Seduction Productions
Public Enemies 2

COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Public Enemies #2 Universal
Grade: 8.5
Page Quality: OFF-WHITE TO WHITE
Certification #: 0179801002
Owner: GAM

SET DETAILS

Winning Set: Seduction Productions
Date Added: 7/16/2011
Research: Currently not available

Owner's Description

Public Enemies #2 is referenced in the “Seduction of the Innocent” (SOTI) in the text on page 95. In this section of the book, Wertham describes how crime comics distort a child’s “ethical orientation”. In the case of Public Enemies #2, the SOTI references a story from the comic, entitled “Dallas Eagan the Man Who Wanted to Hang.” In this story, Dallas Eagan, a life long criminal, seeks out execution as a means of punishment because he shot a deaf man for not obeying his orders during a robbery. Eagan is racked with guilt because the man was incapable of hearing his instructions hence it was wrong to shoot him for disobeying whereas, as told by Eagan, shooting others that disobey is acceptable. Using this example, and several others, Wertham cites a quote that Adolf Hitler gave to his generals before the invasion of Poland as a summation of the ethical teachings of crime comics: “It is not a question of right, but of winning. Close your heart against compassion. Brutality does it. The stronger is in the right. Greatest hardness. Follow your opponent till he is crushed”. In addition to the cover scan for this comic, I have included the last page of the story that is referenced in the text on page 95.
  
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