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kmatthe2's review
5.0
A really smart and well-written look into postwar culture via comics. While the larger narrative of comics' demise might be familiar to some, the hundreds of interviews Hajdu included reframes the story altogether such that it looks at larger tensions in America to define self and place. A great read -- even if you're not into comics.
mvancamp's review
4.0
A very entertaining and informative book on a topic that remains quite relevant today. I was touched by the list of folks who were forced out of the business they loved as a result of the purge of the '50s. Highly recommended.
blakemp's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful book -- well-written and very compelling story. Basically boils down to the death of EC Comics and the way the entire art form was forced to evolve after the damage was done.
spinnerroweok's review
3.0
Summary: Comic books were really cool and kids loved them. Adults, deciding that kids shouldn't love things or enjoy themselves in America proclaimed that comic books were evil. They then had a lot of comic book burnings while proclaiming "just because we burn books doesn't make us like the commies or Nazis." Then the politicians try to go all McCarthy on the comic book guys before McCarthy goes McCarthy on anyone. Anyway, a lot of good people lose their jobs because in America we punish people by taking away their means of making a living so they can no longer feed their families and contribute to society.
Feeling disgusted with my country right now.
Read this if you think things are worse now than they were in the past to set yourself straight.
End Rant.
Feeling disgusted with my country right now.
Read this if you think things are worse now than they were in the past to set yourself straight.
End Rant.
lukeh_g's review against another edition
4.0
Bill Gaines is the man. I had no idea any of this happened the way it did. Time to hunt out some old EC horror books and early MAD and then think on what could of been.
carolynf's review
4.0
Comics controversy from Hogan's Alley in 1890s to censorship trials in 1950s. Critics saw superheros as fascists and sadists, romance comics as promiscuous, and thought that comics increased delinquency even though delinquency wasn't even rising at the time. Even the bible comics were believed to hurt children's eyes with their excessive colors. Eventually, being a comic book artist was equated with being a mobster.
gabopagan's review
3.0
Good account of a dark time in USA Comics history but I don't think it fullfilled the promised in the title.