Clean Up By Comics Czar Fallout

Today in Geneva New York in 1955, it was reported that at the Four County Mayors Association meeting the day before, the local wholesaler said "We will not handle any comic books that do not carry the approval seal."

Geneva Daily Times, January 11, 1955 pg 5

What is also worth noting, is that Louis B. Budgar (owner of Seneca News Agency) said that he wouldn't distribute ANY comic books to newsdealers who continued to sell "non-seal" books.  To some extent, this was a hollow threat since every comic book publisher that he could carry was already signed onto the code, except one: Gilberton Publications.  Seneca News Agency was an independent wholesaler, so he couldn't carry Dell Comics which was distributed by the American News Company (ANC).  Classics Illustrated never carried the code and their distributor was Curtis Circulation.

Angel #2 (May-July 1955) [Dell Comics]

I wonder if the Seneca News Agency no longer carried Classics Illustrated?  Several issues were condemned by the New York Legislature including this one.

Classics Illustrated #21 (December 1953) [Gilberton Publications]

It is also interesting to note that Budger also says that it costs a publisher "$100,000 a year to set up the machinery for this…".  That's probably why United Features Syndicate, who'd been publishing comic books since 1936, just got out.

Comics on Parade #104 (February 1955) [United Features Syndicate] - final issue

It is interesting to note that, in the article, no one wanted to be seen as censoring magazines, but it seems that using pressure to do that to kids comics was ok.

Some before and after covers:

Dick Tracy #85 (March 1955) [Harvey Publications]

Dick Tracy #86 (April 1955) [Harvey Publications]

Crime and Punishment #71 (February 1955) [Lev Gleason Publications]

Crime and Punishment #72 (April 1955) [Lev Gleason Publications] 

Clean Up By Comics Czar Follow-up

Last week (December 29) I posted various articles on the enactment of the comics code on comic books and Judge Murphy's press conference.  In those articles, he said that the comics would be "circulated in the next few weeks." 

So I wondered, how soon might the comics be on the stands and if all the publishers complied right away?  How soon after the press conference did the code comics hit the stands might be hard to determine, but I got lucky. 

I found Dodo And The Frog from National/DC with a B-1-6 on the cover, which probably is the date it was on the newsstands.  Looks like today in 1955 was the day the code seal started appearing.

Dodo And The Frog #83 (March/Apr 1955) [National Comics Publications]

I also found Hopalong Cassidy #99 (March) from National/DC with T 1/18/55 written on the cover.

Hopalong Cassidy #99 (March 1955) [National Comics Publications]

Since these are both March 1955 cover dated books, these are probably among the earliest comics out with the code seal on them.  On both titles, this is the first time the code seal appeared on their covers.

Atlas/Marvel was all over the place, as Combat Kelly #29 was February and it had the seal, while the monthly Battle #38 was March but it didn't have a seal.  And Western Tales of Black Rider didn't get it until May (#28).

Combat Kelly #29 (February 1955)

Battle #38 (March 1955)

 Western Tales of Black Rider #28 (May 1955)

So, what about other publishers?  Did the seal appear on their March 1955 books?  Some yes and some no.  DC was pretty consistent as most of their titles dated March had the code on them.  For Archie Comics, some of their March issues did, while others didn't get the code until May.  For bi-monthlies, that's not a big difference. 

Ace did not have any code seals on comics until April with most being May and even July.  ACG, which is related to DC, was right away like DC.  While Charlton only had a handful that were March and most were April.  Most of the rest of the publishers were April/May cover dates where the seal first showed up.

Then there was Quality.  The first issue of Plastic Man that had the seal was June 1955 (#54) while T-Man had it in April.  Quality seems to be one of the later ones to adopt the seal.

So looks like most everyone who was going to comply, did so by their May cover dated books.

In the article, Murphy said that the CMAA had gone over 440 comics and found more than 5,500 "lurid drawings" and 126 "unsuitable" stories which had been censored.  So, is there anyone who wants to look at those comics from the Mar-May time period and try and guess what was changed?

Clean Up By Comics Czar

Puttin' Out The Fire

Today in 1954, it was reported that Comic Books Are Being Cleaned Up.  The first Comics Magazine Association of America censored comic books would be hitting the newsstands in the next few weeks and Judge Charles F. Murphy wanted everyone to know about it, so he held a press conference.

Pittsburgh Press - ‎Dec 29, 1954‎ pg 7

It always fascinates me to see how different newspapers cover the same story.  The New York Times has the story on page 8:

NEW' COMIC BOOKS TO BE OUT IN WEEK; First 'Approved' Issues Put More Clothing on Heroines and Tone Down Violence. By DOROTHY BARCLAY
"Tidied-up comic books carrying the seal of approval of the recently formed Comics Code Authority are expected to appear on newsstands early next week."

Pittsburgh PA was a two newspaper town in 1954, so it is interesting to see that on the same day, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette only had a 3 paragraph story, but on page 2.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Dec 29, 1954 pg 2

The Milwaukee Journal had quite a different slant on the story on page 4.  Since it was from the NY Times News Service, it was probably closer to the New York Times story than the Pittsburgh Press United Press (UP) story.

The Milwaukee Journal - Dec 29, 1954 pg 4

Meanwhile, the St. Joseph, MO Gazette had it on the front page at the bottom right corner.  Other front page articles included Russia May Soon Free 3 Americans, France Into Final Arms Debate, Few Leads In Ballot Theft, and '54 Births Will Top 4 Million For First Time In U.S.

St. Joseph Gazette - Dec 29, 1954 pg 1

Where as the Spokane Daily Chronicle had the UP story buried on page 13 with the classifieds.

Spokane Daily Chronicle - ‎Dec 29, 1954‎ pg 13

Canada had the story the next day, when the Montreal Gazette carried the NY Times Service article on the Women's Page (pg 8) among such heavy articles as Facts and Fancies, Baby Is Healthy But Wakeful, Better Eating, and Running Away From It All Doesn't Solve Anything.

The Montreal Gazette - Dec 30, 1954 pg 8

It even made news in Melbourne, Australia in The Age.

The Age - Dec. 30 1954, pg 4

So, within 2 days, the story had been carried by at least 5 news services (UP, AP, INS, AAP, and NY Times) and probably hundreds of newspapers around the world.  I'd say Judge Murphy's press conference was successful.

Now to get that bad taste of censorship out of our mouth, I'll close with the Pogo strip that was also in newspapers today in 1954.  Its even kind of appropriate as they were trying to put out a fire like Judge Murphy.

If that doesn't do it, go Give Money to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.  A better organization cannot be found.  And be sure to check out Tom Spurgeon's interview with 2 head honchos of the CBLDF (Charles Brownstein And Larry Marder) at The Comics Reporter.