There is a noticeable difference between the average superhero comics from the 80s and beyond and issues starring the same characters from the 1950s and 60s, and that difference is all thanks to the Comics Code Authority.

The Comics Code kept writers and publishers from printing anything that could be considered immoral or remotely offensive, and their assault on comic books began with the release of Dr. Fredric Wertham's book Seduction Of The Innocent.

Susana Polo of Polygon's Issue At Hand discusses the silly effect the Comics Code had on comic storylines, touching on how writers fought back with the power of morally neutral absurdity and how Nixon and Stan Lee helped cut out the Code.

(YouTube Link)

-Via Polygon

Ancient Duel by djkopet

The battle between good and evil, justice and crime, nature and the unnatural will continue until the end of time, and although Splinter and Shredder won't live forever their struggle will live on long after they've been laid to rest. Which is why Donatello chose to use Shredder and sensei Splinter as his subjects when he started painting, because the two embody the eternal struggle and they look really cool when they fight!

Show some love for the ninja turtles in a classic way- with this Ancient Duel t-shirt by Djkopet, it's a modern mutant masterpiece that's sure to impress your fellow TMNT fans.

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The Exasperating Jerry by Raffiti

Mr. Meeseeks are known for being very patient, obedient and loyal creatures, and once you've pushed that big blue button on the Meeseeks Box those Mr.'s are supposed to do whatever you tell them to do with a smile. They've had no problem obeying Rick, and even though they don't take young Morty seriously they still listen to what he wants, but that annoying asshat Jerry has pushed those little blue people too far. Jerry is so annoying his grating personality has accomplished what nobody in the multiverse ever could - he has pissed off every Mr. Meeseeks, and now they all want him dead! Smooth move, brah!

Share some laughs at Mr. Meeseeks' expense with this The Exasperating Jerry t-shirt by Raffiti, it's a fun way to show love for your favorite sci-fi cartoon show!

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Penguin Busking by Early Kirky

Things are getting to be so bad these days that even the world's penguin population has to find a side hustle to stay afloat, and most of them have taken to busking. Their waddling prevents them from doing most physical labor, and their short temper keeps them from being employed in the customer service industry, but they're surprisingly good singers and they can strum a guitar better than Buddy Holly!

Spread some free smiles wherever you go with this Penguin Busking t-shirt by Early Kirky, it's one funny design that'll make your fellow penguin lovers flip!

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Shiny Metal Giant by Vitaliy Klimenko

Little Fry had just finished watching his favorite sci-fi animated feature when he heard a bunch of metallic machine sounds and crashing trees in the forest near his house. He threw on his green Slurm onesie and ran outside to see what all the noise was about, secretly hoping to encounter an iron giant like the one in his favorite flick, but instead he came face to foot with Bender Rodriguez- drunk robot at large. It seems Professor Farnsworth had made the mistake of testing his enlarging ray on Bender, and before he could shrink him back down Bender had broken out of Planet Express and gone on a drunken crime spree of epic proportions...

Show the world why not all giant robots make cool friends with this Shiny Metal Giant t-shirt by Vitaliy Klimenko, it's sure to make a big impression on your fellow Futurama fans!

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Wickedness by trheewood

They're the villainous of all villains, and they weren't just drawn that way- they were pure evil from conception. But what sort of nefarious ne'er-do-well would let these monsters loose on the world? Why, the concept artists and animators, of course! They're the people who came up with the bright idea to let a bunch of maleficent misfits loose in a world full of princesses pure as the driven snow, living marionettes and cute little man-cubs, which naturally led to the rise of evil and the introduction of conflict in an otherwise peaceful world.

Add a touch of darkness to your geeky wardrobe with this Wickedness t-shirt by trheewood, it proves that sometimes bad is better!

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Tropical At-Attack by zerobriant

It's hard to enjoy a tropical destination like Scarif when there's a war brewing, which is why nobody ever visits resorts built by the Empire. But if you're adventurous, and don't mind having a few blaster battles along the way, then Scarif can be as exciting as it is luxurious and gorgeous. Situated in the Outer Rim Territories, Scarif was once famous as a vacation destination and one of Star Tours most visited planets, but then the Empire came in and set up shop and ruined an otherwise idyllic tropical paradise with their pew-pew-pewing and giant metal camels. So if you're among the brave, bold and utterly rebellious who will consider coming to Scarif on vacation do yourself a favor- pack some heavy artillery!

Keep your geeky wardrobe red hot with this Tropical At-Attack t-shirt by zerobriant, it's a five star design that will help you take the tropical vibes with you wherever you go!

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Eggman and the Walrus by Aaron Morales

The land of Goo-Goo-G'Joob is home to many strange and unsettling creatures, from the crabalocker fishwife to the choking smokers, but the most mercurial yet fragile of all G'Joob's citizens is the eggmen. They waddle around seeking a purpose in life, and while some crack up under the pressure of everyday life others let their shells grow harder, so the joker's laugh doesn't sting and the policeman's baton doesn't spill their brains. But if he's not careful the eggman will become too hard and toothy, letting his soft yolk become hard boiled as he transforms into the walrus...

This totally trippy Eggman and the Walrus t-shirt by Aaron Morales brings your favorite Beatles song to life like never before, slip it on and you'll blow people's minds wherever you go!

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Down to the Depths by Ellador

Jack had shared intimate moments with some rather strange and powerful women while roaming around the Caribbean, but the pirate lord Sparrow had never met a girl like Ariel! She was unlike any other woman, or mermaid, that he'd ever met, and her enthusiasm for life above the surface made him want to smuggle her aboard the Black Pearl and show her the world. But, alas, Ariel was not cut out for the pirate's life, and all those sword fights, cannon blasts and open sea battles made the little mermaid long for the idyllic life she once had under the sea...

Cartoon crossovers don't come much cooler than this Down To The Depths t-shirt design by Ellador, it's so cool you're sure to hear lots of arrr's and yo-ho's wherever you go!

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Happiest Place by Kempo24

There are plenty of fun activities to do while you're wandering the wastes, but no visit to the wasteland is complete without a trip to the Nuka-World Amusement Park, the happiest place in the world! Now considering there isn't much left of the world that sin't saying much, but everybody can use a break from the super mutant madness every once in a while, and Nuka-World's got you covered. From the savage depths of the Safari Adventure to the childhood wish fulfilling Kiddie Kingdom spending a day at Nuka-World makes even the most hardened wastelander feel SPECIAL!

Bring home a souvenir from you favorite post-apocalyptic theme park in the form of this Happiest Place t-shirt by Kemp24, it's Brotherhood approved and sure to make your fellow Fallout fans grin like a Deathclaw when they see you wearing it!

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The show of rick and negan by Legendary Phoenix

They fight, and bite, and hack and shoot and smack, but Negan's bat puts an end to all that and makes Rick cry as he watches some of his dear friends die. Somehow Negan's Saviors find the whole scene to be drop dead hilarious, but Rick's crew fails to see the humor in the situation so the two tribes are sworn to go to war. They'll fight like cats and mice, eviscerating their foes in a cartoonish manner that doesn't look as fun in living color, but in the end audiences will always toon in to see who will die next!

This The Show Of Rick And Negan t-shirt by Legendary Phoenix was made for walking, and fighting, and suriving, but mostly it was made to be comfy while you watch your favorite zombie apocalypse TV show!

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Gathering of Spirits by Charamath

We tend to think of spirits as being so far removed from humans that we have nothing in common with them, but spirits seem to enjoy the same activities as people do. And nothing brings a bunch of spirits together like a home cooked meal, which affords them the time to sit together and discuss all of their recent spectral activity. Together the spirits would chat away the hours between dusk and dawn over some hibachi grilled goodness, and whether they dwelled in a castle, a forest or deep underground the spooky neighbors would find themselves becoming fast friends.

Add some anime awesomeness to your geeky wardrobe with this Gathering of Spirits t-shirt by Charamath, it's sure to spark lots of conversations between you and your fellow Ghibli fans!

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The Gotham Grrrls by Donovan Alex

All those bad boys from Arkham Asylum were always starting riots, so the bad girls decided to get in on the fun too. But they had a more subtle way of reaching out to the populace of Gotham, a more effective way to getting into their heads- music. Harley, Ivy and Catty became The Gotham Grrrls, a loud and aggressive punk band who played catchy songs like "Beat on the Bat", "Anarchy in the USA" and "Lust for Laughs". Soon these songs were earworming their way into the mind of every citizen in Gotham- including crime fighters like Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. The plan was going off without a hitch, and those femme fatales were having the time of their lives, but then the day came when they were told Lex Luthor would be their new manager, and their smiles quickly turned to frowns...

Show some love for your favorite singing Sirens with this The Gotham Grrrls t-shirt by Donovan Alex, it's a rockin' good way to make your fellow DC fans smile wherever you go!

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Funny Where Wolf Werewolf by Mudge

People kept blindly searching for a guy in red and white stripes named Waldo, never stopping to consider Waldo is a pretty common name- and that particular Waldo had been on the road a really long time. When people spend that much time on the road you're bound to run into a few freaks and even more monsters, which is why spending too much time traveling can really change you. And yet people kept wondering where they would find Waldo next, searching so closely for that stripey fellow that they ignored the trail of bodies he was leaving behind...

Warn people about the danger of searching for Waldo with this Funny Where Wolf Werewolf t-shirt by Mudge, it's the delicious way to show the world you found Waldo- and he ain't lookin' too good these days!

Visit Mudge's Facebook fan page, official website and Twitter, then head on over to his NeatoShop for more frightfully fun designs:

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M by kgullholmen

The theater was full of people who had gone to see Fritz Lang's classic thriller masterpiece M, but instead they were treated to an odd little film about a very strange man in a moth suit. It started out showing the man in the moth suit, who called himself Monarch, as he rose through the ranks of supervillainy despite his laughable costume. It was later explained that he was dressed like a butterfly, not a moth, and that the suit related to his severe daddy issues- because his father was a superhero who called himself Blue Morpho. Sounds like madness runs in the family!

Get geared up for animated action time with this M t-shirt by Kgullholmen, it's approved by the Guild of Calamitous Intent and sure to make your life feel like a Team Venture adventure!

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