Part Six |
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In 1950 comic publisher William Gaines was experiencing an
anxiety attack. It was in the form of a malaise in sales of his comic books.
The books he was marketing just weren't money makers anymore, if they ever
were, and he needed a new formula. It didn't take long for he and editor/artist
Al Feldstein to figure it out. In the next to last issue of his Crime Patrol
title, he had introduced a particular story "from the Crypt of Terror" in a
blurb on the cover. The issue sold better than any issue before it. On the next
cover there was an obvious horror content, and it sold better than the previous
issue. They had found what they were looking for.
By the middle of 1950, EC had three horror titles on the
stands. Crypt of Terror (later Tales from the Crypt), Haunt of Fear and Vault
of Horror. But they weren't ordinary horror books. They were horror with a
bent. Each story had a strange twist ending as if it were written by O.Henry
with help from Kurt Vonnegut. This simple addition catapulted horror comics to
the fore. |
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Publishers were scurrying to get horror titles on the stands. Some
were good, most were not, but that didn't matter. It was similar to the turn of
the century when, as comic strips were being established, cartoonists were
putting together any idea they could muster and the public ate it all up
because they couldn't get enough! |
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Another genre that exploded was science fiction comics, but
not with just EC's help. Avon and other publishers also put forth many science
fiction titles that were of fairly high quality.
But the early fifties however the war on comics was about to
go all out in an attempt to eradicate comic books if possible. By this time the
public outcry was almost a roar. The Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile
Delinquency had released a report very critical of comics, and it was widely
circulated. But nobody was prepared for what came next. |
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Readers Digest had published a scathing article by a paranoid
psychologist who all but claimed outright that comic books and other media were
responsible for the degradation of the American youth. It was comics that made
teenage boys rob and rape. It made adolescent's grades drop. It made them use
drugs. Comic books made every child a thief, a bully - a killer! These were the
claims of this paranoid. His name was Frederic Wertham. |
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American mothers could not believe what they were reading.
Then it got worse, Wertham published a book that contained purported examples
of sex and violence in comics. The book, entitled "Seduction of the Innocent"
fanned anti-comic sentiment all over America. It was a death knell for the
field.
The resulting hysteria caused many schools and PTA groups to
hold (shades of Nazi Germany) public comic book burnings. Comics were banned in
many cities and even store owners would refuse to put out for display anything
else but Bugs Bunny, Archie and Walt Disney's Comics. Even Superman's super
strength couldn't get shelf space in some places.
The backlash sent comics into a tailspin from which most
would never recover. By 1955, all comic publishers had sharply curtailed their
output. Many had totally phased out comic publishing, if they remained in
business at all. Bill Gaines had left comic publishing for Mad magazine. DC had
only a couple dozen titles and Atlas (which later became Marvel) was almost out
of business. It was comic's darkest hour |
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coming soon: From the ashes, rejuvenation
& revitalization. |
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