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The Culture of Censorship Begins
Comics aare born into an environment that automatitically assumes they are low value speech. Youth and Family groups stigmatize comic books as corruptive and stultifying of young people. -
Timely Comics Founded
Timely Comics was the predecessor to Marvel Comics. IT is one of the Major Publishers of what is now called the golden age of comics, or simply, "Golden Age". -
Sterling North
Noted children's book author Sterling North wrote an editiorial in the Chicago Daily News entitled "A National Disgrace". It included: "Badly drawn, badly written and badly printed—a strain on young eyes and young nervous systems. Their crude blacks and reds spoil the child’s natural sense of color." "...poisonous mushroom growth of the last two years." He went on to allege that Comics publishers were "guilty of a cultural slaughter of the innocents." -
American GIs Return
During World War II, 25% of all printed materials shipped overseas to the troops wre Comic Books. When they returned from a liberated Germany, it was to find Comic Book Burnings in public spaces. -
The Comics Strike Back (Nicely)
In an effort to answer rampant and unreasonable criticism, the Association of Comics Magazine Publishers formed. An early attempt at self-censorship failed due to a lack of uniformity in censorship policies. -
The Seduction of the Innocent
Eminent neurologist Fredric Wertham wrote an anti-comic screed entitled "Seduction of the Innocent". Filled with uncontrolled-for pseudo-science, unjustified conclusions and plainly neglecting the reading habits of older readers, Wertham is responsible for the Modern meme of a romantic relationship between Batman and Robin, this in a time when such a relationship wouldn't be viewed with modern tolerance or humor. -
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Comics titles reduce to 30% pre-'54 levels
800 comics creators lose their jobs, and working professionals decline to admit their occupations in polite company, for fear of being labeled "Deviant" or "Perverted". -
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State Legislation
State legislations in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington pass laws restricting the sale of comics to anyone under 18. Violation was punishable by fines and jailtime. -
Senate Hearings
As a result of the Wertham text, Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency heard testmiony regarding the deleterious effect of comic books of american youth. Excerpts from Wertham's testimony: "Mr. Chairman, ...In many comic books the whole point is – that evil triumphs; that you can commit a perfect crime." "Mr. Chairman, I am just a doctor. I can’t tell what the remedy is. I can only say that in my opinion this is a public-health problem." -
The Comics Code Authority
In fear of government regulation, the draconian Comics Code Authority was formed by magazine publishers. A generation of Crime, Horror and Science Fiction comics vanish overnight.
