Key Collector Comics

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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Dagar Desert Hawk #21
Fox ⋅ 1948
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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'

Rulah Jungle Goddess #22
Fox ⋅ 1949
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Rulah Jungle Goddess #22
 
Low
$75
Mid
$225
High
$830

Key Facts

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

Reason: 'The First Americans' story, under the guise of history, shows a woman restrained who is soon to have her heart cut out by a Native American

Exposed #6
D.S. ⋅ 1949
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Exposed #6
 
Low
$35
Mid
$105
High
$340

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham considers a panel that diagrams a killer's plan offers instructions on 'how to prepare an alibi'

Top Secrets #7
Street and Smith ⋅ 1949
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Top Secrets #7
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$300

Key Facts

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

Reason: instructional diagram of how to inflict the most damage on an individual

Classics Illustrated #55
Gilberton ⋅ 1949
View Details
Classics Illustrated #55
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$155

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham felt the adaptation did not capture the characterizations of the novel

Murder Incorporated #8
Fox ⋅ 1949
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Murder Incorporated #8
 
Low
$80
Mid
$215
High
$850

Key Facts

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

Reason: teaches the revenue potential in becoming a criminal with a pricing menu for delivering a black eye ($4.00), broken limbs ($10.00) or the 'whole job' ($100+)

Western Adventures #3
Ace ⋅ 1949
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Western Adventures #3
 
Low
$12
Mid
$35
High
$100

Key Facts

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

Reason: eye injury - a man throws gold dust in another man's eyes

Exposed #7
D.S. ⋅ 1949
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Exposed #7
 
Low
$35
Mid
$105
High
$340

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham considers a diagram explaining how to lock the inside of a window from outside 'a diagram for housebreakers'

Famous Crimes #7
Fox ⋅ 1949
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Famous Crimes #7
 
Low
$40
Mid
$120
High
$440

Key Facts

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

Reason: story about a hero who robbed a bank and shot five men to death

Murder Incorporated #9
Fox ⋅ 1949
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Murder Incorporated #9
 
Low
$90
Mid
$325
High
$980

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

Reprinted from Blue Beetle #56

Kewpies #1
Eisner ⋅ 1949
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Kewpies #1
 
Low
$25
Mid
$75
High
$245

Key Facts

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

Reason: less of a condemnation of this issue and more of a critique on comics as a whole when a little girl being interviewed by Wertham mistakenly called this comic 'Corpsies'

Lawbreakers Always Lose #7
Marvel ⋅ 1949
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Lawbreakers Always Lose #7
 
Low
$50
Mid
$150
High
$500

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham considers a panel of a killer bragging about murdering his own best friend just to make a buck is the philosophy of comic books

Superboy #2
DC ⋅ 1949
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Superboy #2
 
Low
$230
Mid
$700
High
$2.5k

Key Facts

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

Reason: Superboy usurps American History by being the aid to George Washington in the president's most famous moments

First mention of Smallville

Crime Does Not Pay #76
Lev Gleason ⋅ 1949
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Crime Does Not Pay #76
 
Low
$17
Mid
$70
High
$175

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham refers to a page in this comic that responds to his criticism of violence in comics

Crime Detective Comics #9
Hillman ⋅ 1949
View Details
Crime Detective Comics #9
 
Low
$80
Mid
$200
High
$800

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham is parodied on the cover, tied to a chair with tape over his mouth

True Crime Comics #1
Magazine Village ⋅ 1949
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True Crime Comics #1
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1.1k

Key Facts

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

Reason: gratuitous violence (reprinted from True Crime vol. 1 #2)

Four Color #250
Dell ⋅ 1949
View Details
Four Color #250
 
Low
$17
Mid
$70
High
$175

Key Facts

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

Reason: the pervasion of violence and racial stereotypes in comics that are seemingly innocent

Frontier Romances #1
Avon ⋅ 1949
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Frontier Romances #1
 
Low
$55
Mid
$165
High
$590

Key Facts

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

Reason: a man spanking a woman, bent over his knee

Crimes By Women #10
Fox ⋅ 1949
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Crimes By Women #10
 
Low
$90
Mid
$280
High
$900

Key Facts

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

Reason: instructs girls on how to avoid making mistakes when committing a crime

Classics Illustrated #68
Gilberton ⋅ 1950
View Details
Classics Illustrated #68
 
Low
$12
Mid
$40
High
$125

Key Facts

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

Reason: Werthem condemns the decision to follow a classic piece of literature with a story titled 'Tippy, the Terrier'

World's Finest Comics #44
DC ⋅ 1950
View Details
World's Finest Comics #44
 
Low
$90
Mid
$275
High
$1k

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham describes the relationship of Batman and Robin as homosexual describing a panel where Grayson sits beside Bruce Wayne who is lying down on a couch

Jon Juan #1
Toby ⋅ 1950
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Jon Juan #1
 
Low
$70
Mid
$225
High
$1.1k

Key Facts

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

Reason: inappropriate wording characterizing the hero as a "superlover"

Wild Boy of the Congo #10
St. John ⋅ 1950
View Details
Wild Boy of the Congo #10
 
Low
$30
Mid
$85
High
$275

Key Facts

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

Reason: on the back cover, a young man 'nude except for a well-filled loin cloth' could cause boys to become 'addicted to the homoerotically-tinged comic book'

Martin Kane #4
Fox ⋅ 1950
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Martin Kane #4
 
Low
$35
Mid
$100
High
$330

Key Facts

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

Reason: teaches the revenue potential in becoming a criminal (reprinted from Murder Incorporated #8)

Hunted #13
Fox ⋅ 1950
View Details
Hunted #13
 
Low
$40
Mid
$115
High
$420

Key Facts

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

Reason: violence toward the police

Haunt of Fear #3 (17)
EC ⋅ 1950
View Details  ⋅  View Variants (1)
Haunt of Fear #3 (17)
 
Low
$450
Mid
$1.5k
High
$4.5k

Key Facts

Origin of Crypt of Terror, Vault of Horror and Haunt of Fear

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

Reason: a character receives incompetent advice from a psychologist which leads to his death

Stories by Famous Authors Illustrated #6
Seaboard Publishing ⋅ 1950
View Details
Stories by Famous Authors Illustrated #6
 
Low
$20
Mid
$70
High
$200

Key Facts

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

Reason: the adaptation used gratuitous violence to pique the interest of readers

Wanted Comics #29
Orbit-Wanted ⋅ 1950
View Details
Wanted Comics #29
 
Low
$15
Mid
$50
High
$210

Key Facts

Reference in Seduction of the Innocent, led to establishing the comics Code Authority

Reason: killing a policeman, a man shot in the stomach, a woman mugged then beaten to death with a hammer

Inside Crime #2
Fox ⋅ 1950
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Inside Crime #2
 
Low
$20
Mid
$60
High
$200

Key Facts

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

Reason: a woman with a whip talks about forcing a man "to come to me on his knees," inspiring sexual deviance

Famous Crimes #19
Fox ⋅ 1950
View Details
Famous Crimes #19
 
Low
$20
Mid
$60
High
$250

Key Facts

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

Reason: lynching praised as an acceptable form of justice and in another story a man slaps a girl then threatens to slam a board full of spikes in her face

Crime Smashers #1
Trojan ⋅ 1950
View Details
Crime Smashers #1
 
Low
$80
Mid
$290
High
$890

Key Facts

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

Reason: a milkman stumbles upon a woman who has been 'raped and murdered' according to Wertham, author of Seduction of the Innocent

Weird Fantasy #16
EC ⋅ 1950
View Details
Weird Fantasy #16
 
Low
$80
Mid
$230
High
$990

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham condemns comics as being poorly written citing editorial comments from this issue, 'Greetings, humanoids! Drag over a cyclotron and crawl in! (if we'da known you were coming, we'da baked an isotope!)'

📣 Signature Auction: New High [Previous High]

GAINES FILE COPY 9.6 sold for $4,320 [$3,107 in 2015] +39%

Out of this World #2
Avon ⋅ 1950
View Details
Out of this World #2
 
Low
$50
Mid
$155
High
$570

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham cites poor writing, 'keep those paws to yourself, space-rat,' meant for those who 'find regular reading too hard'

Mr. Risk #2
Ace ⋅ 1950
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Mr. Risk #2
 
Low
$10
Mid
$30
High
$100

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham chides the writer of 'The Case of the Psycopathic Lady' for spelling psychopathic incorrectly

Eerie Adventures #1
Ziff-Davis ⋅ 1951
View Details
Eerie Adventures #1
 
Low
$200
Mid
$800
High
$2k

Key Facts

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

Reason: a legal battle between Eerie and Eerie Adventures led to Wertham, author of Seduction of the Innocent, to believe the courts cared more about protecting the financial interests of publishers than the well being of the children

Howdy Doody #6
Dell ⋅ 1951
View Details
Howdy Doody #6
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$285

Key Facts

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

Reason: insulting racial depictions

Reform School Girl
Realistic ⋅ 1951
View Details
Reform School Girl
 
Low
$1.2k
Mid
$4.3k
High
$12.5k

Key Facts

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

Reason: cover art shown with the caption - comic books are supposed to be like fairy tales=

Trapped
Harvey ⋅ 1951
View Details
Trapped
 
Low
$7
Mid
$20
High
$80

Key Facts

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

Reason: in response to the governor of New York praising this issue for illustrating the dangers of drug abuse, Wertham criticized his decision to veto The Crime-Comic Book Control Bill despite overwhelming support for it

Black Cat Comics #27
Harvey ⋅ 1951
View Details
Black Cat Comics #27
 
Low
$20
Mid
$65
High
$190

Key Facts

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

Reason: a boy beaten by an adult and violent instruction for self-defense such as striking the larynx

Wanted Comics #35
Orbit-Wanted ⋅ 1951
View Details
Wanted Comics #35
 
Low
$18
Mid
$55
High
$185

Key Facts

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

Reason: instructs readers how to set fires and cover up crimes

Captain Video #2
Fawcett ⋅ 1951
View Details
Captain Video #2
 
Low
$60
Mid
$175
High
$550

Key Facts

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

Reason: morbid fantasies - a story about humans unable to use their legs

Strange Worlds #2
Avon ⋅ 1951
View Details
Strange Worlds #2
 
Low
$135
Mid
$400
High
$1.4k

Key Facts

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

Reason: the hero slashes a giant across the eyes with a sword

Perfect Crime #11
Cross ⋅ 1951
View Details
Perfect Crime #11
 
Low
$20
Mid
$65
High
$210

Key Facts

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

Reason: provides instructions to rob a drugstore

All-Famous Crime #9
Star ⋅ 1951
View Details
All-Famous Crime #9
 
Low
$35
Mid
$110
High
$400

Key Facts

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

Reason: a couple is shown with bullet holes in their heads and stab wounds in their chests, reprinted from Law Against Crime #3

Wonder Woman #49
DC ⋅ 1951
View Details
Wonder Woman #49
 
Low
$115
Mid
$385
High
$1.1k

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham claims lesbian overtones between Wonder Woman and a child she adopts

X-Mas Comics #6
Fawcett ⋅ 1951
View Details
X-Mas Comics #6
 
Low
$80
Mid
$245
High
$890

Key Facts

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

Reason: morbid fantasies - a story about humankind unable to use their legs (reprinted story from Captain Video #2)

Frontline Combat #4
EC ⋅ 1952
View Details
Frontline Combat #4
 
Low
$30
Mid
$90
High
$360

Key Facts

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

Reason: Wertham uses this book as an example of creators using a pseudonym to publish objectionable material

Teenage Dope Slaves #1
Non-Key
Harvey ⋅ 1952
View Details
Teenage Dope Slaves #1
 
Values Coming Soon

Key Facts

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

Reason: adolescent drug use, brought to the attention of the public led to lurid publications devoted to the subject

Chamber of Chills #7
Harvey ⋅ 1952
View Details
Chamber of Chills #7
 
Low
$100
Mid
$300
High
$1k

Key Facts

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

Reason: morbid fantasies - a man's wife is killed by a giant crab, he then turns into a crab himself and devours her corpse

Harvey Comics Library #1
Harvey ⋅ 1952
View Details
Harvey Comics Library #1
 
Low
$400
Mid
$1.2k
High
$4k

Key Facts

Iconic story ‘Teen-Age Dope Slaves’

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

Reason: adolescent drug use brought to the attention of the public led to lurid publications devoted to the subject

As of January 2024 there were 76 copies of this comic on the census - the highest being a single 9.0

View more (3)

There have been just 6 recorded sales in any grade since 2019, and three of those have occurred in 2024

📣 Signature Auction: New High [Previous High]

5.5 sold for $5,040 [$3,650 in Jan] +38%

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