Unfortunately, the Silver Age of Comics was undoubtedly the worst for horror comics. The Comics Code Authority basically arose to ensure that America's youth did not read comic books with horror elements. Consider these requirements from the CCA:
That pretty much does it for the more interesting forms of horror, and as a result, the "horror" comics of the Silver Age were pretty tame fare, mostly featuring monsters like Frankenstein. By the end of the 1960s the cracks in the CCA wall were becoming obvious, and in the 1970s horror with vampires and all returned with a vengeance.
So here's a little quiz about some of the moderately horrific comics of the Silver Age:
1. In Detective #336, Batman was bewitched:
Who was the witch, and who was the real mastermind behind her?
2. Although vampires were prohibited, the CCA allowed two stories featuring a villain who stole the life force from people, battling (and battering) Superman. What was the name of this villain?
3. Who was the original Green Goblin?
4. What was the name of Marvel/Atlas' late 1950s ripoff of Casper, the Friendly Ghost?
5. Although werewolves were banned as noted above, one key DC character turned into a wolf in a mid-1960s comic. Name him.
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1. No comics magazine shall use the word horror or terror in its title.
2. All scenes of horror, excessive bloodshed, gory or gruesome crimes, depravity, lust, sadism, masochism shall not be permitted.
3. All lurid, unsavory, gruesome illustrations shall be eliminated.
4. Inclusion of stories dealing with evil shall be used or shall be published only where the intent is to illustrate a moral issue and in no case shall evil be presented alluringly nor as to injure the sensibilities of the reader.
5. Scenes dealing with, or instruments associated with walking dead, torture, vampires and vampirism, ghouls, cannibalism and werewolfism are prohibited.
That pretty much does it for the more interesting forms of horror, and as a result, the "horror" comics of the Silver Age were pretty tame fare, mostly featuring monsters like Frankenstein. By the end of the 1960s the cracks in the CCA wall were becoming obvious, and in the 1970s horror with vampires and all returned with a vengeance.
So here's a little quiz about some of the moderately horrific comics of the Silver Age:
1. In Detective #336, Batman was bewitched:
Who was the witch, and who was the real mastermind behind her?
2. Although vampires were prohibited, the CCA allowed two stories featuring a villain who stole the life force from people, battling (and battering) Superman. What was the name of this villain?
3. Who was the original Green Goblin?
4. What was the name of Marvel/Atlas' late 1950s ripoff of Casper, the Friendly Ghost?
5. Although werewolves were banned as noted above, one key DC character turned into a wolf in a mid-1960s comic. Name him.
