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The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America

Name: The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America
Price: 4.00 USD
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Rating: 4.3 (229 reviews)

4.3 of 5 Stars: History & Price Guides - The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America

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Book Synopsis: In the years between World War II and the emergence of television as a mass medium, American popular culture as we know it was first created--in the pulpy, boldly illustrated pages of comic books. No sooner had this new culture emerged than it was beaten down by church groups, community bluestockings, and a McCarthyish Congress--only to resurface with a crooked smile on its face in Mad magazine.

The story of the rise and fall of those comic books has never been fully told--until The Ten-Cent Plague. David Hajdu's remarkable new book vividly opens up the lost world of comic books, its creativity, irreverence, and suspicion of authority.

When we picture the 1950s, we hear the sound of early rock and roll. The Ten-Cent Plague shows how--years before music--comics brought on a clash between children and their parents, between prewar and postwar standards. Created by outsiders from the tenements, garish, shameless, and often shocking, comics spoke to young people and provided the guardians of mainstream culture with a big target. Parents, teachers, and complicit kids burned comics in public bonfires. Cities passed laws to outlaw comics. Congress took action with televised hearings that nearly destroyed the careers of hundreds of artists and writers.

The Ten-Cent Plague radically revises common notions of popular culture, the generation gap, and the divide between "high" and "low" art. As he did with the lives of Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington (in Lush Life) and Bob Dylan and his circle (in Positively 4th Street), Hajdu brings a place, a time, and a milieu unforgettably back to life.

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Looking to dive into a captivating piece of American history? Look no further than The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America. This remarkable book by David Hajdu takes you on an immersive journey through the underbelly of American popular culture during the post-World War II era. Step into the world of boldly illustrated comic books, where creativity, irreverence, and a rebellious spirit thrived.

But it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine for these comic books that would eventually shape the landscape of American popular culture. The Ten-Cent Plague uncovers a hidden gem of history, revealing how comic books were met with opposition from church groups, community bluestockings, and even the McCarthyish Congress. Despite the challenges they faced, comic books managed to resurface, wearing a crooked smile on their face in the form of the iconic Mad magazine.

Get ready for a clash of generations as the rise of comic books brought about a divide between children and their parents. Long before the sounds of rock and roll filled the airwaves, comics acted as a catalyst, challenging prewar and postwar standards. Born in the tenements and brimming with audacity, these garish and sometimes shocking comics spoke to young people, making them an easy target for the guardians of mainstream culture. The backlash was intense, with public bonfires where parents, teachers, and compliant kids burned comic books. Cities went as far as passing laws to ban comics, and the Congress held televised hearings that threatened the careers of countless artists and writers.

Prepare to have your assumptions about popular culture, the generation gap, and the supposed divide between "high" and "low" art radically revised. Just like he did in previous acclaimed works, Hajdu skillfully brings to life a time and place that will leave an indelible mark on your understanding of American history. Don't miss out on this captivating dive into the lost world of comic books - get your copy now and uncover a piece of forgotten history!

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