The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu

Travel back to the sensational world of mid-century America with The Ten-Cent Plague by David Hajdu. This captivating book uncovers the dramatic rise and fall of comic books in the 1940s and 1950s, when superheroes, detectives, and horror stories sparked both imagination and outrage.

Hajdu traces how comics became a cultural battleground, blamed for corrupting youth and igniting a nationwide moral panic. Through vivid storytelling and interviews with artists, writers, and editors, he reveals how censorship reshaped popular culture and silenced a generation of creative voices.

Paired with Tony DeZuniga, Stockton Comic Book Artist, and The Korshak Collection: Illustrations of Imaginative Literature, this Exhibit Reads invites you to explore the golden age of comics and the artists who brought fantasy, heroism, and rebellion to life on the page.

Join us on Saturday, August 15th, for a lively discussion of The Ten-Cent Plague, a closer look at DeZuniga’s comic artistry, and an exploration of The Korshak Collection. Together, these exhibitions illuminate the boundless creativity that shaped the comic book and fantasy art genres, challenged conventions, inspired generations, and forever changed American culture.

The Ten-Cent Plague is available for purchase at the Museum Store.