An Alternate History of Horror IX: Seduction of the Innocent

[Gary Oswald]

Discuss this article by @RyanF here

 

[Charles EP M.]

There's an old theory in American comics that DC, Archie, and others were very deliberately rigging the Code to cut out EC - which even made it into a Simpsons comic, where the editor of "Hartley" plants horror comics at Dr Crab's lair so they'll be banned as communist.

 

[RyanF]

There's an old theory in American comics that DC, Archie, and others were very deliberately rigging the Code to cut out EC

It's not exactly a massive leap of logic when you look at some of the specific provisions and who they hindered the most.

 

[Charles EP M.]

It's not exactly a massive leap of logic when you look at some of the specific provisions and who they hindered the most.

"So you know the titles of your top sellers? Not up to Code!"

 

[RyanF]

"So you know the titles of your top sellers? Not up to Code!"

 

[Charles EP M.]

"But you let in Strange Tales!"

"It says no horror comicS, we're allowed to have one."

 

[RyanF]

"But you let in Strange Tales!"

"It says no horror comicS, we're allowed to have one."

Jack Kirby: Hyuck!

 

[OwenM]

Ironically, as bad as he was on the issue Wertham apparently didn't like the Code either (he'd mainly wanted an age rating system, and also thought it was leading to violence being shown but without realistic consequences, which he not unreasonably saw as worse).

 

[Coiler]

There's an old theory in American comics that DC, Archie, and others were very deliberately rigging the Code to cut out EC - which even made it into a Simpsons comic, where the editor of "Hartley" plants horror comics at Dr Crab's lair so they'll be banned as communist.

This is what's called "Bootleggers and Baptists" in political theory, where two seemingly different groups support the same policy for different reasons, often ideological and self-centered. IE, the Baptists support bans/restrictions on alcohol for moral/religious reasons, while the bootleggers do it because it gives them more business.

 

[Coiler]

Another bit of Code trivia I like was that Gold Key Comics' parent publisher had the muscle to just ignore the code, which is why they were able to successfully launch a comic adaptation of the Dark Shadows show without incident.