{"product_id":"mad-the-complete-harvey-kurtzman-years","title":"MAD: The Complete Harvey Kurtzman Years","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis is the EC collection fans have been waiting for: it's the entire original run of \u003cem\u003eMAD\u003c\/em\u003e comics and early issues of the magazine, from creator, editor, writer and cover artist \u003cstrong\u003eHarvey Kurtzman\u003c\/strong\u003e, all packed into a lavish five-volume collector’s box set, presenting each issue in oversized facsimile, with extensive notes and historical essays. Following \u003cem\u003eMAD's\u003c\/em\u003e creation by Kurtzman, the core artists  – \u003cstrong\u003eWill Elder\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eWally Wood\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eJack Davis\u003c\/strong\u003e and at first \u003cstrong\u003eJohn Severin\u003c\/strong\u003e – all found themselves inspired by the opportunity to turn from horror or adventure comics to humor, turning out some of the best work of their comics careers – and going on to mainstream success from the name recognition that \u003cem\u003eMAD\u003c\/em\u003e gave them.\n\nIn 1952, the first \u003cem\u003eMAD\u003c\/em\u003e comic was created as a way for Harvey Kurtzman to do something quick and easy in between his elaborately researched war comics for EC. Against all odds, sales success soon turned it into his main job and inspired him to expand from goofy parodies of other comics into even zanier satires that revealed to the kids of America how hypocritical the adults, and the entire structure of society and capitalism around them, truly were.\n\nBy 1955, Kurtzman was ready to move on to grown-up magazine publishing – but seized an opportunity to convert \u003cem\u003eMAD\u003c\/em\u003e into a magazine first. With the same stable of artists, and a few new contributors from TV (\u003cstrong\u003eErnie Kovacs\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eRoger Price\u003c\/strong\u003e), radio (\u003cstrong\u003eStan Freberg\u003c\/strong\u003e) and newspapers, he converted the color comic to a black-and-white magazine that aimed its satire at kids and adults alike – and went on to even greater success. Kurtzman himself, and most of his artists, moved on after five issues. Those five issues (#24-28), alongside the initial 23 comics, are given their first complete reprint here – as well as two legacy issues containing work Kurtzman left behind, plus extensive notes, and historical essays. These are the issues that shaped the sensibilities of just about all American humor for decades to come – finally available in one place for the first time!\n\n\u003cstrong\u003eRush Service and International shipping could require an additional charge.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"vendor-unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59643979759902,"sku":"MADCHKH","price":275.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0999\/0684\/7006\/files\/MADHKH-MAD-kurtzman-years.jpg?v=1784525292","url":"https:\/\/shop.budsartbooks.com\/products\/mad-the-complete-harvey-kurtzman-years","provider":"Bud's Art Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}