In the early 1950’s comic books were a big issue in Washington. Many believed that comic books were corrupting our youth by contributing to illiteracy and juvenile delinquency.
How widespread was it? In 1954 there were Congressional hearings on the issue and the resulting Comics Code was the death knell for many popular comics. It was censorship at its finest.
Words like”crime”, “horror” and “terror” were know forbidden in comic book titles Also a no no was any mention of “vampires”, “werewolves”and “zombies.”
“Tales from the Crypt” was a casualty of this madness.
16 months ago, after a 53 year hiatus, a new issue of “Tales from the Crypt” was published.
The cover of the latest issue features Sarah Palin. Thanks to the Wasilla Library issue and Palin’s “rhetorical question” about how one goes about banning books she gets center stage.
Jim Salicrup, editor-in-chief of Papercutz, the new publisher of the comic, believes that any White House candidate who even entertains a conversation about book banning is a natural enemy to “Tales from the Crypt.”
The issue also contains an editorial by Cathy Gaines Mifsud, daughter of late EC Comics publisher and MAD magazine founder William Gaines, who says:
Tales From the Crypt is not endorsing any political candidates, nor are we attacking any candidates. What usually seems to be behind banning books is an attempt to repress ideas that may offer alternative political views. This is not only un-American—blatantly violating the very concept of free speech—but it is assuming that people are unable to come to their own informed conclusions
Post at the LA Times blog Hero Complex, Sarah Palin is horror-fied in ‘Tales from the Crypt’
Gawker Post, Sarah Palin Establishes Her Legacy