Comics have always been among the most banned books. Since their rise in popularity during the 1940s and 1950s, parents have targeted the format for its appeal to young readers. Much of this came to a head in the 1950s, when McCarthyism in the US spread the fear of communism. The government wanted to ensure that the young people in the country were protected from outside influences. We know, of course, the young people in their minds were cishet, white, Christian males. White middle-class populations grew after World War II, and young people within this demographic found themselves with more access to leisure time and to consumer goods, thanks in part to more teenagers taking on part-time work outside of the house. In 1953, the United States Senate Judiciary Committee established the Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency to investigate what could be done to help the youth. But that subcommittee’s work had a major focus: comic books.
There’s a long history here, and so much of the hearings and “experts” who spoke on the damage comics caused young readers mirror and echo today’s rhetoric. Check out the work of one of the subcommittee’s witnesses, Frederic Wertham, whose Seduction of the Innocent argued that comic book depictions of drug use, sex, and violence made those behaviors “appealing” to young readers, leading to increased delinquency. This book and the hearings were directly linked to
Bingo Love #1 by Tee Franklin, with art by Jenn St-Onge, Joy San, and Genevieve FT
Hazel and Mari meet in 1963 during church bingo. Of course, they couldn’t be open about their feelings for each other at the time, so they followed the socially acceptable path of marrying men and having children. But when they meet again in their 60s, again at church bingo, they realize they cannot hide those feelings any longer.
This comic was banned in Escambia County Schools in Florida in their sweeping removal of 1600 titles.
Flamer by Mike CuratoAiden Navarro is at summer camp before the start of junior high. It’s an intense summer of hanging out with his friends, navigating bullies desperate to make him feel bad about himself as a half-Asian boy, and coming to terms with the fact he might be gay. One night, when Aiden kisses his best friend and campmate, things shift immediately. Has he forever lost the trust of his friend Elias? Did that kiss mean anything romantic? Was it an accident? This is a moving, heartfelt story about traversing that tricky space between what faith might tell you is right, what it might tell you is a sin, and how you come to accept yourself as you are. Flamer is one of the most banned comics nationwide, ranking #5 on the American Library Association’s list of top 10 most banned books in 2023. All Access Subscribers: your bonus content is below! |
If you’re angry, you should be. I urge you that if you can and it is safe to do so, take action. It is not hard to get involved. Here’s a straightforward guide to how to get involved in anti-book ban work in 2024.
Have a favorite banned comic, whether a contemporary read or one from earlier book ban panics? Tell us about it in the comments.
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Check out all the previous 2024 Read Harder posts here.
