26 Dec 2010
(1) Crimes shall never be presented in such a way as to create sympathy for the criminal, to promote distrust of the forces of law and justice, or to inspire others with a desire to imitate criminals.
(6) In every instance good shall triumph over evil and the criminal punished for his misdeeds.
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Code of the Comics Magazine Association of America, October 26, 1954.
The comic book industry was required to create this Code in response to hearings conducted by the Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency.
It’s a pretty fascinating story. I’ve often wondered why more movies don’t end with the bad guy winning — perhaps this is part of the reason, or a reflection of the community norms that discourage that sort of ending. (This movie is a notable exception.)
