What, Me Funny?: The National Lampoon Mad Parody Deftly Skewers Alfred E. Neuman (Mostly)
OnAn analysis of the long National Lampoon MAD Parody that appeared as an article in a 1971 issue, looking at what they got right and what they got wrong.
Tag: Harvey Kurtzman
The Comics Journal’s Book of Harvey Kurtzman Interviews Is Utterly Essential
OnA review of a book of interviews from the Comics Journal with Harvey Kurtzman, exploring his career from ‘Hey Look!’ to ‘Little Annie Fanny.’
With a Little Help From Superduperman, Mad #4 Was the Fledgling Comic’s Breakout Issue
OnThough the first three issues were setting the stage, it was Mad #4 that was the first big hit, thanks to the first direct comic parody, ‘Superduperman.’
Rashida Jones’ New Sitcom, ‘Kevin Can Fuck Himself,’ Sounds Like an Amazing Take on Awful Sitcom Tropes
OnRecently, news came out about Rashida Jones’ new sitcom, tenatively titled Kevin Can Fuck Himself, taking aim at the awful way sitcom wives are treated.
Though Overall a Step Backward, Mad #3 Does Feature a Classic Story in ‘V-Vampires!’
OnThough Mad #2 was an early triumph, Mad #3 feels like a step backward with weak stories and jokes, though it still features a classic in ‘V-Vampires!’
No Sophomore Slump Here as MAD #2 Continues With the Strongest Elements of #1
OnFor those playing along, MAD #2 comes — surprisingly — right after MAD #1 and it’s a continuation of the promise made by the last half of that first issue.
Though Quite Different Than What It Would Become, MAD #1 Is an Auspicious Start
OnMAD #1 — talking about the original 1952 issue, not the 2018 relaunch — was quite different from what MAD would evolve into, but an auspicious beginning.
Review: Comix, Essays, Graphics and Scraps: From Maus to Now to Maus to Now
OnIt might be a little odd to have an Art Spiegelman book that doesn’t have a whole lot of comix, and mostly essays, but it works. Comix, Essays, Graphics and Scraps: From Maus to Now to Maus to Now is a catalog published…
Review: I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets!
OnFletcher Hanks had a very short run in comics; he worked only from 1939 to 1941. In fact, this, the first volume of his comics, I Shall Destroy All The Civilized Planets!, combined with the companion volume, You Shall Die By Your…
Review: The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics
OnCover via Amazon [Purchase Book] Harvey Kurtzman is one of my comedy heroes — and he’s one of those people who has had a huge influence on our culture; not only did MAD change the culture, but in particular, it was HIS…