Which one of these comic-book eras was the most wholesome overall?

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Is this about the case where EC/Gaines got into trouble over a racial issue? INCREDIBLE SCIENCE FICTION #33?
 
That be the one. Gaines defied the CCA, war to the knife. And, shortky after, got out of common comics, to concentrate on MAD.
 
Especially considering that the Code itself was not violated; it was a personal thing with the CCA official.
 
No. Mr. Gaines was called to testify about his comic books. “The public hearings took place on April 21, 22, and June 4, 1954, in New York. They focused on particularly graphic “crime and horror” comic books of the day, and their potential impact on juvenile delinquency. When publisher William Gaines contended that he sold only comic books of good taste, Kefauver entered into evidence one of Gaines’ comics ( Crime SuspenStories #22 [April-May 1954]), which showed a dismembered woman’s head on its cover. The exchange between Gaines and Kefauver led to a front-page story in The New York Times the following day.”
 
Famous? I have that comic book. I did not regard it as famous. Just another story I read.
 
I did meet Jack Kirby. I attended a panel talk with him at a comic book convention. He related his wartime experiences and talked about his work in the comic book industry. A little background, Marvel Comics began as Timely, then Atlas and then Marvel. Marvel was about to go bankrupt before the costumed superheroes were created. Jack Kirby designed the Spider-Man costume before Steve Ditko was given the title. Marvel did go bankrupt in the late 1990s.
 
He was very personable and in a good mood. His signing line was long, and one was limited to 1-2 items. Per trip through the line. I made 6 trips. He was amused. And posed for a picture with me.

Aa I read your 1st para, I was thinking “Contract With God”.
 
Well, in my last 15 years or so. I was a DC guy, mainly.

But yes, from one source or another, these are not esoteric facts.
 
Murphy, as revealed in his conversations with Gaines and other EC folk, had no actual Code issue in mind. But you can use your imagination, as to what he was thinking of.

Gaines said he’d take it to the newspapers. Murphy relented, with only one requirement. The drawing showed the spaceman as sweating. Murphy said the sweat had to go. Gaines didn’t oblige him.
 
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There was stuff that scared me, when I read it at age 8 or so.

I recovered.
 
That is fiction. There would have been no hearings in 1954 if there was no concern. Ground breaking doesn’t mean anything. The art that was well done was well done. The stories that were well told were well told. That’s it. They still hold up as quality art and quality stories today, Where graphic dismemberment and body parts were depicted, they had crossed the line, and they knew it. Mr. Gaines appeared to testify and offered nothing more than he was ‘proud’ of his comics. Proud of what exactly? Yes, there were things to be proud of and things not. A balanced picture is required here.
 
First book off my shelf, to recommend on this story, would be Hadjou/THE TEN-CENT PLAGUE - the Great Comic -Book Scare and How it Changed America. Gives a lot of testimony.

And, if one could find/afford them, ALTER EGO, whole numbers 123-128 (#128 also has an article on Wertham and SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT), 130, 133-136, 138. I think that was the totality of the articles, but I could be wrong. It gives a lot of facts, and the 'zine adds a lot of pictorial examples. Or you could go for the whole book ( SEAL OF APPROVAL: THE HISTORY OF THE COMICS CODE), but I don’t know if you would get the illustrations.
 
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On some subjects, I am a great pile of books.

And, on some, I have a surprising amount of personal information.
 
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