by Matthew Russell - Posted 4 years ago
Welcome back my faithful Vigilantes. It seems that for some reason, you like it when I talk about the comic profession “sticking it to the man”. This censorship series has by far been our most read.
I will continue to tell this strange and unusual story either till we reach our conclusion, or you stop caring. With that being said, let’s get back into it.
When we last left off, the mainstream comics were so watered down that it felt that the life force of comics had been drained. Diehards turned to the Underground, rife with smut and violence.
It was at this time that comics were thought of as “lite pornography”. For this reason, no self-respecting artist or writer would enter into the comic realm. Not only that but those that were already deeply entrenched in the industry refused to mention what they did for a living.
Yes folks, this means that many of our heroes and idols at one point denied working in this beloved trade. Personally, I can’t blame them. It would be hard to look momma in the eye and tell her that “I work for a corporation that has a reputation for bringing the porn gateway.”
Can you imagine that at a fancy, upscale dinner party? You’re having a martini with other writers, and famous painters. I’m picturing the snooty “intellectual” types.
Me: So, what do you do?
Them: I just finished my novel. It is my musing on the meaning of art, and love. All told without the clutter of tradition plot points and tropes. Now, Good Sir, how do you spend your day?
Me: I write comics.
Them: ...
Me: I promise, it's not porn.
Them: Get out.
I’m not sure if this conversation has ever officially taken place but yes there is a novel out there that is truly that pretentious.
At this time that the mainstream ran into a snag of sorts. Parents didn’t allow comics in their homes.
With watered down superheroes, they lost a lot of readers. The big publishers at the time (you know who they are) went from over 650 regular monthly titles to just 250 in 2 short years, 1954-1956.
America was not the only country to embrace comic censorship. Argentina’s most respected and well-loved artist and publisher
After it's publication along with scathing critical biography of Evita Peron, he went missing. Within days his 4 daughters went missing as well.
No one had dared asked the government to look into it until Italian journalist Albert Ongaro 3 years later. Allegedly he was told by Argentina government “We did away with him because wrote the most beautiful story of Cha.”
This, in my humble opinion, is censorship taken to the max. As scary as that is, I believe I would rather deal with the standard $500 fine most states were imposing on comic publishers at this time.
Not every country was as politically motivated for censorship as Argentina. Wait until part 6 of this series and you can see how another country came to our rescue. (Here is a hint: BRITISH INVASION!!!)
By this time, we have several states taking their lead from the Federal Government. Due to New York’s original battle with the Truckers Union, they were hit the hardest by the Comic Code Authority.
Violations were punishable by one year in jail, a $500 fine, or both. By adjusting for inflation that same fine would equal $4,761.02 This is a huge fine. Legally the cost would have been absorbed by the publisher, except most would simply pass it off to the creator.
California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Washington all had similar laws.
Luckily Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and Wisconsin decided not to enforce such laws and simply gave creators a free pass on the matter by turning a blind eye to it.
In the end, we have to start asking ourselves; “What happened to Freedom of Speech?” Wait a few more days, my dear readers and we will tell the tale of how we got a taste of freedoms from the very country we freed ourselves from. (I know, irony)
