Jayman 14,937 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Anyone here own a copy of Black Cat Mysteries #51? I have a question concerning the 3rd story Punch and Rudy. The story involves a punch-drunk boxer who gets exploited by a shady manager. On the last page of the story, the boxer gets his revenge which would appear to be very gruesome. It seems like he might have decapitated the manager's head and uses it as a punching bag but the second to last panal on my copy is blank! That would have been the horror money-shot! Was it edited out? Is this on all copies or just a few? If anybody could check their copy and let me know, I'd appreciate it very much, thanks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cimm 8,502 posts Posted January 31, 2009 My copy is as well I too would like to know if there are un versions out there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjpb 18,473 posts Posted January 31, 2009 It had to have been a sweet panel of Rudy's battered head - couldn't have been any worse than the head in the bell on the cover of Witch's Tales #26 though - so I don't know why it would have been censored - perhaps just a tragic production error. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayman 14,937 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Thanks for checking! If this was NOT a mistake and was an editorial decision, I would like to know more about it. Anyone know more about this? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CoinAddict 1,496 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Pappy's Golden Age Blog has a reprint of the story from Silver Scream #2 that shows the full panel. I know it doesn't answer the question but thought you might like to see the decapitation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayman 14,937 posts Posted January 31, 2009 It had to have been a sweet panel of Rudy's battered head - couldn't have been any worse than the head in the bell on the cover of Witch's Tales #26 though - so I don't know why it would have been censored - perhaps just a tragic production error. That's a pretty blatant error! The artwork was either drawn on the page and purposely covered up or that panal was a stat that fell off right before printing! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scrooge 25,612 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Once you look at the reprint, the case for a panel falling off the stat can be discarded since in your "censored" version, there is a panel frame added that does not exist on the original so this was a conscious editorial decision. When did it come out timeline-wise vis-à-vis the Senate hearings? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayman 14,937 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Pappy's Golden Age Blog has a reprint of the story from Silver Scream #2 that shows the full panel. I know it doesn't answer the question but thought you might like to see the decapitation. WOW! Very cool, it seems it was originally a single panal. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CoinAddict 1,496 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Just found pictures of the OA to the story showing the last page as drawn which is the same as the reprint shows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayman 14,937 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Once you look at the reprint, the case for a panel falling off the stat can be discarded since in your "censored" version, there is a panel frame added that does not exist on the original so this was a conscious editorial decision. When did it come out timeline-wise vis-à-vis the Senate hearings? GCD says August 1954 and it was the 4th to last issue before the CCA code appeared on the cover. Guess they were already feeling the pressure! Still I wonder if this is the same on all issues? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Point Five 25,005 posts Posted January 31, 2009 Wow, that's wild that that was edited out... very interesting... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjpb 18,473 posts Posted February 1, 2009 Great finds Coin Addict! Very bizarre editing - considering the cover Harvey had on the title just one month previous. It's interesting that the censored version would only make sense to someone familiar with pre-code horror. It must have been a very last minute decision as it wouldn't have been that hard to blow up and crop the image - and still get the point across. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jayman 14,937 posts Posted February 1, 2009 Yeah, props to Coinaddict for the find! Any copies of BCM #51 uncencored out there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
*paull* 5,413 posts Posted February 1, 2009 Wow, that's some panel! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ajaxfarrell 1,842 posts Posted February 2, 2009 IF it was perhaps printed in Canada (you're copy) that would be a possible explanation. Canada apparently had or has strong censorship laws. I would love to compare more copies. Cool discovery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mike h 374 posts Posted February 2, 2009 Mine is printed in the USA and is censored. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BB-Gun 8,790 posts Posted February 2, 2009 The GA.UK copy of BCM 51 was printed in the USA and it has the same blank panel. I find it strange that they would edit that page and leave equally gruesome pages in other issues. A page from Black Cat 53 by Palais as an example, also from GA.UK scans Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rjpb 18,473 posts Posted February 2, 2009 BC #51 would have been going to press right around the time Bill Gaines was defending the cover of CSS #22 in the Senate hearings on comic books. There might have been a moment of fear at the Harvey offices that an image of a decapitated head specifically might bring the wrong kind of attention, and they self-censored. By the time #53 would have gone to press - the CCA would have seemed inevitable, and they may have decided there was no point in censoring the last few pre-code issues. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BB-Gun 8,790 posts Posted February 2, 2009 Flee, Is that the way it was supposed to look? Pretty good job! bb Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
