It was the most important thing maybe to ever happen to comic books: Frederic Wertham's Seduction of the Innocent, which validated all manner of suspicions and anxieties about how comic books corrupted the youth of America. It led directly to the creation of the Comics Code Authority, which in turn was used by publishers like National Comics and Marvel to effectively put E.C. Comics out of business. With Wertham's research finally unsealed in 2010, the first report we've had on his actual work is pretty damning.

http://io9.com/5985199/how-one-mans-...omics-industry

That is an incredible read. I recall when I was younger, circa 1988 or so, my grandmother frequently complained about my uncle (who was around 28-30 at the time) giving me comics. She mentioned this book.

When I got older, I read this and basically considered it to be psuedo-science at best. I am not surprised the research was someone fabricated, look no further then the "research" with the recent violence in the country. The telling part here is how quick someone (or a group) will take something at face value because someone has M.D. after their name.

That being said, I am all for the industry policing itself.

Thanks for posting that.

Thanks for the link. I read seduction in college. Further proof that anyone can manipulate details for their own agenda.

I thought Armagideon Time's...well, not a counterpoint, exactly, but defusing of Wertham's importance made for an interesting read: http://www.armagideon-time.com/?p=8070

Frederic Wertham was friends with G. Legman? How did the author of Ora-Genitalism, and Rationale of the Dirty Joke, and The Limerick become friends with the guy who tried to destroy comic books?

I suspect the American comic book market would look vastly different today if not for Wertham's interference. The Code practically killed off any non-superhero comic books, allowing the remaining superhero comics to flourish in the Silver Age.

I think the big two were pretty complacent with Wertham and were happy to stamp out EC and the other indies which were encroaching on their market. I don't think all the blame goes to Wertham.

Were they the big two at the time?

In the 50s? I believe so, although I think Marvel was still operating under the "Atlas" name