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Sort of a companion scenario to my recent Hayes Code WI:

Hey gang, I've a great idea - let's abort the Comics Code Authority!

“Comics Code Authority?” I hear you ask. “Why sweet Mistis Gwen, whatever is that??” :confused:

Glad you asked! :D From the venerable Wikipedia:

The Comics Code Authority (CCA) is part of the Comics Magazine Association of America (CMAA), and was created to regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submit comic books to the CCA, which screens them for conformance to its Comics Code, and authorizes the use of their seal on the cover if the books comply. At the height of its influence, it was a de facto censor for the U.S. comic book industry. The CCA was created in 1954 as part of the CMAA in response to public concern about what was deemed inappropriate material in many comic books. This included graphic depictions of violence and gore in crime and horror comics, as well as the sexual innuendo of what aficionados refer to as good girl art. Fredric Wertham's book Seduction of the Innocent rallied opposition to this type of material in comics, arguing that it was harmful to the children who made up a large segment of the comic book audience. The Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency hearings in 1954, which focused specifically on comic books, had many publishers concerned about government regulation, prompting them to form a self-regulatory body instead.

Well balls to that, sez I! What say we have Mr. Wertham get his panties in a knot over something else instead ("Twinkies! I do say, there be Communism in the Twinkies!!") and leave the four-colours alone. Any further attempts at censorship are successfully fought off on 1st Amendment grounds – comic magazines are magazines, after all, it is argued, and if they can be leashed, well then who's next – Time? Life? The Saturday Evening Post?? Perish the thought!

The comics market was far more diverse pre-Code than it was afterwards. There was a huge number of genres aside from superheroes - horror, romance, sci-fi, westerns, Allah only knows what else! Back in the day the number of comics aimed solely at women was gigantic; the market for them equally so. Without the Comics Code forcing the medium to be entirely child-safe and eliminating all competing genres, how would the American comic book industry have evolved until this day? Also – Robert Crumb. Just imagine the mighty mighty R. Crumb with a nice long career in mainstream comics, working at AC, DC, EC, Marvel or wherever. Oh my. Oh my yes.
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