Synopses & Reviews
Harvey Kurtzman changed the face of American humor when he created the legendary
MADcomic. As editor and chief writer from its inception in 1952, through its transformation into a slick magazine, and until he left
MADin 1956, he influenced an entire generation of cartoonists, comedians, and filmmakers. In 1962, he co-created the long-running Little Annie Fanny with his long-time artistic partner Will Elder for
Playboy, which he continued to produce until his virtual retirement in 1988.
Between MADand Annie Fanny, Kurtzman"s biographical summaries will note that he created and edited three other magazines, Trump, Humbug, and Help!, but, whereas his MADand Annie Fannyare readily available in reprint form, his major satirical work in the interim period is virtually unknown. Humbug, which had poor distribution, may be the least known, but to those who treasure the rare original copies, it equals or even exceeds MADin displaying Kurtzman"s creative genius. Humbugwas unique in that it was actually published by the artists who created it: Kurtzman and his cohorts from MADWill Elder, Jack Davis, and Al Jaffee, were joined by universally acclaimed cartoonist Arnold Roth. With no publisher above them to rein them in, this little band of creators produced some of the most trenchant and engaging satire of American culture ever to appear on American newsstands. At last, the entire run of 11 issues of Humbugis being reprinted in a deluxe format, much of it reproduced from the original art, allowing even owners of the original cheaply-printed issues to experience the full impact for the first time.
Review
"[A] superb two-volume boxed set that reprints Humbug in full, plus it also contains proper introductions and interviews with some who worked on the magazine. The material is excellent. It's Kurtzman, Elder, Davis, Al Jaffee, Arnold Roth and a few others working at the peak of their awesome powers. The package is excellent. It's well-designed and well-printed, and I can't think of a way in which it could have been improved." Mark Evanier
Review
"It's a really impressive collection of work... and the production design here is nothing short of stunning. Fantagraphics really knocked this one out of the park in restoration." Chris Mautner
Review
"Smart writing, savvy pop-cultural lampoons mirroring the mid-century's social turmoil, brilliant artwork." Robot 6
Review
Humbug reveals Kurtzman as a satirist who still demands our attention. --Ben Schwartz
Review
" is a testament not only to Kurtzman's genius, but to the astounding skills of his fellow artists as well--people like Jack Davis, Will Elder...Al Jaffee and Arnold Roth and R.O. Blechman." Ben Schwartz Bookforum
Review
"A deluxe collection of a classic but long-forgotten satirical magazine...Originally edited by Harvey Kurtzman of fame, and written and drawn by his compadres, among them Jack Davis and Will Elder, was cool beyond cool." John Defore San Antonio Current
Review
"The Humbug set from Fantagraphics is out and it's great. Fine printing and binding will keep this slipcased two-volume set looking good long after the rest of us are gone." Roger Sabin The Guardian
Review
"Never before reprinted, Fantagraphics recently collected , complete with new essays, interviews, and annotations, in two handsome hardback volumes....Jack Davis and Will Elder... elevated the comic-book parody beyond the standards of and . For , Davis produced some of the best work of his long career. Al Jaffee... tackled varied topics... all with equal skill and irreverence." Roger Sabin The Guardian
Review
"This lovingly restored collection of Humbug's five issues is accompanied by essays, interviews and annotations, providing a glimpse into what MAD had wrought." Rick Klaw San Antonio Current
Review
"This omnibus of all eleven issues of is equal parts giddy genius and period piece. The satire is razor-sharp... [T]here are such subtleties here and such rapier wit that the line is clearly visible from the Algonquin Round Table to Kurtzman to Crumb to Ralph Bakshi to to ." Rick Klaw San Antonio Current
Review
"Kurtzman and company aimed high for a more sophisticated humor mag than the competition...Fantagraphics' package for it is bar none--handsome, sturdy and restored with great care...I was most interested in the behind-the-scenes story of and the creative process that went into it--not to mention doomed it--and the book's introduction and exclusive interviews more than satisfy on that count." Byron Kerman PLAYBACK:stl
Review
"In a way, almost feels like a goof-humor version of or something. There's a lot of fairly serious political/social commentary, cloaked in wry rainment. It's a blend as interesting as any cocktail, and it's goddamn great to have this stuff easily available. Hats away!" Rod Lott Bookgasm
Review
"Unparallel parodists Kurtzman and Elder ran rampant for themselves when they published these 11 exceptional issues of comic art anarchy. This two-volume hardcover box set has been reproduced from the original art and digitally restored to make everything look even better than when it first came out in 1957. This long-overdue definitive edition of is an essential slice of satire from the masters of the genre." Byron Coley and Thurston Moore Arthur Magazine
Review
"A lot of 's humor now tickles the mind more than the funny bone, collected here it serves to fill in the missing piece on a seminal period of satiric shenanigans." Jeffrey Morgan Detroit Metro Times
Review
"This is the best thing I have ever been sent to review. I didn't think that this book would ever exist but now it does and it'd better than I could have imagined... The eleven issues of Humbug are faithfully reprinted in this two-volume hardcover set and it comes in a fancy and sturdy box. The magazines were funny and beautiful with art by Will Elder and Jack Davis and some other folks. If you don't buy this book then I don't want to know you...There is no excuse for not buying this right now. Sell your hair, blood, or skin to get it." John McAlley NPR.org - "Books We Like"
Review
"[I]ncludes so many all-time great cartoonists (Kurtzman, Jaffee, Elder, etc.) at the peak of their powers and ambitions." Nick Gazin Vice
Review
"Featuring the entire run of Humbug satirical magazines masterminded by Harvey Kurtzman, creator of the legendary US comic MAD, this luscious two-volume box set will fascinate." Timothy Hodler Robot 6
Review
"It's Humbug that functions as the spiritual father for magazines such as National Lampoon, Spy and The Onion, among many others, but there's something invigorating about it because of its vantage point in the supposedly stodgy and bland 1950s. Coming out of that decade, Humbug really did break new ground." David McComb Bizarre Magazine
Review
"[T]he artwork is uniformly mind-blowing. ... This collects the whole ill-fated run in a luxurious hardbound package including top-notch background material. Worth it for the mammoth Arnold Roth and Al Jaffee interview alone." John Mitchell North Adams Transcript
Review
"At long last, a handsome, two-volume, slipcased set brings back into print a pivotal, neglected portion of the oeuvre of Harvey Kurtzman and that of a cadre of gifted pranksters bent on smart satire." M. Ace Irregular Orbit
Review
A comics blockbuster. --John Defore
Review
" reveals Kurtzman as a satirist who still demands our attention." Michael H. Prince Fort Worth Business Press
Review
"A comics blockbuster." Comic Book Resources
Review
"This lovingly restored collection of 's five issues is accompanied by essays, interviews and annotations, providing a glimpse into what had wrought." Rick Klaw San Antonio Current
Synopsis
BetweenMAD and Annie Fanny, Kurtzman s biographical summaries will note that he created and edited three other magazines Trump, Humbug, and Help but, whereas his MAD and Annie Fanny are readily available in reprint form, his major satirical work in the interim period is virtually unknown. Humbug, which had poor distribution, may be the least known, but to those who treasure the rare original copies, it equals or even exceeds MAD in displaying Kurtzman s creative genius. Humbug was unique in that it was actually published by the artists who created it: Kurtzman and his cohorts from MAD Will Elder, Jack Davis, and Al Jaffee were joined by universally acclaimed cartoonist Arnold Roth. With no publisher above them to rein them in, this little band of creators produced some of the most trenchant and engaging satire of American culture ever to appear on American newsstands. At last, the entire run of 11 issues of Humbug is being reprinted in a two-volume slipcased hardcover deluxe format, much of it reproduced from the original art, allowing even owners of the original cheaply-printed issues to experience the full impact for the first time. Nominated for a 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award: (Best Archival Collection/Project: Comic Books). "
Synopsis
Harvey Kurtzman changed the face of American humor when he created the legendary comic. As editor and chief writer from its inception in 1952, through its transformation into a slick magazine, and until he left in 1956, he influenced an entire generation of cartoonists, comedians, and filmmakers. In 1962, he co-created the long-running Little Annie Fanny with his long-time artistic partner Will Elder for , which he continued to produce until his virtual retirement in 1988. Between and , Kurtzman's biographical summaries will note that he created and edited three other magazines--, , and but, whereas his and are readily available in reprint form, his major satirical work in the interim period is virtually unknown. , which had poor distribution, may be the least known, but to those who treasure the rare original copies, it equals or even exceeds in displaying Kurtzman's creative genius. was unique in that it was actually published by the artists who created it: Kurtzman and his cohorts from --Will Elder, Jack Davis, and Al Jaffee--were joined by universally acclaimed cartoonist Arnold Roth. With no publisher above them to rein them in, this little band of creators produced some of the most trenchant and engaging satire of American culture ever to appear on American newsstands. At last, the entire run of 11 issues of is being reprinted in a two-volume slipcased hardcover deluxe format, much of it reproduced from the original art, allowing even owners of the original cheaply-printed issues to experience the full impact for the first time. Nominated for a 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award: (Best Archival Collection/Project: Comic Books).
Synopsis
You know MAD. Do you know Humbug?
Synopsis
Harvey Kurtzman changed the face of Americanhumor when he created the legendaryMADcomic. As editor and chief writer from itsinception in 1952, through its transformationinto a slick magazine, and untilhe left MAD in1956, he influenced an entire generation of cartoonists, comedians, andfilmmakers. In 1962, he co-created the long-running Little Annie Fanny with hislong-time artistic partner Will Elder forPlayboy, which hecontinued to produceuntil hisvirtual retirement in1988.
Between MAD andAnnieFanny, Kurtzman's biographical summaries will note that he created and edited threeothermagazines-Trump, Humbug, andHelp -but, whereas his MADand Annie Fanny arereadily available in reprintform, his major satirical work in theinterim period is virtually unknown. Humbug, which hadpoor distribution, may be the least known, but to those whotreasure the rare original copies, it equalsoreven exceeds MAD in displayingKurtzman'screative genius. Humbug wasunique in that it was actually published bytheartists who created it: Kurtzman and his cohortsfromMAD-Will Elder, Jack Davis, and Al Jaffee-were joined by universallyacclaimed cartoonist ArnoldRoth. With no publisher abovethem to rein them in, this little band ofcreators produced some of themost trenchant andengagingsatire of American culture ever to appear on American newsstands. At last, theentire run of 11 issues of Humbug isbeingreprinted in a two-volume slipcased hardcover deluxe format, much of itreproduced from the original art, allowing evenowners of theoriginal cheaply-printed issues toexperience the full impact for the firsttime.
Synopsis
Nominated for a 2010 Will Eisner Comic Industry Award: You know . Do you know ?
About the Author
One of America's most beloved and best known illustrators, Jack Davis was born in December 2, 1924 in Atlanta, Georgia, and still makes his home in the area.Harvey Kurtzman (b. 1924) passed away in 1993.Arnold Roth's cartoons and illustrations have appeared in The New Yorker, Playboy, and Esquire. He lives in New York City.