Tales From The Comic Book Crackdown
A New Musical about the 1954 Comic Book Hearings written by Ben Dickow and Ray Hedgpeth
Tales From the Comic Book Crackdown is a new musical that brings to life the dramatic Senate hearings on Juvenile Delinquency of April 21, 1954, which were designed to bring down the comic book industry as a whole. These hearings resulted in years of censorship and repression of the comic book industry.
One man stood up for comics and free expression. 32-year-old Bill Gaines, the most successful comic book publisher of his day, was the sole witness to come forward and testify on behalf of comic books. Despite his best efforts, the authorities carried the day, and Bill almost lost everything.
This forgotten American story is brought to life in a major new musical, complete with show-stopping tunes, projections of classic EC Comics' art, and a real life twist ending.
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About Tales of the Comic Book Crackdown
Mr. Beaser: Is there any limit you can think of that you would not put in a magazine because you thought a child should not see or read about it?
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Mr. Gaines: My only limits are the bounds of good taste, what I consider good taste.
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Sen. Kefauver [alluding to the cover illustration for Crime SuspenStories #22]: This seems to be a man with a bloody ax holding a woman's head up which has been severed from her body. Do you think that is in good taste?
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Mr. Gaines: Yes, sir, I do, for the cover of a horror comic....