Tuesday, January 31, 2017

When The Government Banned Superman...!

You would not think that the character of Superman posed any threat to our government, but evidently he did.

In a case of fiction catching up to truth, Superman comics was found guilty in the eyes of the government more than once.

The U.S. government censored Superman during World War II.

During World War II, with the top-secret Manhattan Project in full swing, any mention of nuclear weapons in the popular press drew the government’s ire. DC found this out when it developed a comic book in which Superman’s archenemy, Lex Luthor, launches an attack with what he calls an “atomic bomb.” Though Luthor’s “atomic bomb” in no way resembled an actual atomic bomb, the U.S. War Department demanded that publication be delayed. The War Department likewise censored another comic book, written after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in which Superman films an atom bomb test for the Army, along with a Superman newspaper strip featuring a cyclotron particle accelerator, also known as an “atom smasher.”

In the words of Mr. White, editor of the Daily Planet, "great caesar's ghost!" Who would have ever thought such a thing was possible?

Coffee out on the patio this morning, where the sun is still shining!

7 comments:

linda m said...

That really does make you wonder about TPTB. However, being a Star Trek fan I see things in the old series that are coming true today. So maybe the TPTB thought that the science fiction in the comic book could lead to bigger problems. Who knows? Well, I have to shovel this morning so I'ld better get off my butt.

Momlady said...

Who'd a thunk it?

HermitJim said...

Hey Linda...
Guess none of us can understand why the government does what it does.
Thanks for stopping by today!


Hey Momlady...
I know, right?
Thanks for coming by today!

JO said...

I guess in light of what was going on they felt it could be a bigger threat. Just never know.

WE have sun to but it is only 38 they said it would be in the mid 40's for the over night.

HermitJim said...

Hey Jo...
Seems a little strange that they would be worried about a comic book, don't you think? Never know, though.
Thanks for dropping by, sweetie!

Dizzy-Dick said...

I enjoyed the black and white TV show about Superman and you have brought back memories of the Daily Planet's news staff. Good show, good always triumphed over evil.

HermitJim said...

Hey Dizzy...
I think that being in black and white was pretty common back then. Even gunsmoke started out in black and white, didn't it?
Thanks for the visit today, buddy!