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Or so the esteemed Dr. Werner Frederick would have people believe—people like the Congressmen holding hearings on banning violent crime and horror "funny books." And when the crusade provokes a most un-funny murder, Jack Starr—comics syndicate troubleshooter—has no shortage of suspects. Was it the knife-wielding juvenile delinquent or the naked seductress? Perhaps a frustrated publisher or an outraged cartoonist. Or was it a comic book reader...?

Inspired by the real-life 1950s witch-hunt against Tales From the Crypt publisher EC Comics, SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT pulls back the curtain for an insider’s view of the history of comics—and features more than a dozen brand new illustrations in the classic EC style by comic book legend Terry Beatty!

• First publication ever!
• In addition to his work for Hard Case Crime, Collins is famous as the long-time scripter of the Dick Tracy comic strip and comic books such as Batman and Ms. Tree

"Violent and volatile and packed with sexuality...classic pulp fiction."

— USA Today

"Collins’ witty, hard-boiled prose would make Raymond Chandler proud."

— Entertainment Weekly

"Collins masterfully blends fact and fiction...transcends the historical thriller."

— Jeffery Deaver

"As cool as an Eskimo Pie on a hot summer day and as sharp as a Ginsu knife."

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel