Yep, today I turn 44 years old. And I’m spending my birthday with Fredric Wertham. What happened to my life? Hey, I’m in better shape that I was this time last year, so I’ll take it. I only just got released from my last doctor (except for my primary and gastroenterologist because I’ll always need them) yesterday, so I can finally put 2016 behind me and focus on whatever comes next. I’ll review whatever I get for my birthday on The Clutter Reports this weekend, but I have a busy Saturday planned…again…so it may be late. I also got something really cool:
My favorite version of War Of The Worlds is the 1953 movie directed by George Pal. It’s the spaceships. The original Martian spaceships in H.G. Wells’ book were tripods, which I’m sure was scary in the 1800s but considering how many different ways we now have to trip up one of those things, I’m no longer impressed. And yet every subsequent adaptation uses the tripods except for this movie, where the ships fly, have force fields, and are a lot more threatening. And most of the effects hold up too. Someday I’ll review it, but for now I have to get back to being a year older and none the wiser. And if you wanted to get me something for my birthday, a Patreon sponsorship or something in the PayPal tip jar would be nice. The link’s in the sidebar. I’d put my Amazon creative wishlist up there with review topics and other gear, but I don’t expect it would be used. It won’t affect what you guys get here but I could use the help. Lame, I know.
It seems like every adaptation/update of Wells’ story is afraid to update the alien machines save George Pal’s.
Chapter By Chapter Special: Seduction Of The Innocent ch. 5 part 3
Yesterday we looked at a group of kids who couldn’t read because they’re personal lives meant they had other things on their mind than Great Expectations (because you know Wertham isn’t interested in Doc Savage or Zorro), but of course comics got the blame as the cause, not a symptom or byproduct. Again, I am a huge fan of books but if kids are having reading problems or just don’t like to read comics didn’t cause it. Except in the good doctor’s mind because he has a bias against something that goes against how he thinks you should read.
Today we’re starting with Wertham discussing reading disorders. Actually, he did bring it up earlier in the chapter but that was set-up introductory stuff. I’m guessing his editor finally got on him to learn how to make the writing interesting, but we’ll see in later chapters. I’m relatively sure we’ll get to later chapters, but you’ll want to catch up with this one before we resume our dive.
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Posted by ShadowWing Tronix on July 12, 2017 in Comic Spotlight, Seduction Of The Innocent and tagged book review, Chapter By Chapter, comics, commentary, Dr. Fredric Wertham, Literature, Seduction Of The Innocent.
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