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The Comics Code Authority ('''CCA''') is part of the Comics Magazine Association Of America (CMAA), and was created to regulate the content of comic books in the United States. Member publishers submit comic books to the CCA, which screens them for conformance to its Comics Code, and authorizes the use of their seal on the cover if the books comply. At the height of its influence, it was a '' De Facto '' Censor for the U.S. comic book industry. FOUNDING pre-Code ''Astonishing'' #30. Art by Joe Maneely .]] The CCA was created in 1954 as part of the CMAA, in response to public concern about what was deemed inappropriate material in many comic books. This included graphic depictions of Violence or Gore in Crime and Horror Comics , as well as the Sexual Innuendo of what aficionados refer to as Good Girl Art . Dr. Fredric Wertham 's book '' Seduction Of The Innocent '' rallied opposition to this type of material in comics, arguing that it was harmful to the children who made up a large segment of the comic book audience. Senate subcommittee hearings led by Estes Kefauver had many publishers concerned about government regulation, prompting them to form a self-regulatory body instead. The Code The CCA code was based upon the largely unenforced code drafted by the Association Of Comics Magazine Publishers in 1948 , which in turn was modeled loosely after the 1930 Hollywood Production Code . The CCA, however, imposed many more restrictions than its predecessor. Like the previous code, the CCA prohibited the presentation of "policemen, judges, government officials, and respected institutions ... in such a way as to create disrespect for established authority." But it added the requirements that "in every instance good shall triumph over evil" and discouraged "instances of law enforcement officers dying as a result of a criminal's activities." Specific restrictions were placed on the portrayal of Kidnapping and Concealed Weapon s. Depictions of "excessive violence" were forbidden, as were "lurid, unsavory, gruesome illustrations." Vampire s, Werewolves , Ghoul s and Zombie s could not be portrayed. In addition, comics could not use the words "horror" or "terror" in their titles. The use of the word "crime" was subject to numerous restrictions. Where the previous code had condemned the publication of "sexy, wanton comics," the CCA was much more precise: Depictions of "sex perversion," "sexual abnormalities," and "illicit sex relations" as well as Seduction , Rape , Sadism , and Masochism were specifically forbidden. In words echoing the Hollywood Production Code, love stories were enjoined to emphasize the "sanctity of marriage" and those portraying scenes of passion were advised to avoid stimulating "lower and baser emotions." Advertisements of Liquor , Tobacco , Knives , Fireworks , nude Pin-up s, Postcard s, and "toiletry products of questionable nature" were all prohibited. Criticism and enforcement The CCA had no legal authority over other publishers, but magazine distributors often refused to carry comics without the CCA's seal of approval. Some publishers thrived under these restrictions, others adapted by canceling titles and focusing on Code-approved content, and others went out of business. Publisher '', '' The Vault Of Horror '' and '' The Crypt Of Terror ''. Such restrictions, in addition to content those banning vampires, werewolves and zombies, helped make EC Comics unprofitable; all of its titles except '' MAD '' were cancelled in the year following the CCA's introduction. Psychiatrist Dr. Fredric Wertham dismissed the Code as an inadequate half-measure. UPDATING THE CODE In the late 1960s, the Underground Comics scene arose, with artists creating comics that delved into subject matter explicitly banned by the Code. However, these comics were distributed largely through unconventional channels, such as Head Shop s, making CCA approval unnecessary for their success. ]] In 1971, Marvel Comics editor-in-chief Stan Lee was approached by the United States Department Of Health, Education And Welfare to do a comic book tale of drug abuse. Lee agreed and wrote a three-part Spider-Man story portraying drug use as dangerous and unglamorous. The CCA refused to approve the story because of the presence of narcotics, deeming the context of the story irrelevant. With the approval of his publisher, Martin Goodman , Lee published the story in '' The Amazing Spider-Man '' #96-98 (May-July 1971), without CCA approval. The storyline was well-received and the CCA's argument for denying approval was deemed counterproductive. "That was the only big issue that we had" with the Code, Lee recalled in a 1998 interview. :"I could understand them; they were like lawyers, people who take things literally and technically. The Code mentioned that you mustn't mention drugs and, according to their rules, they were right. So I didn't even get mad at them then. I said, 'Screw it' and just took the Code seal off for those three issues. Then we went back to the Code again. I never thought about the Code when I was writing a story, because basically I never wanted to do anything that was to my mind too violent or too sexy. I was aware that young people were reading these books, and had there not been a Code, I don't think that I would have done the stories any differently". "Stan the Man & Roy the Boy: A Conversation Between Stan Lee and Roy Thomas" , ''Comic Book Artist #2 (Summer 1998) The Code subsequently was revised in 1971 to permit the depiction of "narcotics or drug addiction" if presented "as a vicious habit". Also newly allowed were vampires, ghouls and werewolves, when handled in the classic tradition of Frankenstein , Dracula and other high caliber literary works by authors like Edgar Allan Poe , Saki , Conan Doyle ...whose works are read in schools around the world." Zombies, lacking the requisite "literary" background, remained taboo. However, Marvel skirted the zombie restriction in the mid-1970s by calling the apparently deceased, mind-controlled followers of various Haitian super-villains "zuvembies". This carried over to Marvel's super-hero line as well. In the Avengers comic, when the reanimated super-hero Wonder Man returned from the dead, he was also referred to as a "zuvembie". CODE IN THE 2000S Despite periodic revisions to the Code to reflect changing attitudes about appropriate subject matter (e.g., the ban on referring to Homosexuality was revised in 1989 to allow nonstereotypical depictions of Gays and Lesbians ), its influence on the medium continued to wane, and publishers gradually reduced the prominence of the seal on their covers. The development of new distribution channels, especially " Direct Market " comics specialty shops, provided additional means for non-Code books to reach a large audience, while newsstand distribution — a shrinking component of industry sales — became less important. A new generation of publishers emerged in the 1980s and '90s, distributing solely to specialty shops and not wanting CCA membership or approval. DC Comics , Marvel Comics , and other CCA sponsors began to publish comics for adult audiences, without the CCA seal. For example, in the 1990s Milestone Media's Milestone imprint (published through DC Comics) submitted its books to the CCA, but published them regardless of the CCA's ruling, placing the seal only on issues that passed. In 2001, Marvel Comics withdrew from the CCA in favor of Its Own Ratings System . As Of 2007 , DC Comics and Archie Comics are the only major publishers still submitting their books for CCA approval, and in the case of DC, only books from its Johnny DC and DC Universe superhero lines, with DC universe titles sometimes published without Code approval. 1954 CODE HIGHLIGHTS
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