Wertham papers in Library of Congress add fuel to 60-year old battle

 If video killed the radio star, psychiatrist Fredric Wertham did the same for comic books. His papers in the Library of Congress have been recently opened, and Carol Tilley wrote article about his research methodology that's getting some big media attention.

Scholar Finds Flaws in Work by Archenemy of Comics

By DAVE ITZKOFF

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/books/flaws-found-in-fredric-werthams-comic-book-studies.html

and

How one man’s lies almost destroyed the comics industry

Annalee Newitz
Io9 February 19 2013
http://io9.com/5985199/how-one-mans-lies-almost-destroyed-the-comics-industry

1958 photo of comic books for sale

Interior of ships service at Naval Hospital. [Scene. Comic books. Store.] Pensacola, Florida. 07/21/1958.
Courtesy of US Navy BUMED Office of Medical History 09-5044-023

I ran across this photograph at work today. The comic books visible are all Dell - Donald Duck, Porky Pig, Tarzan and Tweety & Sylvester. Note the spinner rack says Buy Approved Comics and has a picture of the Comic Code Authority seal. Also note there's a girl reading the comics, but she moved when the picture was taken so we can't tell what she's looking at.