Exploring the Different Genres of Comic Books -

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by Robert George Armstrong, Oakdale, Minnesota

Examining the Different Types of Comic Books

When you think of comic books, you probably either think of superhero comics, or comedic comics, like “Archie” or “Garfield.” But did you know there used to be more genres of comics? These included horror comics, like “Tales from the Crypt,” western comics like “Kid Colt,” crime comics like “Crime Does Not Pay,” even romance comics. There are a few reasons why these types of comics are rarely seen.

Comic Books Seen as Having a Bad Influence on Children

In the 1950s, comics were seen as harmful to youth because of their content. This could range from violence and sexual themes to social issues, such as race and religion. Like with violent video games, adults argued that comic books caused children to become delinquents. They wanted the comic book industry to be regulated. Because of this, the Comics Code Authority was created.

Impact of the Comics Code Authority

The Comics Code Authority (CCA) was established in 1954 by the Comics Magazine Association of America (CMAA). The CCA set in place a code of standards for comic books, which the member publishers were required to follow. The authority refused to allow violent, sexual, and controversial social issues such as race or religion to be portrayed. The comics that abided by the code had a seal of approval from the CCA printed on the front cover. This was important to the publishers, because many stores refused to sell comics without the seal. The Comics Code Authority was used until 2011, when it was abandoned by all publishers.

Reimagining Comics: How One Editor Changed the Game

Here is an interesting story about a comic book company’s rebellion against the code. EC Comics, mostly known for their horror comics like “Tales from the Crypt,” also published science fiction comics. They published “Weird Science” and “Weird Fantasy,” later combining them into “Weird Science-Fantasy.” After the CCA was created, EC ran a new comic called “Incredible Science Fiction.” Since one of their stories was not approved by the code, they decided to reprint an old story in its place.

That story was “Judgment Day!” It follows an astronaut, a representative of Earth who visits a planet populated entirely by orange and blue robots, to see if Cybrinia can be accepted onto the planetary council. The orange robots segregate the blue robots and treat them like second-class citizens. After learning this, the representative states that because of their discriminatory practices, the robots are not ready for the council. The final panel shows the astronaut without his helmet, revealing he is a black man. This story caught the attention of Judge Charles Murphy, the head of the Comics Code Authority, who wanted the astronaut’s race to be changed from black to white. EC publisher William Gaines refused. The CCA finally gave in, and the publisher ran the story unchanged. The issue it appeared in, “Incredible Science Fiction #33,” was the last comic book EC published. Apparently, Gaines had had enough of the comic books business.

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