More Seduction of the Innocent News - New discoveries

[SOTIcollector]

A little teaser. Two more previously-unknown Seduction of the Innocent books have been discovered! Details will come soon, probably this weekend.

 

In the meantime... I've added to my SOTI-related collection in a way that other boardies may appreciate. First off, Reform School Girl.

 

For years, I've had Reform School Girl, the comic book, in my collection. The first one I owned was a copy without a centerfold that I bought for $17.95 at That's Entertainment in Worcester, MA in the early 1990's. After Four Color 250, it may have been the second SOTI book I owned.

 

Over the years I upgraded a couple times (sorry, I sold off the undercopy each time), so now I have about a 3.0 copy of Reform School Girl. I always liked the book, and ended up snagging a couple lobby cards from the movie of the same name. The cover of the comic book was taken from the 1948 Reform School Girl paperback, which was later sold under the name House of Fury. A few years back, I picked up a copy of House of Fury. But I've always wanted a copy of that original Reform School Girl paperback from Diversey.

 

Its story is similar to that of SOTI when it comes to finding a "complete" copy.

The bibliography was sliced out of most copies of SOTI prior to distribution, so finding a copy that still has the bibliography is really tough.

Similarly, there was a page removed from most copies of the Reform School Girl paperback, so finding an intact copy is tough. Well, finding ANY copy is tough, and finding an intact copy is tougher.

 

I bought a copy back in the early 2000's, but it was advertised as complete and it ended up missing that elusive page, so I returned it and got a refund.

 

But I finally got the one I wanted recently. At last I own an intact copy of Reform School Girl the paperback, to complete my Reform School Girl collection.

 

Behold, the Reform School Girl Collection.

 

[AJD]

Nice - love those sorts of thematic collections. (thumbs u

 

What's on the usually missing page of the paperback? (Says he cutting to the chase. )

[VintageComics]

I'm not sure whether it's true or not but I had heard that the father of the girl who posed in the picture destroyed many copies of the paperback and that was the reason it was difficult to find a complete copy.

 

 

[Duffman_Comics]

All well and good, but it doesn't explain what is on the usually excised page of the paperback "Reform School Girl".

 

If Dad's destroying copies because he's unhappy with the cover, then surely:

 

There are a fair few coverless copies floating around or

 

The entire book is hard to find. Then why is there one page missing on many existing copies?

[catrick339]

My understanding is that the excised page in the paperback had some biographical data on the girl, and that the family complained or sued to have it removed from the circulated copies.

[pmpknface]

That's very cool! Do you have any intention of hunting down original movie posters for the movie? I know you can get reproductions cheap but I'm sure originals for for a pretty penny. I seem to have located at least 2:

 

 

This one's going for $380....

http://www.royalbooks.com/pages/books/101612/edward-bernds-director/reform-school-girl-original-poster

 

[sfcityduck]

I'm not sure whether it's true or not but I had heard that the father of the girl who posed in the picture destroyed many copies of the paperback and that was the reason it was difficult to find a complete copy.

 

 

Was that story told to on your visit to Eugene? Can you post the picture of the Reform School Girl you previously posted on that visit?

[sfcityduck]

Steve,

 

You should change your sig to add a picture of your Nightingale instead of the LoC one.

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

Here's the story of the excised page, courtesy of vintagepaperbackarchive.com.

 

"This book exists in two versions. Page 3/4 was excised from virtually all copies before distribution after cover model Marty Collin’s father sued Diversey. Complete copies are extremely rare and command a premium. I believe the story is that the model was an Olympic ice skater and the trimmed page made it sound as if she was the character in the book."

 

I'll try to get a photo of that page to post.

 

@pmpknface: I think I'm going to have to call my Reform School Girl collection complete for now. Maybe someday I'll get an itch for a movie poster as well, but for now I'm happy with these items and focusing my collecting more on actual SOTI items.

 

@sfcityduck: Great idea. When I have a chance, it is time for a sig line update.

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

Another fun thing I've been working on is True Crime, IMO the greatest (or worst, depending on your point of view) crime series ever. The #v1#2 and v2#1 were used in SOTI. For those of you playing along at home, I should point out that contrary to misinformation about these books, #4 was not used in SOTI. Finding any books in the series is tough, and finding all of the US and Canadian versions? Darned near impossible.

 

I recently added the Canadian version of True Crime v1#2 to my collection, as well as an issue of the magazine of the same name by the same publisher.

 

Not long ago, Mile High had the one book that would have completed this collection (Canadian #7, reprinting US #5). I just didn't find myself desperate enough to want to buy from them. I'll wait, and eventually this collection will be complete.

 

The top row shows Canadian #4, 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The next row shows the US v1#2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and v2#1.

And finally, one of the magazines of the same name.

 

[sfcityduck]

So what are the new discoveries?

[Sqeggs]

Another fun thing I've been working on is True Crime, IMO the greatest (or worst, depending on your point of view) crime series ever. The #v1#2 and v2#1 were used in SOTI. For those of you playing along at home, I should point out that contrary to misinformation about these books, #4 was not used in SOTI. Finding any books in the series is tough, and finding all of the US and Canadian versions? Darned near impossible.

 

I recently added the Canadian version of True Crime v1#2 to my collection, as well as an issue of the magazine of the same name by the same publisher.

 

Not long ago, Mile High had the one book that would have completed this collection (Canadian #7, reprinting US #5). I just didn't find myself desperate enough to want to buy from them. I'll wait, and eventually this collection will be complete.

 

The top row shows Canadian #4, 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The next row shows the US v1#2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and v2#1.

And finally, one of the magazines of the same name.

 

 

 

If he still has it, he's in the middle of one his (frequent) 60% off sales, if that makes a difference.

[Sarg]

Interesting that the Canadians completely redrew Cole's classic "RAT" cover. Did they really think it "went too far"?

 

If the rest of the stories are anywhere near as good as "Murder, Morphine, and Me," then it was indeed the greatest crime series ever. Cole's art/writing on that was intense!

 

 

Another fun thing I've been working on is True Crime, IMO the greatest (or worst, depending on your point of view) crime series ever. The #v1#2 and v2#1 were used in SOTI. For those of you playing along at home, I should point out that contrary to misinformation about these books, #4 was not used in SOTI. Finding any books in the series is tough, and finding all of the US and Canadian versions? Darned near impossible.

 

I recently added the Canadian version of True Crime v1#2 to my collection, as well as an issue of the magazine of the same name by the same publisher.

 

Not long ago, Mile High had the one book that would have completed this collection (Canadian #7, reprinting US #5). I just didn't find myself desperate enough to want to buy from them. I'll wait, and eventually this collection will be complete.

 

The top row shows Canadian #4, 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The next row shows the US v1#2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and v2#1.

And finally, one of the magazines of the same name.

 

[SOTIcollector]

Another fun thing I've been working on is True Crime, IMO the greatest (or worst, depending on your point of view) crime series ever. The #v1#2 and v2#1 were used in SOTI. For those of you playing along at home, I should point out that contrary to misinformation about these books, #4 was not used in SOTI. Finding any books in the series is tough, and finding all of the US and Canadian versions? Darned near impossible.

 

I recently added the Canadian version of True Crime v1#2 to my collection, as well as an issue of the magazine of the same name by the same publisher.

 

Not long ago, Mile High had the one book that would have completed this collection (Canadian #7, reprinting US #5). I just didn't find myself desperate enough to want to buy from them. I'll wait, and eventually this collection will be complete.

 

The top row shows Canadian #4, 5, 6, 8 and 9.

The next row shows the US v1#2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and v2#1.

And finally, one of the magazines of the same name.

 

If he still has it, he's in the middle of one his (frequent) 60% off sales, if that makes a difference.

 

Thanks. It's been gone for a few weeks, from both the eBay listings and his website, so I'm guessing it's actually gone. There are some sellers I like so well that I'm eager to do business with them whenever I can, such as Superworld, Jim Payette, and Lone Star/MyComicShop.com. On the other end of the spectrum are the sellers I really don't want to buy from because I don't like something about them or their business practices. Mile High comes to mind in that latter category. I'm a collector, so I hesitate to say I'd never buy from them under any circumstances. But I will say that I'd have to be EXTREMELY desperate to want to give them any of my money.

[SOTIcollector]

So what are the new discoveries?

 

These are the two new discoveries. Working on full details and pics now.

 

One of the worst crime comics boasts: "Distributed in over 25 countries throughout the world!" - while a picture on the opposite page shows a U.S. Federal Agent knocking a man down with a rifle butt to the words: "Boy, that's the sweetest sound on earth." (SOTI, p. 284)

 

In one love comic a demonstration is given of how to steal a "very expensive gown, Paris original" from a department store:

"I'll slip it on in the dressing-room. They won't notice me! I'll put it in that box and walk out, while the saleslady is busy with someone else! ... I walked out, trying to keep calm, trying to look and act natural ... Nobody has seen me! Ohh! If I can only reach the door!" (SOTI, p. 40)

[adamstrange]

Terrific!

[SOTIcollector]

First up, we have what Wertham wrote on page 40 of Seduction of the Innocent.

 

In one love comic a demonstration is given of how to steal a "very expensive gown,

Paris original" from a department store:

"I'll slip it on in the dressing-room. They won't notice me! I'll put it in that box and walk out,

while the saleslady is busy with someone else! ... I walked out, trying to keep calm, trying to

look and act natural ... Nobody has seen me! Ohh! If I can only reach the door!"

 

Thanks to comic book scanner and detective extraordinaire Pmack Scans, we now know this comes from Diary Loves #31!

 

 

[SOTIcollector]

Next, from page 284 of Seduction of the Innocent, we have

 

One of the worst crime comics boasts: "Distributed in over 25 countries throughout

the world!" - while a picture on the opposite page shows a U.S. Federal Agent knocking a man down

with a rifle butt to the words: "Boy, that's the sweetest sound on earth."

 

Again thanks to comic book scanner and detective extraordinaire Pmack Scans, we now know this comes from T-Man #4!

 

As a thank you for his efforts, I sent Pmack Scans his very own copy of Seduction of the Innocent. He got a new book for his collection. I got two more SOTI books for mine. It's a win/win! Now there are just 29 more SOTI books to identify!

 

[TheSurgeon]

So what happens to the woman who stole the dress?

[Jayman]

Those are extremely interesting and fun finds, congrats!

Thanks so much for sharing the info and pics! (thumbs u