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Tuesday, 21 July 2015
KID'S KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS - MAD #1...
Image copyright DC COMICS (TIME WARNER)
As I'm sure you all know, MAD was a comicbook when it first came out in 1952, and didn't metamorphose into an actual magazine until its 24th issue. Still going strong today, all these years later.
Mad survived by changing its format to a full-sized B&W magazine. That way, it did not have to pass the Comics Code. I wonder if EC considered doing the same thing with their horror and crime comics (Tales From the Crypt, Shock Suspense Stories, Weird Fantasy, et al.). It worked for Warren in the 1960's, with Eerie and Creepy.
Comic covers snap: Donald Duck Adventures #11 (1991) and Batman: Gotham Adventures #13 (1999). I'm sure there were others, but those are the ones that I can name offhand.
Wertham's spotlight on comics was a factor in what happened to them at the time, TC, but his effect has been over-stated. A large percentage of comics were already suffering declining sales, and the introduction of the Comics Code merely presented the opportunity for many companies to do that which they knew was inevitable anyway and close up shop. As you suggest, with the success of Mad as a magazine, it's surprising that EC didn't do the same with their 'controversial' comics.
2 comments:
Mad survived by changing its format to a full-sized B&W magazine. That way, it did not have to pass the Comics Code. I wonder if EC considered doing the same thing with their horror and crime comics (Tales From the Crypt, Shock Suspense Stories, Weird Fantasy, et al.). It worked for Warren in the 1960's, with Eerie and Creepy.
Comic covers snap: Donald Duck Adventures #11 (1991) and Batman: Gotham Adventures #13 (1999). I'm sure there were others, but those are the ones that I can name offhand.
Wertham's spotlight on comics was a factor in what happened to them at the time, TC, but his effect has been over-stated. A large percentage of comics were already suffering declining sales, and the introduction of the Comics Code merely presented the opportunity for many companies to do that which they knew was inevitable anyway and close up shop. As you suggest, with the success of Mad as a magazine, it's surprising that EC didn't do the same with their 'controversial' comics.
I'll look up those two examples of 'CCS'.
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