Crime Detective Comics (Vol. 1)

(Hillman, 1948-1950)
©1949 Hillman Periodicals, Inc.

Like so many crime comics of its day, Crime Detective Comics bore a legend on its front cover, “This magazine is dedicated to the prevention of crime. We hope that within its pages the youth of America will learn to know crime for what it really is: a sad, black, dead-end road of fools and tears.” Despite the high words, however, the criminals in Crime Detective Comics must have seemed quite glamorous in their own way. And, although they inevitably met their comeuppance in the end, it was the criminal who got all the adventure, money, and the attention of the inevitable bad girl.

Critics such as Dr. Fredric Wertham (Seduction of the Innocent) began attacking crime comics during the 1940s, and by the time issue #9 of this series appeared, Crime Detective Comics was ready to take a jab back by portraying the good doctor, bound and gagged, on the cover.

Jump to issue:

Notes

Writer

Artist