2008 Woodie Awards
Read Your Comics!
The Comics Code
Michael Fitzgerald
Issue date: 4/23/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Flipping through pages and pages of phallic and yonic imagery it's Read Your Comics!
Those who grew up with comics might remember a prominent icon on every mainstream book's cover: the seal of approval from the Comics Code Authority.
So what did that big A with two little C's sprouting out from either side of it mean?
Well it all began with one psychiatrist's book, Seduction of the Innocent.
The book was authored by Frederick Wertham, a doctor studying childhood development. In it, Wertham details what he found to be a link between juvenile delinquency and comic book content.
Seduction of the Innocent gave examples of comics that included detailed depictions of crimes and how to get away with them, encouraged violence and impossible stunts, and explicit and abnormal sex acts.
Crime comics were a popular genre at EC Comics, the company now more famous today for creating the Tales from the Crypt line. Their titles contained detailed ways to commit crimes without repercussions, as well as how to successfully conceal a weapon! EC also was well known for their gory horror comics, one of their most infamous issues showcases a corpse and severed head right on the cover.
Wertham also took issue with the amount of violence featured in comics. The author described crime-fighters like Batman and Superman as sadistic in their vigilantism at times. Wertham also felt that the use of superpowers was depicted too carelessly by publishers, and noted case studies where young children attempted to act out powers such as flight, only to end up in horrible accidents.
While plenty of innuendo could be found in any form of media, Wertham didn't neglect to point out the sexual connotations within the subject matter of many comics. He criticized the man-boy relationship between Batman and Robin as being too gay. In a similar way he blasted the creators of Wonder Woman for portraying her as too independent and strong.
While many go on to criticize the media blitz and congressional hearings as overkill, none of these accusations were entirely unfounded. A quick flip through any of these old comics prove that something had to have been done, but one has to wonder why the government really needed to get involved.
Those who grew up with comics might remember a prominent icon on every mainstream book's cover: the seal of approval from the Comics Code Authority.
So what did that big A with two little C's sprouting out from either side of it mean?
Well it all began with one psychiatrist's book, Seduction of the Innocent.
The book was authored by Frederick Wertham, a doctor studying childhood development. In it, Wertham details what he found to be a link between juvenile delinquency and comic book content.
Seduction of the Innocent gave examples of comics that included detailed depictions of crimes and how to get away with them, encouraged violence and impossible stunts, and explicit and abnormal sex acts.
Crime comics were a popular genre at EC Comics, the company now more famous today for creating the Tales from the Crypt line. Their titles contained detailed ways to commit crimes without repercussions, as well as how to successfully conceal a weapon! EC also was well known for their gory horror comics, one of their most infamous issues showcases a corpse and severed head right on the cover.
Wertham also took issue with the amount of violence featured in comics. The author described crime-fighters like Batman and Superman as sadistic in their vigilantism at times. Wertham also felt that the use of superpowers was depicted too carelessly by publishers, and noted case studies where young children attempted to act out powers such as flight, only to end up in horrible accidents.
While plenty of innuendo could be found in any form of media, Wertham didn't neglect to point out the sexual connotations within the subject matter of many comics. He criticized the man-boy relationship between Batman and Robin as being too gay. In a similar way he blasted the creators of Wonder Woman for portraying her as too independent and strong.
While many go on to criticize the media blitz and congressional hearings as overkill, none of these accusations were entirely unfounded. A quick flip through any of these old comics prove that something had to have been done, but one has to wonder why the government really needed to get involved.
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