August 2025
Everything Old
Midcentury study blamed comic books for society’s ills
by Corbin Crable
In this issue of Discover Vintage America, we examine the history and popularity of comic books, that highly entertaining form of ephemera that also has become highly collectible.
As we prepare to bid farewell to summer, our minds might travel back in time to those carefree afternoons when we felt the warmth of sunshine on our faces as we lounged outside with a glass of lemonade in one hand and a comic book in the other.
The appeal of comics seems as if it only continues to grow even as the medium has undergone major changes in recent decades. According to data supplied by Grand View Research, in 2024, the global market size for comic books stood at $9.38 billion. By 2030, that number is expected to swell to $17.52 billion.
“Comic books and graphic novels appeal to both children and adults, offering a unique storytelling experience that blends visuals with narrative,” the report notes. “Many readers prefer them over traditional novels as the combination of text and imagery enhances engagement and emotional connection. Graphic novels also serve as a form of escapism, allowing readers to immerse themselves in imaginative worlds beyond reality.”
In recent years, the explosion of North American children and adults consuming Japanese comic books called manga has breathed new life into the medium. Even those critics of manga might shrug and say, “Well, at least my child is reading,” while a secondary benefit has been a boost to Japan’s tourism industry as manga fans pour in from other countries with perhaps a romanticized version of the country and its culture in their minds. And vintage comic book heroes are returning to the pages of comics, this time in digital form – companies and websites like gocomics.com allow fans to read the latest issues with a subscription. It’s given me the chance to meet my favorite characters like Dick Tracy and Flash Gordon all over again.
Like all other forms of media, this popularity didn’t always exist. Quite the opposite, in fact. In the 1950s, at the height of the Red Scare, German-American psychiatrist Dr. Frederic Wertham expressed a deep concern about the effects of violence in mass media. His most notable published book on the subject was titled “Seduction of the Innocent.” The book, published in 1954, made the argument that comic books were to blame for juvenile delinquency due to its excessive portrayal of violence; Wertham also claimed that hidden sexual themes could be found in comics. To bolster his claims, Wertham included comic panels he found especially offensive.
Wertham argued his case to Congress as well; that congressional hearing was broadcast on the even newer medium of television. The massive platform granted to Wertham on Capitol Hill was enough to put several comic book publishers out of business.
In subsequent years, Wertham’s study has been criticized for many reasons. The teens who made up his small sample population was nearly exclusively made up of boys from troubled homes and who had pre-existing behavioral disorders. The study’s claims were supported by anecdotes, not objective, scientific data. And today, those who review the text find that Wertham failed to adhere to most of our modern basic research standards.
Though Wertham’s book is still read by psychiatrists for a good laugh, it was an altogether failed study. These days, video games have been identified as the new scapegoat, with critics recycling Wertham’s same arguments.
Now, in this issue, we’re giving comics their due as a medium that still entertains, excites, and sparks our collective imagination. And hey, who knows? There even might be some money to be made from those old Archie comics in your attic.