It does, however, come with another video teaser. So at least there is a multimedia aspect.
This week's video teaser contains some excellent footage from our interview with James Reibman as well as a selection from a curious episode of Confidential File. CF was a documentary/news tabloid style television program that ran from 1953 to 1958. If you haven't seen this and aren't already a "fan", I'm sure you will like its depiction of what reading horror and crime comics may lead to. Doesn't it harken back to your own childhood days with the fellas?
I am hoping to, in forthcoming updates, start teasing out other types of media that are going to be used in the film much like this episode of Confidential File.
But back to this week's video teaser.
My purpose for posting this clip is to motivate you to do one thing: Read Seduction of the Innocent.
If you are a comics fan, if you are interested in history, media or cultural studies it is a must read.
The argument against Wertham and the book have become so simplified over the years. The book's thesis, to those that haven't read it, has become a hand-me-down diluted hate message. Even if you just examine the complexity of the relationship between message and era, the contextual value of that alone is rich enough to sustain a reading.
But more than that, to argue against the book, you should read the book. If you do, you will, I can almost guarantee, come away with conflicted thoughts about what is being written between the cover. What those thoughts are... I will leave for you to discover.
There are a few ways you can read Seduction of the Innocent these days. For a long time, it wasn't so easy to get your hands on this controversial book. In the past your were lucky if a library near you had a copy. Now you have four readily available options.
1. You can buy yourself an original copy with the dust jacket at a not so modest price on EBAY here. It's BUYNOW for $1,062.50!
2. You can buy a handsome hardbound copy with a forward by today's guest star Dr. James Reibman here. The forward is loaded with excellent and insightful biographical information on Wertham.
3. If you are web savvy... And I know you are... You can download a PDF of the entire book online.
4. You can read Seduction of the Innocent online. This online version is peppered with illustrations not used in the print version but inserted by the online editor/host. The online version can be found at http://www.dreadfuldays.net/soti.html. It's great for doing fast searches to locate topics to cross reference in the printed version!
The crew leaves to interview Al Feldstein on Monday. Needless to say we are excited beyond words!
Now... on to the show. Please watch All Factors:
Bobby, I'm really excited for you and the film. It seems to me having known you forever and having followed your work that this is more than just your next project. This could be your biggest, best project. I hope that doesn't add any pressure.
ReplyDeleteThe sneak peaks via the blog have me very interested in the film and what looks to be shaping up to be a rather complex and nuanced take on Wertham's work specifically and more broadly the idea that our media shapes us in ways we don't anticipate and may not want to admit.