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How the Horror Comics of the 1950s Nearly Buried the Industry  | Horror Collection on Bookshop >>
Dark Souls 1-3 Slipcase Set by George Mann and Alan Quah
Dark Souls 1-3 Slipcase Set by George Mann and Alan Quah
Universal Monsters: Creature From the Black Lagoon Lives! by Dan Watters
Universal Monsters: Creature From the Black Lagoon Lives! by Dan Watters
Bad Dreams in the Night by Adam Ellis
Bad Dreams in the Night by Adam Ellis
Skinner by Micky Neilson and Samwise Didier
Skinner by Micky Neilson and Samwise Didier
Feral Volume 1 by Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner
Feral Volume 1 by Tony Fleecs and Trish Forstner
Gilt Frame by Matt Kindt and Margie Kraft Kindt
Gilt Frame by Matt Kindt and Margie Kraft Kindt
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Vol. 1 Neal Adams Cover [New Printing 2] by Marv Wolfman
Tomb of Dracula Omnibus Vol. 1 Neal Adams Cover [New Printing 2] by Marv Wolfman
Bunny Mask: The Cave Collection by Paul Tobin and Andrea Mutti
Bunny Mask: The Cave Collection by Paul Tobin and Andrea Mutti
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Bunny Mask: The Hollow Inside by Paul Tobin and Andrea Mutti
The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives by Pornsak Pichetshote and Jeff Stokely
The Sandman Universe: Dead Boy Detectives by Pornsak Pichetshote and Jeff Stokely
Sandman
The Sandman Book One by Neil Gaiman and Sam Kieth
Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky
Boys Weekend by Mattie Lubchansky
Creepshow Volume 1 by Stephen Langford and Chris Burnham
Creepshow Volume 1 by Stephen Langford and Chris Burnham
Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
Locke & Key, Vol. 1: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez
Preacher
Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
The Vault of Horror
The EC Archives: The Vault of Horror Volume 1 by Various Authors
Monsters Are My Business by Cullen Bunn and Patrick Piazzalunga
Monsters Are My Business by Cullen Bunn and Patrick Piazzalunga
American Vampire Book One: DC Compact Comics Edition by Scott Snyder and Stephen King
American Vampire Book One: DC Compact Comics Edition by Scott Snyder and Stephen King
Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill and Leomacs
Basketful of Heads by Joe Hill and Leomacs
Bitter Root Hardcover Omnibus by David F. Walker and Chuck Brown
Bitter Root Hardcover Omnibus by David F. Walker and Chuck Brown
A Guest in the House by E. M. Carroll
A Guest in the House by E. M. Carroll
Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann
Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann
Somna by Becky Cloonan
Somna by Becky Cloonan
The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E. B. Hudspeth
The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E. B. Hudspeth
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Wait Till Helen Comes Graphic Novel: A Ghost Story by Scott Peterson
Wait Till Helen Comes Graphic Novel: A Ghost Story by Scott Peterson
Wytches, Volume 1 by Scott Snyder
Wytches, Volume 1 by Scott Snyder
Paranoid Gardens by Gerard Way and Shaun Simon
Paranoid Gardens by Gerard Way and Shaun Simon
 
 
Saga
HOW THE HORROR COMICS OF THE 1950s NEARLY BURIED THE INDUSTRY...

While contemporary critics still heap plenty of hate onto comic books, back in the 1950s concern over them was so intense it actually resulted in Congressional hearings and the formation of the Comics Code Authority (CCA), a regulatory body formed by the industry in 1954 as a way of heading off widespread government censorship. 

However, at least part of the hysteria that led to the CCA etc. may have been warranted. During what's often considered the most idealistic decade in American history, horror comics were truly horrifying. While many of these books were intended to be morality tales in which greedy, selfish and spiteful protagonists get their horrific just-desserts in the end, having them eaten alive by corpses was way too much for many parents and law-makers. Graphic depictions of dismemberment, decapitation, cannibalism, bondage, occult activities and more were really shocking, especially for a time we often remember as being defined by the bland entertainment of Leave It to Beaver and bubblegum pop music. 

Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath
Gideon Falls Volume 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino
Gideon Falls Volume 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino
John Carpenter's Tales for a Halloweenight: Volume 10 by John Carpenter and Sandy King
John Carpenter's Tales for a Halloweenight: Volume 10 by John Carpenter and Sandy King
John Carpenter's Night Terrors: Blood of the Taken by Sian Mandrake and Sandy King
John Carpenter's Night Terrors: Blood of the Taken by Sian Mandrake and Sandy King
Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito
Smashed: Junji Ito Story Collection by Junji Ito
Spawn Compendium Color Edition Volume 1 by Frank Miller and Todd McFarlane
Spawn Compendium Color Edition Volume 1 by Frank Miller and Todd McFarlane
The Complete Harrow County by Cullen Bunn , et al.
The Complete Harrow County by Cullen Bunn , et al.
The Crow (Special Edition) by James O'Barr
The Crow (Special Edition) by James O'Barr
The Nice House on the Lake: The Deluxe Edition by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martino Bueno
The Nice House on the Lake: The Deluxe Edition by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martino Bueno
The Deviant Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson
The Deviant Vol. 1 by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson
The Deviant Vol. 2 by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson
The Deviant Vol. 2 by James Tynion IV and Joshua Hixson
Death Strikes: The Emperor of Atlantis by Dave Maass
Death Strikes: The Emperor of Atlantis by Dave Maass
Hellboy: The Crooked Man & the Return of Effie Kolb by Mike Mignola
Hellboy: The Crooked Man & the Return of Effie Kolb by Mike Mignola
Mortal Terror Volume 1 by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
Mortal Terror Volume 1 by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon
The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country - The Glass House by James Tynion IV
The Sandman Universe: Nightmare Country - The Glass House by James Tynion IV
Walking Dead Book 1 by Robert Kirkman and Tony MooreWalking Dead Book 1 by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
Walking Dead Book 1 by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore
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  • Home
  • About Marsh
  • My Books
    • Quinton's Curious Mind Book Series
  • Laughing Boy Books
    • Batman Collection
    • Comics Collections
    • Damian Wayne Collection
    • Dystopian
    • Fantasy
    • Greek Myths Retold
    • Harry Potter's Magical World
    • Historical
    • Horror
    • Red Hood Collection
    • LGBTQ
    • Lord of the Rings
    • Mystery
    • Nightwing Collection
    • Paranormal
    • Science Fiction
    • Star Trek
    • Star Wars
    • Superman Collection
    • Supernatural
    • Tim Drake Collection
    • Young Adult Collection
  • Bookshop Updates
  • Articles
    • Reading and Writing
    • Pop Culture
    • Storytelling