Seduction of the Innocent Editions
SeductionOfTheInnocent.org Homepage     Editions of Seduction of the Innocent, comic books used in Seduction of the Innocent, and the 'Lost SOTI' books     Dr. Fredric Wertham biography, bibliography, and more     The Anti-Comic-Book crusade of the 1940's and 1950's     The Comics Code, which came about in response to the criticisms leveled by SOTI as well as additional public and legislative pressure     Links to sites that have additional related information.     Frequently Asked Questions
   
  Editions  
  Found SOTI Comics  
  Lost SOTI Comics  
  Wertham Missed It!  
  SOTI Bibliography  
  Errors  
  The Influence  
of SOTI  
   
 
SeductionOfTheInnocent.org, a site about comic book censorship and more
Banner-free mirror site at www.LostSOTI.org
 

 

First and second U.S. printing dust jackets of SOTI look like this.
First and second US printings of SOTI's dust jacket look like this.

Without the dust jacket, first and second U.S. printings of SOTI looks like this: grey boards with a black spine and white spine lettering.
First and second US printings of SOTI look like this.


Libraries frequently re-bound SOTI in a customized binding such as these. Styles vary by library.
A re-bound copy of SOTI might look like one of these. Styles vary by library. A re-bound copy of SOTI might look like one of these. Styles vary by library. A re-bound copy of SOTI might look like one of these. Styles vary by library. A re-bound copy of SOTI might look like one of these. Styles vary by library. A re-bound copy of SOTI might look like one of these. Styles vary by library. A re-bound copy of SOTI might look like one of these. Styles vary by library.

First printings also have an R colophon on the publication page. Note: The copyright date of "1953, 1954" has sometimes been the cause of some confusion regarding publication date. Prior to the book's publication, portions of it were published in Ladies' Home Journal in November, 1953. Therefore, those portions were copyrighted in 1953. The book in full was published April 19, 1954, so the rest of the book was first copyrighted in 1954.
SOTI first print publication page

U.S. second printings do not have the colophon.
SOTI second printing publication page

U.S. second printings also have a "SECOND PRINTING" notation inside the front flap at the top left.
SOTI second print front flap
SOTI second print front flap

Only a few copies were released with the bibliography (pp. 399-400)
before these pages were removed by the publisher for fear of lawsuits.
See the bibliography page for the story in Dr. Wertham's words.
If you're lucky enough to have a 1954 edition of Seduction of the Innocent, check where pages 399-400 should be.
You'll probably see just a stub indicating that the page was removed.
It is suspected that no copies of the second print survived with the bibliography intact.
If you know of a second print with the bibliography, please contact SeductionOfTheInnocent.org.
SOTI Bibliography

Photo of where pages 399-400, the bibliography, used to be before they were excised by the publisher.
Where the bibliography used to be.

The first and only known U.K. printing has a dust jacket that looks like this.
U.K. first printing dust jacket of SOTI

UK printing, rear of dust jacket.
U.K. dust jacket of SOTI

UK printing, without dust jacket.
U.K. SOTI, without dust jacket

UK printing, publication page.
U.K. SOTI, without dust jacket

The UK printing does not have the bibliography, but instead has a blank page where pp. 399-400 would have been.
U.K. SOTI,

1972 Kennikat Press edition, by far one of the toughest editions to find.
It was not issued with a dust jacket, and has a black cover.
1972 Kennikat Press edition

1972 Kennikat Press edition, publication page.
1972 Kennikat Press edition

1972 Kennikat Press edition bibliography page.
1972 Kennikat Press edition

This likely the first of many modern printings. Presumed fourth printing.
States that it is limited to 80 copies.
Published by Amereon House, Mattituck, New York
This printing is limited to material that was orignally published in SOTI in 1954.
The illustrations in the center of the book are presented in the incorrect sequence.
The book's acknowledgements are printed on page 398 rather than at the front of the book.
Modern printing, Brown Cover

IMPORTANT NOTE!
There are numerous modern printings of Seduction of the Innocent. Although most claim to be a "limited" printing of 220 copies, new printings come out rather regularly. Don't be fooled by the "limited to 220 copies" claim. A book that purports to be "limited", but is kept in print with repeated pressings, is actually unlimited.

2004 Printing, navy blue cover. Presumed to be the fifth printing.
States that it is limited to 220 copies.
Spine reads "Amereon House", but interior indicates publication by Main Road Books, Laurel, New York.
This is the first of many modern printings that include a new introduction by Wertham biographer James Reibman.
2004 Printing, Navy Cover

2004 Printing, green cover. Presumed to be the sixth printing.
States that it is limited to 220 copies.

Spine reads "Amereon House", but interior indicates publication by Main Road Books, Laurel, New York.
2004 Printing, Green Cover

2004 Printing, blue cover. Presumed to be the seventh printing.
States that it is limited to 220 copies.
2004 Printing, Blue Cover

2004 Printing, brown cover. Presumed to be the eighth printing.
States that it is limited to 220 copies.
2004 Printing, Brown Cover

Ninth Printing, navy blue cover, White letters.
States that it is limited to 220 copies.
Released June 1, 2010 on Amazon.com
2010 Printing, Blue Cover White Letters

 
Do you have information to contribute?
Or would you like to join our TOTALLY SPAMLESS mailing list?
E-mail us!