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'Lost Marvels No. 1: Tower of Shadows' restores a lost chapter of comic book history

'Lost Marvels No. 1: Tower of Shadows' restores a lost chapter of comic book history

NPR's Book of the Day · NPR

May 28, 20256m 41s

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Show Notes

In the 1950s, horror comic books – featuring at times gory depictions of violence – were rising in popularity. But these comics triggered a moral panic, ultimately leading to the Comics Code Authority's decision to outlaw werewolves, vampires and even the word "horror." Now, journalist Michael Dean is out with an anthology of these long-forgotten Marvel comics: Lost Marvels No. 1: Tower of Shadows, first published in 1969. In today's episode, Dean talks with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe about the horror ban, the perceived relationship between comics and juvenile delinquency, and how Tower of Shadows compares to its superhero siblings.

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