Crazy Magazine
 | |
| Editor |
Marv Wolfman (1973–1975) Steve Gerber (1975) Paul Laikin (1976 – 1980) Larry Hama (1980) |
|---|---|
| Categories | Satirical magazine |
| Frequency | monthly |
| Publisher | Marvel Comics |
| First issue | October 1973 |
| Final issue | April 1983 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Crazy Magazine was an illustrated satire and humor magazine, and was published by Marvel Comics from 1973 to 1983 for a total of 94 regular issues (and two "Super Specials", Summer 1975, 1980).[1] It was preceded by a standard-size comic book titled Crazy, consisting of reprints from Not Brand Echh, which lasted three issues.
Many comic book artists and writers contributed to the effort in the early years. These included Stan Lee, Will Eisner, Vaughn Bodé, Frank Kelly Freas, Harvey Kurtzman, Mike Ploog, Basil Wolverton, Marie Severin, Mike Carlin, editor Marv Wolfman and executive editor Roy Thomas. Mainstream writers like Harlan Ellison and Art Buchwald also contributed. Lee Marrs supplied a few pictures. In addition to drawn art, Crazy experimented with fumetti.
Background
A comic book-format title called Crazy, Man, Crazy was published by Humor Magazines (Charlton Comics Group)'s for two issues from Dec. 1955–June 1955. (The title was formerly called From Here to Insanity and This Magazine is...? before becoming Crazy, Man, Crazy.) The first issue's indicia page features a picture of Elmer Zilch, often found in Ballyhoo but credited to a McManus McGargle.
History
Marv Wolfman edited the first ten issues from 1973–1975 and the first "Super Special", and created the magazine's first mascot, Irving Nebbish, a short, bug-eyed man in a large black hat and draped in a black cape.
Steve Gerber, who served as Crazy's editor from issues #11-14, and wanted it to be distinctive from the archteypal Mad, said that the goal was to present work that implied the creators were themselves insane.[2] Gerber's own contributions were often prose stories with a handful of illustrations, such as the "Just Plain Folks" series of bizarre biographies. The last issue of his run as editor included a darkly comic short story he wrote in college, "...And the Birds Hummed Dirges!", about high-school kids who make a suicide pact.
Paul Lamont edited issue #15 (Jan. 1976) and Paul Laikin edited #16-60 and #62 (May 1980).
In 1980, the Irving Nebbish mascot was replaced with the belligerent Obnoxio the Clown, who made his first appearance in issue #63 (June 1980), the first regular issue edited by Larry Hama, who had also edited issue #61 (April 1980).
In 1982 a Dutch version of Crazy was published by Juniorpress. The only editor, translator and contributor of the four issues was Ger Apeldoorn.
Crazy Magazine's last issue was #94 (April 1983).
Recurring features
- The Kinetic Kids—two pages flipped back and forth to create an illusion of motion
- The Teen Hulk—teenager who becomes a Hulk-like character played for laughs
- Retread Funnies—classic Marvel Comics stories presented with new dialogue
Cultural references
The publication was referenced in The Simpsons episode "Separate Vocations". Principal Skinner shows Bart Simpson some of the confiscated contraband in a storeroom at Springfield Elementary School: "Complete collections of Mad, Cracked, and even the occasional issue of Crazy!"
See also
- Mad imitators and variants
References
- ↑ Crazy Magazine comics from The Big Comic Book Database Retrieved August 2008.
- ↑ Scott Edelman interviews Steve Gerber (1975), YouTube. Accessed Dec. 12, 2011.