EC comics

When I was a young boy growing up on a navy base in Iceland my mother ran the magazine department of the local exchange. Some days she could not find a sitter and I would be toted along with her to roam the racks. At the time (1981-1982) there was no Tales from the Crypt or Haunt of Fear to be found so after reading all the disney comics and the occasional G.I. Joe I would tempt fate and sneak over pick up that months issue of Savage Sword of Conan. Sometimes I would get really adventurous and try to get a a glance at Heavy Metal. When I got caught it was corporal punishment time but I don't think that ever stopped me. I can Imagine that kids from the time of the introduction of horror comics in similar positions. Instead of people like H.R. Giger and John Buscema kids from the early 50's and late 40's were probably getting in trouble for artwork from people like Johnny Craig. Up until the late 40's comics had been geared mainly towards very young males. After WWII there turned out to be many soldiers who were showing an interest in reading issues with more adult themes than Superman. EC comics pioneered the field of horror comic books and took up the slack in marketing to an older crowd. As per usual with anything that leans away from typical church-going God fearing "King Jamesishness" The powers that be persecuted the makers of E.C. comics and all of their many different titles including the classics "Vault of Horror" and "Tales form the Crypt". They did this by the creation of a group not completely unlike the MPAA called the Comics Code Authority. Otherwise known as the CCA the group which formed in 1954 was an integral part of calling an end to the EC group with it's overbearing censorship. Through the years many of the great classic titles from EC have been re-issued and made into films (like the three Tales from the crypt films) and even a very clever T.V. show on Home Box Office. I still have memories of a local bookstore called Hawsey's Book Index that until it was taken over by a devout family had many torn and tattered issues just laying about on the shelves for only a quarter. The thematic element of these comics in addition to their outstanding artwork and shock value has made them an integral piece of Americana.