ABSTRACT by Evan Roberts Ash This Thesis Studies the Cincinnati
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ABSTRACT OBJECTIONABLE: THE CINCINNATI COMMITTEE FOR THE EVALUATION OF COMICS AND THE AMERICAN ANTI-COMICS MOVEMENT, 1940-1957 by Evan Roberts Ash This thesis studies the Cincinnati Committee for the Evaluation of Comics, which operated from 1948 until 1979, but performed its most significant work before 1956. The Cincinnati Committee used a system of criteria developed by a University of Cincinnati psychology professor to rate comic books on cultural, moral, and aesthetic grounds. Through a partnership with Parents’ Magazine, a popular periodical for postwar families, the Cincinnati Committee’s critiques and lists reached an audience of over one million readers. Due to this widespread exposure and perception as a form of effective comic book regulation, congressional investigations of objectionable literature in 1952 and 1954 referenced the committee’s work in their hearings. This project is the first to use the Cincinnati Committee’s own archival materials in service of a historical narrative and argues that rather than being simply one of many localized responses to comic books, that the Committee’s work decisively shaped the national discussion over kids and comics. This examination of the Cincinnati Committee, which also provides a new history of the American anti-comics movement, helps to provide a path to understanding the Cold War in America by demonstrating its effects on domestic politics and social interactions. OBJECTIONABLE: THE CINCINNATI COMMITTEE FOR THE EVALUATION OF COMICS AND THE AMERICAN ANTI-COMICS MOVEMENT, 1940-1957 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Miami University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts By Evan Roberts Ash Miami University Oxford, Ohio 2019 Adviser: Dr. Stephen Norris Reader: Dr. Steven Conn Reader: Dr. Amanda McVety Reader: Dr. Amy Kiste Nyberg This Thesis titled: OBJECTIONABLE: THE CINCINNATI COMMITTEE FOR THE EVALUATION OF COMICS AND THE AMERICAN ANTI-COMICS MOVEMENT, 1940-1957 by Evan Roberts Ash has been approved for publication by The College of Arts and Science and Department of History Adviser: Dr. Stephen Norris ______________________________________ Reader: Dr. Steven Conn ______________________________________ Reader: Dr. Amanda McVety _____________________________________ Reader: Dr. Amy Kiste Nyberg _____________________________________ © Evan Roberts Ash 2019 Table of Contents List of Figures and Fair Use Disclaimer iv Dedication v Acknowledgements vi Introduction 2 Chapter 1: Foundations of a Moral Panic, 1940-1947 12 Chapter 2: The Rise of the Cincinnati Committee, 1948-1953 32 Chapter 3: The Anti-Comics Movement Triumphant, 1954-1957 52 Epilogue 73 Bibliography 80 Appendix: Committee Biographies 85 iii List of Figures and Fair Use Disclaimer An asterisk marks a figure inserted into this thesis under Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Code, otherwise known as fair use. It is the author’s belief that the use of the indicated figures, due to their purpose of scholarship, nature of importance to this thesis’ educational objectives, small amount of usage (only single panels or covers) and market effect (author legally acquired, few copies made, no significant effect on market for copyrighted work), satisfy the criteria for fair use. A pound sign indicates a work that is in the public domain. Figure 1: Unpublished photo of committee, November 1952, courtesy of Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. * Figure 2: “Murder, Morphine and Me!” panel. # Figure 3: Chester Gould political cartoon, The Rotarian, March 1940. * Figure 4: True Comics #1 cover. # Figures 5 and 6: Covers of World’s Finest Comics, January and July 1943. * Figure 7: Crime Does Not Pay #22 cover. # Figure 8: Anti-comic book headline, Ashland Daily Press. * Figure 9: The Betrayal of Youth panel. # Figure 10: “Bloody Mary” panel from Strange Fantasy #11. # Figure 11: Example of Comics Code censorship from CMAA press kit. # Figure 12: New Jersey News Dealers Association “Clean Literature” seal. # iv Dedication To Conrad Paul Kamschulte, for being an esteemed friend in the toughest of times, and without whom I would not have rediscovered my love for comic books. v Acknowledgements This thesis would not have been possible without the following groups and individuals that I wish to acknowledge, while at the same time realizing there are countless others that I do not have the space to individually thank. – The staff of the Cincinnati Room at the Main Branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County for facilitating my multiple archival visits and for maintaining the Cincinnati Committee’s files for all these years. – The staff of the Library of Congress and National Archives for their assistance with the Fredric Wertham Papers and Juvenile Delinquency Hearing Records, respectively. – The staff of the American Catholic History Research Center and University Archives at Catholic University of America for help with their NODL records. – The staff of the General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church at Drew University for their assistance with helping to pin down the reason for Rev. Murrell’s speech. – Archival staff at Illinois Wesleyan University, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and Drew University for materials on Rev. Murrell that unfortunately did not make it into the final thesis, but were appreciated nonetheless. – Linnea Anderson at the University of Minnesota for her deep knowledge of comics and their proximity to social change and children during the 20th century. – Amy Kiste Nyberg of Seton Hall University for writing the book that keyed me into this thesis topic, meeting out in New Jersey to share ideas and research, and eventually agreeing to serve on my committee, providing important contextual background and research ideas. – Stephen Norris, for his ever-present, support, and encouragement not just of my thesis project but of the pursuit of cultural history and all my (many) research ideas. – Steve Conn, for his no-holds-barred instruction in U.S. history and professional development. – Jon Shelton and Harvey Kaye of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay for their continued mentorship and feedback even though I have left their formal care. – The Miami University Graduate School, Graduate Student Teaching Enhancement Program, and Dr. Jennifer Blue, for both improving my teaching aptitude and providing opportunities for funded research travel. vi – Dr. Jeremy D. Jones, the Miami University Men’s Glee Club, and the Miami University Collegiate Chorale for providing a musical respite to the rigors of graduate life. – Caleb Orr, Austin Teegarden, Eric Robinson, Matt Moore, Ethan Ehrnstrom, Logan Reyes, Marco Colant, Evan Jones, Luke de Villiers, Ben West, Kyle Root, Alex Szuch, Antonio Ortiz, and Caleb Russell, for welcoming me such a storied group. LLTC – My esteemed colleague Eric Rhodes, for all the car rides and nights spent discussing history, historiography, and social issues. – My parents, Jeff Ash and Janet Roberts, for their unending support of my endeavors, whether academic or musical. – Grace McCourt for her grounding presence in my life, and all the wonderful things that spring from that. – Kurtis Casperson, Natalie Hoffman, and Conrad Kamschulte, for allowing an old friend to stay in touch and let off steam. – Brett Bellman for being a tireless friend, supporter of my research, and outstanding musician. vii From left to right, seated: Hildegarde Benner, Charles Wheeler, Ernest Miller, Harold Freking, Andrew Santanen, Mary Bradstreet. Standing: Jesse Murrell, Joan Bollenbacher. “We are working against comics that would frighten little children, and cause them even to have bad dreams in their sleep.” – Rev. Jesse Murrell 1 Introduction This thesis aims to tell two stories. Rather, it uses one story in service of better understanding the other. The first and most important story is that of the Cincinnati Committee for the Evaluation of Comics, a civic moral advocacy group that operated from 1948 until 1979, although, as we shall learn, it did not perform any significant work after 1956. Formed by a Methodist minister from Covington, Kentucky named Jesse L. Murrell at the urging of the local Council of Churches, the Cincinnati Committee’s operations followed closely the trajectory of the outcry against comics and the moral panic of juvenile delinquency in that its activity steadily rose after 1948, peaked in 1954, and dissipated quickly after that year. The story that the Cincinnati Committee helps to understand is that of the American anti- comics movement of approximately 1940 to 1956. Sparked initially by a vicious editorial from a Chicago children’s author and later articles and books by a New York psychiatrist, the anti- comics movement accused comics chiefly of pulling children away from great works of literature, dulling their senses, operating as blueprints for juvenile delinquency, and functioning as Communist propaganda, morally degrading the nation’s youth. The Cincinnati Committee published evaluation lists of hundreds of comics yearly from 1948 to 1956 using criteria developed by University of Cincinnati psychology professor H.B. Weaver, and from 1949 until 1957 the group enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship with Parents’ Magazine, which reprinted its evaluations and articles about the changing nature of the comic book to a subscribing audience of nearly a million readers. In addition, the committee’s articles and materials were used as reference files by senators serving on