When I look back at the few examples I’ve seen of what was considered extreme in comics by men like Dr. Fredric Wertham and Senator Estes Kefauver, I’m most often saddened by the energy and vitality I saw in that work versus what came later after the Comics Code Authority was established.
True, some of the material was a bit much for young readers, and American society didn’t see comics as something for adults as well as kids. There was no chance in splitting up the market with some books for young people and some for an adult readership.
Horror comics like Black Cat Mystery had emerged as the super-hero books began to fail, and Lee Elias was a superb artist for the times with great drawing skills and juicy blacks to carry the scariness. And it was horror comics that took the brunt of the blame when it came to muzzling comics to be safe for conservative parents.
While the Code is now history, our conception of horror comics has changed over time. We don’t get quite the lurid depictions anymore. I’ll leave it up to you whether you think we’ve matured or if we’ve lost our taste for blood.
New colour by me.
As published.
Original art scan from Heritage Auctions.
Art made production ready.
New colour version.
Re-created trade dress added.
Related
Hot Box by Jack Kirby
June 18, 2021
Hot Box by Jack KirbyJune 18, 2021|In Comics, General Foxhole was a Joe Simon & Jack Kirby Studio-produced comic from 1954 published originally…
Chamber of Darkness No. 7 Cover by Bernie Wrightson
November 16, 2022
Chamber of Darkness No. 7 Cover by Bernie WrightsonNovember 16, 2022|In Comics, Marvel Wrightson emerged as the 1960s ended with a lush and…
Hawkman and The Justice Society of America by Joe Kubert
March 2, 2015
From 1970, Joe Kubert provided this powerful illustration for The Steranko History of Comics 1. Here it is in colour, and with trade dress from…
Madame Xanadu Pin-Up by Michael Wm Kaluta
January 27, 2021
Michael Wm Kaluta has been associated with Madame Xanadu from her first appearance in Doorway to Nightmare No. 1 in 1978.