Seduction of the Innocent

…his polemic against the industry, Seduction of the Innocent (1954), Wertham charged that comics morally corrupt their impressionable young readers, impeaching Batman and Robin in particular for supposedly flaunting a gay lifestyle. Wertham wrote, “They live in sumptuous quarters, with beautiful flowers in large vases, and have a butler. It…

…indictment of the comics industry, Seduction of the Innocent. Condemning their relationship as “homosexual,” Wertham sparked a backlash that nearly put comics out of business. Writers responded by introducing a Batman Family that included female love interests for both Batman and Robin. Sales dropped precipitously, and the Batman titles teetered…