A new book is due out later this year that promises to be another interesting look at the Comics Code Authority and its deleterious effect on the comic book industry, in particular horror and crime comics. Details are from the publisher.
Comic Book Apocalypse! : The Death of Pre-Code Comics and Why It Happened, 1940–1955
By David J. Hogan and Foreword by Maggie Thompson
Explore the rise and fall of pre-Code comics with 500 covers revealing America's cultural shifts, censorship, and controversy.
From 1940 to 1955, American society and culture underwent dramatic changes, including the introduction of the Comics Code in October 1954, which heavily impacted comic books.
The Code aimed to moderate comic content in response to public opinion, including such topics as juvenile delinquency, wartime sentiment, teenage sex, drugs, violent crime, and more.
While compliance was technically voluntary, most publishers followed its strict rules. Those who didn’t faced ruin when wholesalers and distributors refused to handle noncompliant comics, returning them unopened to publishers, who soon self-destructed.
Comic Book Apocalypse! explores this downfall through 500 examples of pre-Code cover art, highlighting why some deemed the Code necessary.
The book also examines who decided what content was acceptable, demonstrating how pre-Code comics reflect the larger story of 1950s America.
Schiffer Publishing
Size: 10.0in x 11.0in | Pages: 256 | 500 color photos
Binding: Hardback
ISBN: 9780764369599
PRICE: $59.99
Scheduled release date: September 28, 2025
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