why I did not list it here when I first stated this thread. Offering an item here while it's available elsewhere is against the rules. But since I've had a number of inquiries, I have withdrawn the book for sale elsewhere and offered it here.

 

This is a solid copy, unmarked except for the name inside the FC. Some bleaching to the inside FC and BC, as evident in the photos. Dust jacket has some minor paper loss and tears at the spine; the photos should give you a good idea of its condition.

 

If you have any questions about SOTI, either because you're interested in buying this or just because you're curious, feel free to PM me.

 

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

A bump... and some amazing news! Two more SOTI books have been discovered! You may have noticed in my signature line that I'm trying to find the SOTI comics that have not yet been identified by collectors. Well, a brilliant boardie and sleuth has discovered two of them! For his efforts, I'll be sending a FREE copy of Seduction of the Innocent! Details to come soon... hopefully when I get a few minutes this weekend to post all the details.

[SOTIcollector]

Copy #2 isn't sold... it's given away for free! It's in the mail now to the boardie who identified two of the LOST SOTI books.

[vaultkeeper]

By popular demand, here it is. The holy grail for collectors who, like me, are fascinated by those dark days when the comic book business almost went out of business. Seduction of the Innocent, first print, with bibliography and dust jacket. $695

 

In case you're not familiar with this book, here's the story of that bibliography and why it's so hard to come by.

 

This book was printed with the "bibliography" (really just a list of publishers) on pages 399-400. However, the publisher of SOTI (Rinehart) was afraid that this bibliography would open him up to lawsuits. So he ordered the bibliography removed from the book prior to distribution. The offending leaf was carefully sliced out of almost every copy of the book before it was sold. Wertham said he didn't even known about the removal of the bibliography until he got complaints from readers who wondered why their book had been mutilated.

 

It's not clear to me how some copies with the bibliography survived. I own one that was a reviewer's copy, and I have owned library copies with the bibliography as well.

 

This book was previously offered at another site, which is why I did not list it here when I first stated this thread. Offering an item here while it's available elsewhere is against the rules. But since I've had a number of inquiries, I have withdrawn the book for sale elsewhere and offered it here.

 

This is a solid copy, unmarked except for the name inside the FC. Some bleaching to the inside FC and BC, as evident in the photos. Dust jacket has some minor paper loss and tears at the spine; the photos should give you a good idea of its condition.

 

If you have any questions about SOTI, either because you're interested in buying this or just because you're curious, feel free to PM me.

 

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

 

 

Thanks, VK!