Squeeze Play
Frazetta goes to the front of the line on my site. Here we have the splash panel for 'Squeeze Play',
EC ShockSuspenStories #13, Febuary/March 1954. Supposedly Frazetta's one solo comic for the company, although Al Williamson may have helped out on a few of these panels. How on earth anyone would know that is beyond all understanding. This is one of the very best drawings I have ever seen. Frank drew himself as the murderer. William Gaines had to answer questions in the Senate about this line of comics, which ran for 18 issues. We all know how that turned out.
EC ShockSuspenStories #13, Febuary/March 1954. Supposedly Frazetta's one solo comic for the company, although Al Williamson may have helped out on a few of these panels. How on earth anyone would know that is beyond all understanding. This is one of the very best drawings I have ever seen. Frank drew himself as the murderer. William Gaines had to answer questions in the Senate about this line of comics, which ran for 18 issues. We all know how that turned out.
This is a real good link, so since all the work has been done for me I will just leave you to it. Immerse yourself.
Oh, alright... maybe just one more -
Incredible Science Fiction #33, Febuary 1956. Al Feldstein and Joe Orlando. This was ordered removed by Judge Charles Murphy, head of the Comics Code oprichniki. But Gaines refused and -
'This really made 'em go bananas in the Code czar's office. 'Judge Murphy was off his nut. He was really out to get us', recalls Feldstein. 'I went in there with this story and Murphy says, "It can't be a Black man". But ... but that's the whole point of the story!' Feldstein sputtered. When Murphy continued to insist that the Black man had to go, Feldstein put it on the line. 'Listen', he told Murphy, 'you've been riding us and making it impossible to put out anything at all because you guys just want us out of business'. Feldstein reported the results of his audience with the czar to Gaines, who was furious and immediately picked up the phone and called Murphy. 'This is ridiculous!' he bellowed. 'I'm going to call a press conference on this. You have no grounds, no basis, to do this. I'll sue you'. Murphy made what he surely thought was a gracious concession. 'All right. Just take off the beads of sweat'. At that, Gaines and Feldstein both went ballistic. 'Fuck you!' they shouted into the telephone in unison. Murphy hung up on them, but the story ran in its original form".
Digby Diehl, comics historian.
Oh, alright... maybe just one more -
Incredible Science Fiction #33, Febuary 1956. Al Feldstein and Joe Orlando. This was ordered removed by Judge Charles Murphy, head of the Comics Code oprichniki. But Gaines refused and -
'This really made 'em go bananas in the Code czar's office. 'Judge Murphy was off his nut. He was really out to get us', recalls Feldstein. 'I went in there with this story and Murphy says, "It can't be a Black man". But ... but that's the whole point of the story!' Feldstein sputtered. When Murphy continued to insist that the Black man had to go, Feldstein put it on the line. 'Listen', he told Murphy, 'you've been riding us and making it impossible to put out anything at all because you guys just want us out of business'. Feldstein reported the results of his audience with the czar to Gaines, who was furious and immediately picked up the phone and called Murphy. 'This is ridiculous!' he bellowed. 'I'm going to call a press conference on this. You have no grounds, no basis, to do this. I'll sue you'. Murphy made what he surely thought was a gracious concession. 'All right. Just take off the beads of sweat'. At that, Gaines and Feldstein both went ballistic. 'Fuck you!' they shouted into the telephone in unison. Murphy hung up on them, but the story ran in its original form".
Digby Diehl, comics historian.
Judge Charles Murphy, unbelievable cracker fuckhead, protecting young minds since 1954
When EC went under a lot of good things went with it. Thanks Bill, way to lip off to the Senate. You couldn'ta been polite for a couple hours. Gaines lamely tried to defend this wonderful Johnny Craig cover to the Senate as being in good taste, and even I think that's nonsense.
Keep America free. Keep reading comics!
(That Zoot! comic is issue #6, March/April 1947)
(Photo by Charles 'Teenie' Harris).
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