From MAD to Humbug

The legendary Harvey Kurtzman revolutionised American satire with the creation of MAD magazine in 1952, editing it until 1956 and going on to create Little Annie Fanny for Playboy in 1962. In between these two milestones - and virtually forgotten - was the short-lived Humbug, an exquisite satirical work that, over its 11 issues, routinely equalled MAD in its displays of creative genius. Self-published by Kurtzman and featuring esteemed MAD artists Will Elder, Jack Davis and Al Jaffee, as well as the universally acclaimed cartoonist Arnold Roth, Humbug made the most of its free rein, providing a level of trenchant satire that was almost unheard of at the time.

Danny Graydon