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Library of Congress Opens Records of Anti-Comic Book Shrink
eldavojohn writes "Some light is being shone on comic book history today as the Library of Congress opens up the 222 boxes of a German psychiatrist's evidence and papers against comic books. Dr. Fredric Wertham is well known by comic book fans as the author of Seduction of the Innocent, a bestselling book linking comic books and juvenile delinquency — leading to a full blown congressional investigation (some say witch hunt) of the comic book industry. Wertham was long involved with criminal trials before campaigning against comic books and promoting industry and government censorship for children. Ars adds a little more context for the younger crowd and notes that he later tried to move against television violence but couldn't find the publisher backing he had against comic books."
Chief Counsel Herbert Beaser: Let me get the limits as far as what you put into your magazine. Is the sole test of what you would put into your magazine whether it sells? Is there any limit you can think of that you would not put in a magazine because you thought a child should not see or read about it?
Bill Gaines: No, I wouldn't say that there is any limit for the reason you outlined. My only limits are the bounds of good taste, what I consider good taste.
Beaser: Then you think a child cannot in any way, in any way, shape, or manner, be hurt by anything that a child reads or sees?
Gaines: I don't believe so.
Beaser: There would be no limit actually to what you put in the magazines?
Gaines: Only within the bounds of good taste.
Beaser: Your own good taste and saleability?
Gaines: Yes.
Senator Estes Kefauver: Here is your May 22 issue. [Kefauver is mistakenly referring to Crime Suspenstories #22, cover date May] This seems to be a man with a bloody axe holding a woman's head up which has been severed from her body. Do you think that is in good taste?
Gaines: Yes sir, I do, for the cover of a horror comic. A cover in bad taste, for example, might be defined as holding the head a little higher so that the neck could be seen dripping blood from it, and moving the body over a little further so that the neck of the body could be seen to be bloody.
Kefauver: You have blood coming out of her mouth.
Gaines: A little.
Damnit, you're not supposed to open the shrink wrap. Do you know how much value this has lost?
Emily Letella: The what?
Blackeagle_Falcon: Not Congress, the library of Congress.
Emily Letella: Oh, well, never mind then.
Worst story EVER!
Rest assured, I was on the internet within minutes, registering my disgust.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
I read these "so called" violent comic books in my youth, and I never became a violent person. If you keep saying so, I'll hunt you down and beat you to a bloody pulp!
Who would win this election: Andrew Weiner vs Andrew Weiner's weiner.
Christianity
Dewd,
.02 - Don't Mod me bro!
Grow a backbone and don't candy coat the truth please.
It's Politic season and this witch hunt is just more grandstanding for votes the same way craigslist is under attack by AG's of various states.
The only way to hurt these bastards is to vote them from office, and vote away their expensive pensions just for having served a single term.
Just my honest
- Dan.
~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
What is with all these Saxon violins on television that I keep hearing about?
Intron: the portion of DNA which expresses nothing useful.
Let's make sure a copy of "Daikatana" doesn't slip in there, lest future generations not think too well of us.
Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.