A sub-genre of comic book cover collectors has emerged that investors and collectors should know.  I must admit that I have only recently become aware of this market after reviewing several live auction comic book catalogs. These individuals collect comic book bondage covers.  The reason our readers should know about these covers is that they sell at a premium when they come to the market.

I want to inform you of a dirty little secret about comic book covers many do not know.  Many comic book covers were drawn to target males to buy them.  Action, violence, and sexually provocative covers were the tools of the trade to attract readers to titles.

Covers that Drew the Wrong Kind of Attention

Bondage covers mainly show damsels in distress and the hero trying to rescue the intended victim.  There is a subtle hint of sexuality in play as well.  This did not go over well with the US Senate.  Dr. Fredrick Wertham studied juvenile delinquents and came to his realization that the majority of those boys were reading comic books.  In 1953, the Senate began an investigation into comic books.  They wanted to assess how comics negatively influenced children to address a root cause of juvenile delinquency.

The following year, the Senate conducted hearings on the subject with Dr. Wertham as one of the star witnesses. Dr. Wertham indicated that books like Phantom Lady #17, drawn by legendary artist Matt Baker, were meant to stimulate young readers sexually and place unnatural sadistic thoughts in their fragile minds.

Dr. Wertham's testimony was full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.  He never bothered to ask police officers if the majority of them read comic books as a child to determine if comics had a positive influence on children.  Mere cultural observations were used to damage a whole industry.  The Comics Code Authority was created to combat the negative publicity produced from the hearing.  This did not stop the Fifty Shades of Grey covers because, surprisingly, children seem to want what you tell them they cannot have.

One of Wertham's Main Targets

Wonder Woman was a major target of Dr. Wertham.  He believed the heroine tried to corrupt young readers through her sexuality and his belief she may be a lesbian. Maybe Dr. Wertham was prophetic? The irony was that some of the most sought-after comic book covers among collectors feature Wonder Woman in bondage.  Fans have their favorites.  Wonder Woman #205 is one book that collectors seek in the market.  This book has Wonder Woman strapped to a rocket flying to New York.  The imagery is reminiscent of the famous cowboy scene in Dr. Strangelove.

Wonder Woman has gone through many phases during her career.  The 1970s was the decade of many famous Wonder Woman bondage covers besides issue #205.  Wonder Woman #199 and Wonder Woman #200 are also sought-after bondage covers. These covers show the heroine not from a point of strength, but rather in a perilous plight.

The heroine does not even appear in her identifiable colors, but rather in a white flowing gown. Artist Jeff Jones strips the character of her identifiable war gear and instead makes her an "everywoman" in society.  There are many factors at play here on why this book is sought after and that common woman portrayal is one of the reasons collectors gravitate to these books.

Bondage Covers get Creative

Bondage covers with characters tied up can be redundant.   Regular bondage covers with typical themes still sell above their FMV on the market, but these books are less desired among collectors.  There are only so many ways you can draw someone tied up before it gets old.  Iconic covers sell at premiums. Artists had to get creative with covers to distinguish them from other books.

Avengers #60 is one way that an artist can get creative to create a memorable cover.  John Buscema created an iconic cover that many fans will recognize.  The Wasp is still in bondage, but this time a snake is used to restrain our heroine in her wedding gown.

This issue is a classic because it features the wedding of Hank Pym (Ant-Man, Yellowjacket, Giant Man) and Janet van Dyne (Wasp).  As a result, this issue has crossover appeal among fans.  This book is a key issue with an iconic bondage cover. In addition, the use of the snake was a nice touch that some bondage collectors indicate was a metaphor for marriage; that it will squeeze the life out of you!!

Role Reversal

Bondage covers can produce equal opportunities for covers.  Avengers #160 is a unique cover where the male heroes are on their knees in bondage and the Scarlet Witch is forced to watch.  This cover deviates from the norm of the male hero coming to the rescue of the female heroine who is tied up.

The cover is a perfect storytelling device in that it relates plot details that will hopefully attract the reader to buy the book by showing how dire the situation is for the team. It should be noted that male characters in bondage are not as desirable on the market as female restrained covers. They still are in vogue but do not command the premiums paid for typical bondage cover content. The majority of comic buyers are still male and they buy what they like.

The one exception to this rule involves Batman.  Batman or Robin being restrained is a common feature on covers. Golden Age issues of Batman and Detective comics often have our caped crusaders in some form of restraints.  The 1960s titles also have our heroes tied up in unrealistic traps in much the same their television counterparts faced on the small screen.  If you see an early non-key Batman book with a bondage cover, purchase it. These books will rise in value quicker than other issues of the run.

Not for Everyone...Unless You like Green

Bondage covers are in vogue right now.  Bondage covers are advertised at auctions simply as a way to draw interest to books that might not otherwise have any favorable attributes.  Dr. Wertham tried to make these types of covers forbidden, but instead, he only made them much more desirable.

Our society has also changed.  Subtle bondage themes have always been in movies, television shows, and plays. Now, you have mainstream movies and television episodes dedicated to more overt coverage of this forbidden topic.  As a result, bondage cover collectors have come out in great numbers to get these covers.

Some of our readers may be offended by these covers.  These covers are not rated XXX. There is not any graphic nudity that would preclude one from selling it to any person.  I again must admit that I was unaware of this subgenre of books until it was brought to my attention by another collector.  He wanted one book from a lot I had just purchased.  I had no interest in Forever People #8; this collector did because it had a Kirby bondage cover that he prized. He was willing to pay me a premium well above the FMV for this book.  The only reason was that it was a bondage cover he needed to add to his collection.

This class of covers may not be for everyone. If you find one, the opportunity will exist to potentially sell it for a profit.  Free your mind and realize that these so-called bondage covers do have fans. Break free from your norm and you too could see the benefits of owning books that were once thought to corrupt everyone who read them.

*Advice and opinions offered in this blog are those of the author and do not represent any investment advice on the behalf of GoCollect.