The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America by David Hajdu is a 2008 book that chronicles the 1950s backlash against comic books, particularly crime and horror comics, which were blamed for juvenile delinquency and moral decay. Hajdu details how this "scare," fueled by figures like psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, led to public comic book burnings, congressional hearings, and the creation of the Comics Code Authority, which censored the industry and devastated many creators' careers. The book explores the cultural conflict, the roles of institutions like the Catholic Church, and the lasting impact on American popular culture, portraying it as a "witch hunt" that suppressed a vibrant art form.