Pre-Code Post-Code Transitions

[PovertyRow]

I used to have a number of these, especially from Atlas. Always found it fascinating to compare the last pre-code of a title with the following post-code.

 

This is a two-scan thread. Few may contribute but I like it so...

 

If you have pre-code books followed immediately by their post-code counterparts please show us. I recall the diferences between some to be rather striking!

[precodekeith]

Ace never really was too graphic to start with, but for what it's worth here's Baffling 24, followed by Baffling 26. (Sorry Pov, I don't have 25 which is the first code issue) I have other scans of Baffling in The Undead Thread:Pre-Code Horror if anyone is interested.

 

[precodekeith]

[PovertyRow]

Ahhh! "Weird" is replaced by "Strange".

[precodekeith]

Yeah, not much of a change from an artistic stance, huh?

[PovertyRow]

Yeah, not much of a change from an artistic stance, huh?

 

Artistic? Minimal at best. "Legal" major. Was not "weird" banned by the code?

[precodekeith]

Indeed it was!

[PovertyRow]

Indeed it was!

 

You betcha! And to me (and I bet to you) even such a slight things as the changing of a word has significance in these Wertham Times! No?

[precodekeith]

Absolutely! Free speech, I say! Free speech!

[PovertyRow]

Absolutely! Free speech, I say! Free speech!

 

Indeed. And yet, while not "officially sanctioned" by the governemt, free speech was violated here. In fact, the senate sub-committee's decision to admonish the publishers to come up with a self-governing code" or (to paraphrase) "We (meaning the senate) will do it for you." is tantamount to blackmail.

 

This simple non-finding basically broke the backs of many comic publishers, including EC (although MAD lived on). But I guess this was the day of McCarthy so what COULD one expect?