Shock, Horror and the Comics Code

As of 1950 the New York company Entertainment Comics (more commonly known as EC), grew under the direction of William (Bill) Gaines to become one of the era’s biggest comic book publishers. Gaines and most of his staff had a Jewish immigrant background. They invented the shock and horror comic genre in order to reflect the racism, anti-Semitism, and violence rife in American society.
Introduction of the censorial Comics Codes in 1954 put an abrupt end to the genre, and catapulted EC to the brink of ruin. Alone its satirical “MAD” magazine evaded censorship. This one magazine managed to keep the company afloat however, thanks to its parodies of media circles in America.

Tales From The Crypt