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SOTI

Seduction of the Innocent, published in 1954 by psychiatrist Dr. Frederic Wertham was one of the most impactful events in comic book history, leading to censorship in comics and the establishment of the Comics Code Authority  This category lists issues that were referenced in the book with Wertham's reasons for why comic books were damaging to the youth of America

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Classic Comics #10
Gilberton ⋅ 1943
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Classic Comics #10
 
Low
$100
Mid
$400
High
$1k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comic Code Authority

Reason: Wertham felt these comics were preventing children from reading the actual novels

HRN stands for Highest Re-order issue Number on back cover - the lower the number the earlier the printing. Generally a first printing will have an HRN that matches the issue number on the front

Classic Comics #13
Gilberton ⋅ 1943
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (2)
Classic Comics #13
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.6k

Key Facts

First comic book to feature a horror story throughout

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comic Code Authority

Reason: Mr. Hyde beats a little girl to death with his cane

[March 2022 - Eddie Izzard to play Dr. Nina Jekyll, who fears self-destruction from Mr. Hyde in reboot of classic horror production house, Hammer Studios]

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HRN stands for Highest Re-order issue Number on back cover - the lower the number the earlier the printing. Generally a first printing will have an HRN that matches the issue number on the front

Classics Illustrated #15
Gilberton ⋅ 1943
View Details
Classics Illustrated #15
 
Low
$75
Mid
$225
High
$850

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a stereotypical character profile of African Americans that failed to capture the humanity of the source material

HRN stands for Highest Re-order issue Number on back cover - the lower the number the earlier the printing. Generally a first printing will have an HRN that matches the issue number on the front

Dynamic Comics #17
Chesler Dynamic ⋅ 1946
View Details
Dynamic Comics #17
 
Low
$65
Mid
$200
High
$725

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a woman wearing a skirt has one leg fastened to a chair and the other raised and tied to a box as a man approaches her with a hot poker

Red Seal Comics #16
Chesler Dynamic ⋅ 1946
View Details
Red Seal Comics #16
 
Low
$55
Mid
$175
High
$620

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent which led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: two criminals drain the blood of an unconscious woman into a jar

Your United States
Lloyd Jacquet Studios ⋅ 1946
View Details
Your United States
 
Low
$25
Mid
$75
High
$235

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham writes, 'a man hanged from a tree, a Negro in chains, a girl about to be raped and massacred...is that what you want your children to think is the history of your United States'

Killers #1
Magazine Enterprises ⋅ 1947
View Details
Killers #1
 
Low
$400
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4.5k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a woman is tied to a post and repeatedly lashed by a man whose love she denied

Classics Illustrated #43
Gilberton ⋅ 1947
View Details
Classics Illustrated #43
 
Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$500

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham describes the first eight pages of this comic as being gratuitously violent and a poor representation of the source material

HRN stands for Highest Re-order issue Number on back cover - the lower the number the earlier the printing. Generally a first printing will have an HRN that matches the issue number on the front

Classics Illustrated #44
Gilberton ⋅ 1947
View Details
Classics Illustrated #44
 
Low
$60
Mid
$175
High
$660

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: panels of a blindfolded man, tied to a chair with his eyes gouged out

Justice Traps the Guilty #13
Prize ⋅ 1947
View Details
Justice Traps the Guilty #13
 
Low
$12
Mid
$35
High
$100

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: after witnessing the beating of an old man, a woman explains how she has become desensitized to witnessing the violence that used to disturb her

The Story of Harry S Truman #1
Commercial Comics ⋅ 1948
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The Story of Harry S Truman #1
 
Low
$15
Mid
$55
High
$150

Key Facts

Biography of Harry S Truman

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: false account of history, Truman's inspiration to run for president incorrectly credited

Jungle Comics #98
Fiction House ⋅ 1948
View Details
Jungle Comics #98
 
Low
$35
Mid
$100
High
$315

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham claims there is a hidden drawing of a nude female on a man’s shoulder (see image overlaid on cover, turned sideways)

Blue Beetle #54
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Blue Beetle #54
 
Low
$1.6k
Mid
$5.5k
High
$16k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: commonly known as a 'Headlights Cover' referring to a woman's breasts

Wanted Comics #12
Orbit-Wanted ⋅ 1948
View Details
Wanted Comics #12
 
Low
$20
Mid
$70
High
$220

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: an honest politician is murdered by a man who says 'bullets are better than ballots,' to which the narrator replies, 'ah, the impulsive boy. He's absolutely fearless. Why can't everyone be like that?"

Zoot Comics #14
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Zoot Comics #14
 
Low
$160
Mid
$550
High
$1.6k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a girl nailed by the wrists to a tree with blood flowing from her wounds

Meet Corliss Archer #1
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Meet Corliss Archer #1
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1.1k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham said, ‘adolescent boys call these Headlight Comics’ referring to the depiction of breasts

Planet Comics #53
Fiction House ⋅ 1948
View Details
Planet Comics #53
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: an alien threatens to burn a woman's eyes out with an electric prong

Gang Busters #3
DC ⋅ 1948
View Details
Gang Busters #3
 
Low
$25
Mid
$75
High
$280

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham calls a map drawn by criminals 'a comic-book map for crime'

Phantom Lady #17
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Phantom Lady #17
 
Low
$7.5k
Mid
$24k
High
$75k

Key Facts

Cover art by Matt Baker

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham writes of the cover art, 'sexual stimulation by combining headlights with the sadist's dream of tying up a woman' -headlights a reference to her breasts

📣 Signature Auction: New High [Previous High]

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3.5 sold for $28,800 [$11,400 in 2021] +153%

Blue Beetle #56
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Blue Beetle #56
 
Low
$170
Mid
$575
High
$1.7k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a female character expresses that a gentleman does not hit a woman with a blackjack, he uses his fists

Crime and Punishment #2
Lev Gleason ⋅ 1948
View Details
Crime and Punishment #2
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$180

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: provides instructions on how to steal from the blind

Public Enemies #2
D.S. ⋅ 1948
View Details
Public Enemies #2
 
Low
$25
Mid
$270
High
$225

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: the main character believes that those who disobey his orders deserve to be killed feels guilty after murdering a deaf man

Underworld #2
D.S. ⋅ 1948
View Details
Underworld #2
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a mother teaches her children to kill the police and a man chokes a high school girl to death because she denied him a kiss

True Crime Comics #2
Magazine Village ⋅ 1948
View Details
True Crime Comics #2
 
Low
$210
Mid
$675
High
$2.3k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a man threatens to stab a woman in the eye with a syringe and criminals drag two men to their death on a gravel road, optimal for 'erasing faces'

Crime Does Not Pay #63
Lev Gleason ⋅ 1948
View Details
Crime Does Not Pay #63
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$180

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: gratuitous violence

Reprinted from True Crime Comics #2

Meet Corliss Archer #2
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Meet Corliss Archer #2
 
Low
$50
Mid
$200
High
$500

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham said, ‘adolescent boys call these Headlight Comics’ referring to the depiction of breasts

Authentic Police Cases #3
St. John ⋅ 1948
View Details
Authentic Police Cases #3
 
Low
$55
Mid
$160
High
$600

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: criminals drain the blood of a woman, reprinted from Red Seal Comics #16

Guns of Fact and Fiction #13
Magazine Enterprises ⋅ 1948
View Details
Guns of Fact and Fiction #13
 
Low
$25
Mid
$80
High
$250

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: the most predominant word 'GUNS' is irresponsibly marketed to children

Crime and Punishment #3
Lev Gleason ⋅ 1948
View Details
Crime and Punishment #3
 
Low
$20
Mid
$60
High
$190

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a criminal instructs his partner to punch a man in the eye using brass knuckles and to twist them upon impact

Crime Does Not Pay #64
Lev Gleason ⋅ 1948
View Details
Crime Does Not Pay #64
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$180

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham criticizes the publisher of this issue who displayed the comics code logo but did not adhere to the rule that no blood is to be shown

Meet Corliss Archer #3
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Meet Corliss Archer #3
 
Low
$40
Mid
$150
High
$400

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham said, ‘adolescent boys call these Headlight Comics’ referring to the depiction of breasts

Women Outlaws #1
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Women Outlaws #1
 
Low
$150
Mid
$500
High
$1.5k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: violent women 'giving children an image of American womanhood'

Classics Illustrated #50
Gilberton ⋅ 1948
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Classics Illustrated #50
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$165

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a poor representation of what Mark Twain's novel is about due to gratuitous violence including an eye gouge

Dagar Desert Hawk #19
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Dagar Desert Hawk #19
 
Low
$80
Mid
$250
High
$875

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: erotic hanging

Tegra Jungle Empress #1
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Tegra Jungle Empress #1
 
Low
$80
Mid
$215
High
$775

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Tegra sprays fiery radium dust on the exposed breasts of another woman

Law Against Crime #3
Essankay ⋅ 1948
View Details
Law Against Crime #3
 
Low
$120
Mid
$400
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a couple is shown with bullet holes in their heads and stab wounds in their chests

Brenda Starr Comics #4
Four Star ⋅ 1948
View Details
Brenda Starr Comics #4
 
Low
$150
Mid
$500
High
$1.5k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: the cover 'has nothing to do with medicine and is unmistakably sadistic'

My Life (Corliss Archer) #4
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
My Life (Corliss Archer) #4
 
Low
$45
Mid
$140
High
$525

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: specializes in highly accentuated and protruding breasts in practically every illustration

Tom Mix Western #9
Fawcett ⋅ 1948
View Details
Tom Mix Western #9
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$125

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: two boys find a box with a man's amputated hands inside

Sensation Comics #81
DC ⋅ 1948
View Details
Sensation Comics #81
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a plot revolving around a man encouraging Americans to not 'let foreigners take our jobs,' suggesting the world is a violent and hateful place

🥈 Runner-Up: New High [Previous High]

4.5 sold for $374 [No Previous Data]

Nightingale
Once Upon A Time ⋅ 1948
View Details
Nightingale
 
Low
$12
Mid
$35
High
$215

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Wertham writes, 'this book is the usual parade of invitation to sadistic perversion, race hatred and violence for violence's sake'

Famous Crimes #3
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Famous Crimes #3
 
Low
$55
Mid
$170
High
$600

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Injury-to-eye violence

Crime Reporter #2
St. John ⋅ 1948
View Details
Crime Reporter #2
 
Low
$110
Mid
$330
High
$1.2k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a woman wearing a skirt has one leg fastened to a chair and the other, raised and tied to a box as a man approaches her with a hot poker

Reprint of Dynamic Comics #17

Super Duck #22
Archie ⋅ 1948
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Super Duck #22
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$90

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: Super Duck is poised, ready to beat a rabbit with a baseball bat

Crimes By Women #3
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Crimes By Women #3
 
Low
$90
Mid
$270
High
$1k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: cover art depicting women engaged in a gunfight with police

All Top Comics #14
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
All Top Comics #14
 
Low
$175
Mid
$525
High
$1.9k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent which led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a panel depicts the corpses of two men 'strung up by their wrists'

Authentic Police Cases #6
St. John ⋅ 1948
View Details
Authentic Police Cases #6
 
Low
$570
Mid
$1.8k
High
$5.7k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: sexual innuendo of a woman speaking to a man saying, "ya ain't gonna shoot anybody with dat rod are ya?"

Real Clue #9
Hillman ⋅ 1948
View Details
Real Clue #9
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$110

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: inspires children to attack other children due to a story about a mother who orders and supervises the beating of slow-paying customers to her criminal enterprise

Superman #55
DC ⋅ 1948
View Details
Superman #55
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1.1k

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: a policeman is shot in the mouth with a water pistol and also advertisements for B-B guns

Dagar Desert Hawk #21
Fox ⋅ 1948
View Details
Dagar Desert Hawk #21
 
Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$540

Key Facts

Referenced in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the Comics Code Authority

Reason: the hero displays racism after throwing bombs and a man from a plane while yelling 'bombs and bums away'

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