CGC Comics Registry Featured Set: 1951 New York Legislative Report
Posted on 2/1/2024
After years of popularity in the 1930s and ’40s, comic books were accused of corrupting children with themes of violence, horror, crime and sexuality in the 1950s. The industry was put on trial, and this month’s featured CGC Comics Registry set, 1951 New York Legislative Report by Registry member GAM, collects some of the issues that were in the spotlight at the time.
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The 1951 New York Legislative Report delved into the content of comic books and their potential influence on the behavior of young readers. Later, United States Senate hearings featured testimonies from psychologists, educators and industry professionals, attempting to establish a link between the portrayal of violence, crime and horror in comics and the rise in juvenile delinquency.
The hearings were further supported by the publication of “Seduction of the Innocent” by Dr. Fredric Wertham, who argued that comics were a corrupting influence, linking them to juvenile delinquency and moral decay. Though the hearings did not conclusively prove a direct correlation, they triggered a moral panic about the impact of comic books on impressionable minds.
In response to growing public concern, the comic book industry took preemptive action by forming the Comics Magazine Association of America (CMAA) and implementing the Comics Code Authority (CCA) in 1954. The CCA set stringent guidelines for content, prohibiting explicit depictions of violence, crime and supernatural elements. This self-regulation aimed to stave off potential government intervention and censorship, profoundly shaping the content and tone of comic books for decades to come.
Issues in this month’s CGC Comics Registry Featured Set include:
- Blaze Carson #3 graded CGC 5.5
- Crime Must Lose #4 graded CGC 6.0
- Exposed #7 graded CGC 8.0
- Gang Busters #3 graded CGC 7.5
- Jungle Comics #98 graded CGC 8.5
- Killers #1 graded CGC 8.5
- Marvel Tales #97 graded CGC 5.0
- Top Secrets #7 graded CGC 5.5
- Women Outlaws #1 graded CGC 6.5
- Young Romance #20 graded CGC 6.5
GAM says it is their goal to collect all the comics referenced in the 1951 New York Legislative Report.
About the CGC Comics Registry
The CGC Comics Registry is a place where comic book collectors come together to share their collections and knowledge with one another. It's a valuable resource for new collectors and experienced fans alike, with a wide range of collections on display. To participate, all you need is a free CGC Collectors account. The resource is an online community developed to increase the choices, convenience and education available to collectors.
The CGC Comics Registry has grown to over 100,000 registered sets in the last year! There are now more than 625,000 books registered and it is thrilling to see the steady, continued growth of the CGC Comics Registry. To learn more about how to navigate the CGC Comics Registry, click here.
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