Seduction of the Innocent [Hardcover]

Fredric Wertham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1996

Result of 7 years of scientific investigation into the effects that comic books have on the minds and behavior of children who come in contact with them. His ideas on the harmful effects created by media-induced violence resonate with those who are concerned by the searing of our cultural fabric. Includes new Introduction by Wertham scholar, James E. Reibman, Ph.D.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Main Road Books Inc. (September 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0848816579
• ISBN-13: 978-0848816575
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,890,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Book for Comic Fans June 25, 2002

By Bobby Dillard

Format:Hardcover

This book is great to read but not for the reasons Mr. Wertham would like. In the 1950's, Wertham undertook a crusade to rid the world of comic books (yes, you read correctly) and chronicled his effort in this book. Wertham decided that comics (ALL comics) were destroyers of youth. To him, no comic book was benign. Superhero comics like Wonder Woman and Superman promoted white supremacy and homosexuality, Crime and Horror comics made kids into sadistic outlaws, etc. As a result of his book and efforts, comics were effectively neutered through the comics code. Granted some of the points Wertham made about the effects of graphic horror had on youngsters had merit, but most were far off the mark. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves comics and their history. It's also a great reference to find the most interesting comics of the 1950's.

57 of 67 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars I might argue the innocent are seduced into Wertham-bigotry December 3, 2003

By Brandon B. Alspaugh

Format:Hardcover

First of all, this book itself is a rather painful, pseudo-scientific read. Its impact on the comic industry has been well-covered, suffice to say it is responsible for the stagnation of the media for almost a half-century.

That said, Dr. Wertham has some interesting theories. He believes, for instance, not only that children can be corrupted by comics, but that this is the main reason for the existence thereof. He points to the similarities between the 'pornographic pottery' reputed to bring about the fall of ancient Rome as 'psychohistorical proof' (love that alliteration) that such things are bad.

Naturally, Batman and Robin was a thinly-veiled psychosexual tale of sodomy and child molestation, since they lived alone together, two isolated males. Similar comments about, oh, Jesus and his Apostles, or Holmes & Watson may be left with the receptionist. Similar sexual imagoes in Salvador Dali's art may be dismissed as 'that Dadaist thing'.

Dr. Wertham has a good deal to say on the effect of graphical violence on children, some of it borne out by later studies (although these studies were focused on cartoons, not still images, we can assume the same principles apply). However, the classic argument remains: you don't need to ban violence (or sex, or religious imagery, or which and what have you), just choose not to see it. Besides, there's far more raciness to be found in a Shakespeare play than your average EC comic of the time.

The problem herein is the classic 'post hoc, ergo propter hoc' fallacy: More kids are juvenile delinquents, and more kids are reading comics, therefore reading comics causes juvenile delinquency.

That said, I would love to be Dr. Wertham. Put simply, the man could see genitalia no matter where he looked, EC comics or otherwise, which strikes me as a very useful gift. Imagine the benefits of being able to mentally construct your own pornography out of everyday items, even your breakfast cereal.

The book doesn't deserve reading on its own merits, but it is a fascinating artifact of just how nuts the McCarthy/HUAC made America in the 50s.

Oh, and for future reference, if you're going to criticize bad influences on children, old school assassin or not, you might consider correct grammar (a far greater plague on our nation's youth). 'Bleeded' is not a word.

37 of 43 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must for Comics Fans May 27, 2000

By Jamie Jeffords

Format:Hardcover

This is the fabled book that single handedly watered down the comic book medium for going on half a century.

Wertham's ultra-puritanism and poor logic make it clear this was a man with an agenda. Granted, the arguments he made are still applied to the TV, movies, and music of today, but never, I would think, with such enthusiasm as Wertham displayed.

Most of the examples seem absurd today, even tame, but Seduction of the Innocent is a must read for anyone who wants to be well versed in the censorship tactics of those who want to control everything you see and hear. To make you just like them.

In an interesting twist, Wertham came to admire later publications of comics as fantastically created works of art. They were, of course, done by the same kids he was certained would be ruined forever by readig comics.