Fredric Wertham
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Comics are a complicated medium in our history for a collection of reasons. The biggest of which is intellectual disinterest. This was caused in part by the release of the book Seduction of the Innocent by Fredric Wertham, a child psychologist at the time and a complicated figure. Fredric Wertham was mainly focused in his field on the mental health of poor black families in the U.S., including his papers being used in Brown v. Board of Education about the effects of segregation on black students. He wrote several books about his scientific work and psychological work. However, this has been overshadowed by his opinions on comics.
Fredric Wertham had a distinct distrust and fear of comics. He held the belief that comics, through their depictions of violence, horror, and sex, had a corrupting force on children. One thing that must be understood about the era of comics that was occurring at the time was different from what the common understanding of comics is now. Comics at the time were mainly horror, crime, and thriller comics. These comics did have some extreme visuals and themes that even I would not suggest kids read. However, I do not agree with Wertham a simple rating system would have done fine. Wertham claimed that comics encouraged sadism, homosexuality, and sexual deviance. Since he was a well-known and respected child psychologist, when his book was released, it made waves, and there was a trail for comics. This put several companies out of business. It also started the Comics Code authority.
The CCA was a group that would approve of a comic by stamping it. This stamp was meant to show that it followed guidelines made to satiate Wertham. These guidelines included no use of drugs, police to be depicted positively, no homosexuals, no vampires, and much more. Most of these guidelines held back comics writers but it also flung superhero comics into the status it is in today.
Wertham would never let go of his opinions on comics and would stand his stance on comics corrupting force. Some of his research and conclusions in Seduction of the Innocent have been brought into question, and some have claimed that he falsified data to get his results.
This led to a permanent defamation of comics to this day. It has caused a lack of intellectual research in comics or historical data. Most of this work has been done by fans and non-officials.
Comics are a valid medium with a collection of phenomenal works and artwork for all people to enjoy and get stuff out of it.
Sources:
Decker, Dwight. “Fredric Wertham - Anti-Comics Crusader Who Turned Advocate.” The Art Bin, art-bin.com/art/awertham.html. Accessed 12 Dec. 2023.
This is a re-written version of an article that appeared in the magazine Amazing Heroes in 1987