The history of comics code
Fredric WerthamFredric Wertham, a German-American psychiatrist dedicated to protect children from the negative influences in the mass media and testified for defense in many trials that involved teenagers. He was also very know for one of his best works, "Seduction of the Innocent." In this book, he claimed that many comic books had a negative influence on children. The book alerted many parents about the context inside of comic books. Fredric Wertham had been the first to get the attention and concern of many parents, religious leaders, educators, etc. about the danger of comics. After Wertham had many adults involved and interested in the hazard of comic books he then began to take action.
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A picture of Fredric Wertham
Comic-art.com |
Seduction of the InnocentSeduction of the Innocent is a book written by Fredric Wertham. Fredric wrote the book in order speak of the content that was in the comics blaming them for criminal activity, and targeting every comic title possible. Wertham's book presented research on the negative impact of the violence found in the comic books that the youth read. The evidence only concluded in a code that banned comic book industry’s from many things. It soon became one of his best selling books. Although his evidence concluded in the making of The Comic Code Authority, he did over exaggerate things to prove his point.
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Photograph of "Seduction of the Innocent"
Slugmag.com |
The beginning of the Comic Code
With Fredric Wertham taking action into his own hands and the releasing of his book, he began to develop a crowd that began supporting him in many ways. Wertham's first action was by prohibiting comic books to children under 16 years old and many states started to debate whether or not to support Fredrick Wertham and do something about comics books and ban them. Fredric Wertham then proceeded to state that the comic industry was shaping criminals at a young age. He believed the blame for juvenile delinquency were comic books because of the violence in them. Although Fredric's opinion was not enough for the Senate Subcommittee to blame the comics for juvenile delinquency, it did influence comic book industries to reduce their violence content in their comics. Thus began the beginning of the Comic Code Authority.
The Comics Code AuthorityAfter this, comic books were shown to be linked with the rise of juvenile delinquency, but the evidence was not supported enough. The Senate Subcommittee and Government adopted a self-regulatory code to tone down the content used in comics. This code was named The Comics Code Authority. The Comics Code Authority was formed in 1954 and was a set of rules used to censor many comics. The code did not permit a variety of things including drugs, violence, or anything crime related, walking dead, vampires and such words as "Poww" are just a few of the things they did not allow. If your comic did not follow the code then it would be sent right back to you and would not get put in the shelves. The Comics Code Authority had only been changed three times. The three major versions being the 1954 version, 1971 version and finally the 1981 version.
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Recreation of the CCA logo by Ira Schnapp
catspawdynamics.com |
A before and after of a Batman comic. The code was applied to the one left due to there being too much violence.
cbldf.org |
CCA ruins comic industriesDuring the CCA, there were only a few comic companies, some of which went out of business right away when the Comics Code was brought into place and this was just the beginning of it. There wasn't anything that any comic book industry could do. The CCA limited comic book writers and publishers making it very difficult. The change was dramatic as you can see to the left.
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