Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

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.