They focused on particularly graphic "crime and horror" comic books of the day, and their potential impact on juvenile delinquency.
When publisher William Gaines contended that he sold only comic books of good taste, Kefauver entered into evidence one of Gaines' comics (Crime SuspenStories #22 [April-May 1954]), which showed a dismembered woman's head on its cover.
The exchange between Gaines and Kefauver led to a front-page story in The New York Times the following day.
Artist Johnny Craig's first draft included those very elements that Gaines had said were in "bad taste" and had him clean it up before publication.
In the immediate aftermath of the hearings, several publishers were forced to revamp their schedules and drastically censor or even cancel many popular long-standing comic series.