Extreme Self-Censorship Of U.S. Comics

Trigger

I recently (ca. 10/20/2013) watched an episode of “Superheroes - A Never Ending Battle” titled “Great Power, Great Responsibilities” shown on PBS. During this episode, the viewer was several times reminded of the Comics Code Authority (Code) and that basically all mainstream retail distributed comics needed to have their stamp of approval on the cover page of the magazine for decades.

Every comic magazine had to be submitted to the Code Authority by member publishers of the Comics Magazine Association Of America for approval.

Greetings From The Soviet Union

To read the Code runs chills through the spine of everyone who likes Lady Liberty!

Here are some salient excerpts from the Code of 1954 (emphasis added):

1. “PREAMBLE/The comic-book medium, having come of age on the American cultural scene, must measure up to its responsibilities.”
2. “(1) Crimes shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal, to promote distrust of the forces of law and justice, or to inspire others with a desire to imitate criminals.”
   (2) No comics shall explicitly present the unique details and methods of a crime.
   (3) Policemen, judges, Government officials and respected institutions shall never be presented in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority.
   (4) If crime is depicted it shall be as a sordid and unpleasant activity.
   (5) Criminals shall not be presented so as to be rendered glamorous or to occupy a position which creates a desire for emulation.
   (6) In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds.”

And it goes on and on!

Absolutely incredible and unconstitutional!

Consequences Of This Self-Censorship

Publishers that did not comply did not receive any or much less revenue from advertisers. Their magazines had to be sold underground or through other channels etc.

How Many Readers Were Aware?

Until now, I certainly did not know about the extremity and extent of the self-censorship!

A Total Kowtow Of The Comics Magazine Association Of America

This association opted for extreme self-censorship to avoid Congressional scrutiny and regulation. If so they surely overdid their submission to Big Government.

Or was it also a welcome method to eliminate some of the competition.