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Issue: Mad #4
Publication Date: April 1953
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Disclose Detail
Issues: #4 of 550 Issues (622 Printings)
Title:
Variant: unnamed
Rating:
Publisher: FlagEC
Brand: EC An Entertaining ComicView Brand Images2
Indicia Publisher: Educational Comics Inc.
On Sale Date: 01/09/1953
Volume: 1
Pages: 36
ISBN: none
UPC/EAN: none
Price: $0.10 USD
Indicia Frequency:
Content Items: 13 (6 stories, 1 cover)
Editor(s):  
Disclose Notes: On sale date as listed in the Catalog of Copyright Entries, Periodicals, January-June 1953, page 92, registration number B394053.
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Disclose Format
Publication Type: Comic Book
Color: color (#1-23, 400-550); color cover with black & white interior (#24-399)
Dimensions: standard Golden Age US (#1-23); magazine size (#24 onward)
Paper Stock: glossy cover
Binding: saddle-stitched
Publishing Format: Was Ongoing Series
Format Notes:  
Disclose Reprinted In20
Disclose Reprinted From0
There is currently no data for this Issue being reprinted from anywhere.
Disclose Images3
Cover, Front
Original Artwork
Digital Edition
Adult Image
Title Page
Indicia on this Page
 
 
Cover, Front
Original Artwork
Digital Edition
Adult Image
Title Page
Indicia on this Page
 
 
Cover, Front
Original Artwork
Digital Edition
Adult Image
Title Page
Indicia on this Page
 
 
Assets1
Indicia
 
 
spacer
Disclose Content Items (13 total)
Disclose Issue Images
[untitled]

Illustration  on  Cover, Front
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Feature(s): Mad
Character(s): Melvin
First Line: Kill me? Don't be absurd!
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagMad #4 published May 1953
as [untitled] [Illustration on Cover, Front]
In Content Item: FlagMad Special [Mad Super Special] #28 published January 1979
as The Nostalgic Mad #7 [Cover Reprint (on Interior Page) on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as Mad No. 4] [Ways To Kill Your Lover Cover [Cover Reprint (on Interior Page) on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagMad about the Fifties #[nn] [Standard Edition] published January 1997
as Mad comic book covers [Cover Reprint (on Interior Page) on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Marie Severin addressed on at least two occasions the coloring of art created or edited by Harvey Kurtzman. In remarks published in 1995, she said “Kurtzman colored his own art, especially on covers​.” And in response to a 1986 question about Kurtzman and MAD covers, she said “Now I might have interpreted, but I don’t remember. I think he did every one of them. I might have helped out with some production or something, but it’s all Harvey” (Ringgenberg 2016, 88).
_________
References:

Cassell, Dewey, with Aaron Sultan. 2012. “The Artists of EC Comics” (reprinting Severin 1995). In Marie Severin: The Mirthful Mistress of Comics. 46–47. Raleigh: TwoMorrows Publishing.

Ringgenberg, Steven. 2016. “Marie Severin.” In The Comics Journal Library Vol. 10: The EC Artists Part 2, edited by Michael Dean, 84–95. Seattle: Fantagraphics Books.

Ringgenberg, Steven. [2016] 2018. “An Interview with Marie Severin.” The Comics Journal, September 5. Accessed June 18, 2023. https://www.tcj.com/an-interview-with-marie-severin.

Severin, Marie (John Province, transcriber [uncredited]). 1995. “Mostly about Color.” In CFA-APA 36, January.
Disclose
[untitled]

Letters Page  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Letterer(s): typeset
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Letters from Jimmy Phelan, Mrs. C. Peterson, Martin McReynolds, Larry Stark, Melvyn Davees, Angelo T. Boni, Paul Isaacs, Carole Luis, with header illustration. On inside front cover.
Disclose
Superduperman!

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Character(s): Superduperman [Clark Bent]; Lois Pain; Copy Boy; W. Twitchell; Captain Marbles [Billy Spafon]
First Line: Faster than a speeding bullet! Ka-pweeng!
Synopsis: Superduperman defeats Captain Marbles by causing Marbles to punch himself out, but Superduperman still can't make it with Lois.
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagThe Mad Reader #93 [1] published November 1954
as Superduperman! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagA Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics #[nn] published January 1981
as Superduperman! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as Superduperman! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagMad about the Fifties #[nn] [Standard Edition] published January 1997
as Superduperman! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 8
Disclose Notes: A parody of both Superman and Captain Marvel.
Disclose
Flob Was a Slob!

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Character(s): Ramona Snarfle; Sheldon Flob; Rackstraw Him
First Line: Ramona Snarfle was a typical American girl...
Synopsis: Ramona is engaged to slobby, boring Flob but is smitten by the newcomer Rackstraw and follows Rackstraw into a life of crime.
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as Flob Was a Slob! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 7
Disclose Notes: A parody of romance comics.
Disclose
We at E.C. Are Proudest of Our Science-Fiction Magazines!

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Writer(s): ?
Letterer(s): typeset
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 0.5
Disclose Notes: House ad for E.C. comics featuring Weird Fantasy #18.
Disclose
The Parole

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Letterer(s): typeset
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Character(s): Tumblers Tympannus; Tiberious O'Leary
First Line: Tumblers Tympannus was cultivating a rock garden...
Synopsis: Tumblers is temporarily paroled from prison to help free someone from a bank vault, but the police don't hold up their end of the bargain and he is reimprisoned.
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as The Parole [Text Story on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Text story with an illustration, spread across two pages, half on each.

Script: Sources vary. De Fuccio credit is from "Totally MAD" CD collection. Kitchen and Buhle assert that “Harvey Kurtzman wrote every word from front to back” of this issue (2009, 83).
_________
Reference:

Kitchen, Denis, and Paul Buhle. 2009. The Art of Harvey Kurtzman: The Mad Genius of Comics. New York: Abrams ComicArts.
Disclose
[untitled]

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Writer(s): ?
Colorist(s): ?
Letterer(s): typeset
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 0.5
Disclose Notes: House ad for Picture Stories comics with order blank.
Disclose
Let’s Deplore Your Mind

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Letterer(s): typeset
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Character(s): Cosmo McMoon; J. Remington Seaworth (letter writer); A. Distraught Bum (letter write); Oxo Radar (letter writer)
First Line: Editor's Note : This column represents the sober side of Mad.
Synopsis: A fake letters column with Cosmo answering the letters.
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as Let's Deplore Your Mind [Text Story on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Text story with an illustration.

Script: Sources vary. De Fuccio credit is from "Totally MAD" CD collection. Kitchen and Buhle assert that “Harvey Kurtzman wrote every word from front to back” of this issue (see Indexer Notes for “The Parole,” above).
Disclose
Robin Hood!

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Character(s): Robin Hood; Big John; Sparkie; Alan Adaile; Friar Tuck; Little John; Happy; Sneezy; Sleepy; Doc; Dopey; Bashful; Grumpy; Maid Marion
First Line: It takes two ta tango...
Synopsis: After robbing a sheriff's posse, Robin Hood and his gang rob Big John and Sparkie of their last two cents.
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagUtterly Mad #4 published October 1956
as Robin Hood [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagUtterly Mad #4 published December 1963
as Robin Hood! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as Robin Hood! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 6
Disclose Notes: A parody of Robin Hood.
Disclose
Shadow!

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Subject Matter
Genres: humorous
Character(s): Margo Pain; Lamont Shadowskeedeeboomboom
First Line: I am Margo Pain...Friend and companion!
Synopsis: Lamont kills Margo to preserve the secret of his identity.
Reprinting
In Content Item: FlagThe Brothers Mad #5 [unnamed variant] published October 1958
as Shadow [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagThe Brothers Mad #267K published May 1960
as Shadow [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagThe Brothers Mad #5 (U2105) published December 1963
as Shadow [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagThe Brothers Mad #5 (24331) published January 1975
as Shadow! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
In Content Item: FlagTales Calculated to Drive You Mad #2 published January 1997
as Shadow! [Story on Interior Page(s)]
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 7
Disclose Notes: A parody of The Shadow.
Disclose
Electronic Walkie-Talkies!

Advertisement  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Writer(s): ?
Penciller(s): ?
Inker(s): ?
Colorist(s): ?; ? (photo)
Letterer(s): typeset
Editor(s): ?
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Ad for Remco walkie-talkies and Magic Leaf tarnish remover. Drawn in comic style. C. G. G. Products Co.
Disclose
I Gained 60 lbs. of Handsome Hard-Hitting Muscles!

Advertisement  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Writer(s): ?
Penciller(s): ? (photo)
Inker(s): ? (photo)
Letterer(s): typeset
Subject Matter
Character(s): John Sill; George Jowett
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Ad for body-building method. On inside back cover.
Disclose
How To Fix Any Part of Any Car

Advertisement  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Writer(s): ?
Penciller(s): ?
Inker(s): ?
Colorist(s): ?
Letterer(s): typeset
Editor(s): ?
Reprinting
Reprint Notes:  
Miscellaneous
Pages: 1
Disclose Notes: Ad for auto repair manuals. On back cover.

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