Issue Details

Issue	#1
Published	October-November 1952
Cover Price	0.10 USD
Pages	36
Editing	Harvey Kurtzman
Notes	See also cover to Walt Disney's Donald Duck Adventures (Disney, 1990) #11.

Cover Details - "It's Melvin!"

Genre	Satire
Pencils	Harvey Kurtzman
Inks	Harvey Kurtzman
Colors	Marie Severin
Notes	See also cover to Walt Disney's Donald Duck Adventures (Disney, 1990) #11.
Reprinted	In Tales Calculated To Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #1 (Summer 1997); Millennium Edition: Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad 1 (DC, 2000 Series) #[nn] (February 2000)

1 page MAD Mumblings foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "MAD Mumblings"

Genre	Satire; Editorial
Script	Harvey Kurtzman; William Gaines
Letters	typeset
Notes	On inside front cover.

8 page Terror Dept. story "Hoohah!"

Characters	Galusha; Daphne; Melvin The Caretaker; two unnamed Silver Avengers kids
Synopsis	Two youngsters run out of gas and enter a house they think is haunted.
Genre	Satire; Humor; Horror
Script	Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils	Jack Davis
Inks	Jack Davis
Colors	Marie Severin
Notes	A parody of the E.C. horror comics stories.
Reprinted	In Tales Calculated To Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #1 (Summer 1997); Millennium Edition: Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad 1 (DC, 2000 Series) #[nn] (February 2000)

7 page Science-Fiction Dept. story "Blobs!"

Characters	Melvin; Alfred
Synopsis	Alfred outlines a terrible thought he has about the end of humanity.
Genre	science fiction; humor
Script	Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils	Wally Wood (signed)
Inks	Wally Wood (signed)
Colors	Marie Severin
Reprinted	From Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (E.C., 1997 series) #1

1 page E.C. comics promo (ad from the publisher) "E.C. Fans!"

Colors	Marie Severin
Letters	typeset
Notes	House ad for other E.C. comics. Printed as two ½ pages in bookend fashion around text story sequence.

1 page Cosmo McMoon text story "Enter Cosmo McMoon!"

Characters	Captain O'Malley; Omar Kayak; Mrs. Kayak; Cosmo McMoon
Synopsis	Cosmo solves(?) a missing person case.
Genre	humor
Script	Harvey Kurtzman
Colors	Marie Severin
Letters	Typeset
Notes	Text story with an illustration.
Reprinted	in Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (E.C., 1997 series) #4

1 page text story "Crow Vadis?"

Characters	Tiberius O'Leary
Synopsis	Story of how a Roman soldier invented the chalkboard eraser.
Genre	humor
Script	Harvey Kurtzman
Colors	Marie Severin
Letters	typeset
Notes	Text story with an illustration.
Reprinted	in Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (E.C., 1997 sseries) #1

6 page Crime Dept. story "Ganefs!"

Characters	Bumble; Bumble's boss
Synopsis	A perfect crime is hatched but Bumble fumbles.
Genre	crime; humor
Script	Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils	Bill Elder [as B. Elder]
Inks	Bill Elder [as B. Elder]
Colors	Marie Severin
Reprinted	in Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (E.C., 1997 series) #1; Son Of Mad (Signet Books, 1959 series) #S1701

7 page Western Dept. story "Varmint!"

Characters	Textron Quickdraw; Saddlesore; Kickiminabelly Kelly; Slippery Sam; The Pig-Faced Kid
Synopsis	Textron is hunting the killer of Melvin and kills every suspect.
Genre	western; humor
Script	Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils	John Severin [as J. Severin]
Inks	John Severin [as J. Severin]
Colors	Marie Severin
Reprinted	in Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (E.C., 1997 series) #1

1 page Consumers Mart advertisement "Super Powerful!"

Letters	typeset
Notes	Ad for binoculars.

1 page Jowett Institute of Physical Training advertisement "I Gained 53 lbs. of Shapley Power-Packed Muscles!"

Characters	Roger Hirsch; George F. Jowett
Pencils	? (photo)
Inks	? (photo)
Letters	typeset
Notes	Ad for body-building method. On inside back cover.

1 page Motor's Auto Repair Manuals advertisement "How To Fix Any Part of Any Car"

Letters	typeset
Notes	Ad for auto repair books. On back cover.