satire
Satire is a genre of the visual, literary, and performing arts, usually in the form of fiction and less frequently non-fiction, in which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, often with the intent of exposin ...
and
humor
Humour ( Commonwealth English) or humor (American English) is the tendency of experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement. The term derives from the humoral medicine of the ancient Greeks, which taught that the balance of fluids i ...
magazine
A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...
that was published by
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
from 1973 to 1983 for a total of 94 regular issues (and a ''Super Special'' (Summer 1975)). It was preceded by two standard-format comic book series titled ''Crazy''. The magazine's format followed in the tradition of '' Mad'', '' Sick'', ''
Cracked
Cracked may refer to: Television
* ''Cracked'' (British TV series), a 2008 British comedy-drama television series that aired on STV
* ''Cracked'' (Canadian TV series), a 2013 Canadian crime drama series that aired on CBC
* "Cracked", a Season 8 ( ...
comic book
A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...
artists and writers contributed to the effort in the early years. These included
Stan Lee
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...
,
Will Eisner
William Erwin Eisner ( ; March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series '' The Spirit'' (1940–1952) wa ...
,
Vaughn Bodé
Vaughn may refer to:
People
*Vaughn (surname), list of notable people with the surname
;As a given name:
* Vaughn Bodē (1941–1975), underground comics writer
* Vaughn Duggins (born 1987), American basketball player
* Vaughn Flora (1945–2022) ...
,
Frank Kelly Freas
Frank Kelly Freas (August 27, 1922 – January 2, 2005) was an American artist known for his work in science fiction and fantasy, with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was known as the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists" and he was the s ...
,
Harvey Kurtzman
Harvey Kurtzman (; October 3, 1924 – February 21, 1993) was an American cartoonist and editor. His best-known work includes writing and editing the parodic comic book ''Mad (magazine), Mad'' from 1952 until 1956, and writing the ...
,
Mike Ploog
Michael G. Ploog (; born July 13, 1940 or 1942) is an American storyboard and comic book artist, and a visual designer for films.
In comics, Ploog is best known for his work on Marvel Comics' 1970s ''Man-Thing'' and '' The Monster of Frankenstein ...
,
Basil Wolverton
Basil Wolverton (July 9, 1909 – December 31, 1978) at the
Marie Severin
Marie Severin (; August 21, 1929 – August 29, 2018) was an American comics artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics. She is an inductee of the Will Eisner Comics Hall of Fame and the Harvey Awards ...
,
Mike Carlin
Michael Carlin (born October 6, 1958) is an American comic book writer, editing, editor, and executive. He has worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics since the 1970s.
Early life
Carlin attended the High School of Art and Design in M ...
, editor
Marv Wolfman
Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's ''The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade (character), Blade, and DC Comi ...
and executive editor
Roy Thomas
Roy William Thomas Jr."Roy Thomas Checklist" ''Alter Ego'' vol. 3, #50 (July 2005) p. 16 (born November 22, 1940) is an American comic book writer and editor. He was Stan Lee's first successor as editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics and possibly bes ...
. Mainstream writers like
Harlan Ellison
Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave science fiction, New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. His published wo ...
and
Art Buchwald
Arthur Buchwald (; October 20, 1925 – January 17, 2007) was an American humorist best known for his column in ''The Washington Post''. At the height of his popularity, it was published nationwide as a syndicated column in more than 500 newspape ...
also contributed.
Lee Marrs
Lee Marrs (born September 5, 1945) is an American cartoonist and animator, and one of the first female underground comix creators. She is best known for her comic book series ''The Further Fattening Adventures of Pudge, Girl Blimp'', which lasted ...
supplied a few pictures. In addition to drawn art, ''Crazy'' experimented with
fumetti
Photo comics are a form of sequential storytelling using photographs rather than illustrations for the images, along with the usual comics conventions of narrative text and word balloons containing dialogue. They are sometimes referred to in ...
.
History
Marvel Comics (then known as Atlas Comics) first published a ''Crazy'' comic book in 1953. It ran for seven issues, through mid-1954, and was focused on popular culture parodies and humor. The second comic title, as ''Crazy!'', ran for three issues in 1973, and reprinted comics parodies from Marvel's late-1960s ''
Not Brand Echh
''Not Brand Echh'' is a satiric comic book series published by Marvel Comics that parodied its own superhero stories as well as those of other comics publishers. Running for 13 issues ( cover-dated Aug. 1967 to May 1969), it included among its ...
''. Later that year, Marvel repurposed the title for a black-and-white comics magazine.
Marv Wolfman
Marvin Arthur Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an American comic book and novelization writer. He worked on Marvel Comics's ''The Tomb of Dracula'', for which he and artist Gene Colan created the vampire-slayer Blade (character), Blade, and DC Comi ...
edited the first ten issues from 1973–1975 and the first ''Super Special'', and created the magazine's first mascot, a short, bug-eyed man in a large black hat and draped in a black cape. Initially unnamed, the mascot was dubbed "The Nebbish" in issue #9 (Feb. 1975) and later "Irving Nebbish". Wolfman recalled, "
Stan Lee
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber ; December 28, 1922 – November 12, 2018) was an American comic book author, writer, editor, publisher, and producer. He rose through the ranks of a family-run business called Timely Comics which later bec ...
Cracked
Cracked may refer to: Television
* ''Cracked'' (British TV series), a 2008 British comedy-drama television series that aired on STV
* ''Cracked'' (Canadian TV series), a 2013 Canadian crime drama series that aired on CBC
* "Cracked", a Season 8 ( ...
'', where I wanted it more ''
Lampoon
Lampoon may refer to:
*Parody, a satirical imitative creative work
*Amphol Lampoon (born 1963), Thai actor and singer
*''The Harvard Lampoon'', an American humor magazine
** ''National Lampoon'' (magazine), an American humor magazine
***National L ...
''. We sort of split the difference."
Steve Gerber
Stephen Ross Gerber (; September 20, 1947 – February 10, 2008) was an American comic book writer and creator of the satiric Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck. Other works include '' Man-Thing'', ''Omega the Unknown,'' ''Marvel Spotlight ...
, who served as ''Crazy''s editor from issues #11-14, and wanted it to be distinctive from the archetypal ''Mad'', said that the goal was to present work that implied the creators were themselves insane.Scott Edelman interviews Steve Gerber (1975) YouTube. Accessed Dec. 12, 2011. 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
Paul I. Laikin (October 24, 1927 – May 12, 2012) was an American comedy writer-editor for books, television, recordings, trading cards and magazines, including '' Mad'' and ''New York''. Satirist Jay Lynch commented, "He was an important figure ...
edited #16-60 and #62 (May 1980). Lamont was a pen name for Laikin.
By 1979, ''Crazy'' was struggling in sales. 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
Larry Hama (; born June 7, 1949) is an People of the United States, American comic-book writer, artist, actor, and musician who has worked in the fields of entertainment and publishing since the 1960s.
During the 1970s, he was seen in minor roles ...
, who had also edited issue #61 (April 1980).
''Crazy Magazine''s last issue was #94 (April 1983).
In December 2019, Marvel published a one-shot ''Crazy'' featuring new material and two variant covers. Mark Paniccia was the editor. This issue was reprinted, along with other superhero-related features from ''Crazy'' #9, #20, #22, #28, #31, #39, #42, #57, #59-60, #62-63, #65-66, #68-72, #75-90 and #92-94, in a 248-page trade paperback the following year.
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
The Hulk is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of ''The Incredible Hulk (comic book), The Incredible Hulk ...
-like character played for laughs
* Retread Funnies—classic
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is a New York City–based comic book publishing, publisher, a property of the Walt Disney Company since December 31, 2009, and a subsidiary of Disney Publishing Worldwide since March 2023. Marvel was founded in 1939 by Martin G ...
stories presented with new dialogue
* New
Howard the Duck
Howard the Duck is a character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Steve Gerber, based very loosely on his college friend Howard Tockman, and artist Val Mayerik. Howard the Duck firs ...
stories-usually one-page gag strips
* The Nebbish—multi-part story featuring Crazy's original mascot as well as
Alfred E. Neuman
Alfred E. Neuman is the fictitious mascot and cover boy of the American humor magazine '' Mad''. The character's distinct smiling face, gap-toothed smile, freckles, red hair, protruding ears, and scrawny body date back to late 19th-century ad ...
and other humor magazine mascots
* Obnoxio the Clown Fun Pages-double-page puzzle and game parody
* Page O'Stuff-page of unrelated gags and cartoons written and drawn by
Mike Carlin
Michael Carlin (born October 6, 1958) is an American comic book writer, editing, editor, and executive. He has worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics since the 1970s.
Early life
Carlin attended the High School of Art and Design in M ...
* Evolution and History of Moosekind-history of the world done with moose written and drawn by Bob Foster
* Commercials that Drive You Crazy-TV commercial parodies, usually one page
* Poli-tickles-political comic panels and strips
* Lights On, Nobody: Crazy's Craziest Radio Show-old-time radio drama parody
* Just Plain Folks-fictional biographies
* Kelly's Kockeyed Kanvas-parodies of classic paintings by
Kelly Freas
Frank Kelly Freas (August 27, 1922 – January 2, 2005) was an American people, American artist known for his work in science fiction and fantasy, with a career spanning more than 50 years. He was known as the "Dean of Science Fiction Artists" ...
* Comic book parodies-examples include "Kaspar, the Dead Baby", "Ritchie Retch", and "The Brownstones"
* Crazy's Crazies-comic panels and strips usually with a single theme
* The Gleeful Guide to Astrology-reprints from the book by
Will Eisner
William Erwin Eisner ( ; March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series '' The Spirit'' (1940–1952) wa ...
* Crazy News of the Month-newspaper parody
* Believe It or Else!-
Ripley's Believe It or Not!
''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals with bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' ...
parody
* The Eleventh Hour Special-
The Midnight Special (TV series)
''The Midnight Special'' is an American late-night musical variety series originally broadcast on NBC from 1972 to 1981, created and produced by Burt Sugarman. It premiered as a TV special on August 19, 1972, and then began its run as a regular ...
parody with parody song lyrics
* Fantasy vs. Reality-single page feature
* Dirk McGirk-diary parody by
Mike Carlin
Michael Carlin (born October 6, 1958) is an American comic book writer, editing, editor, and executive. He has worked principally for Marvel Comics and DC Comics since the 1970s.
Early life
Carlin attended the High School of Art and Design in M ...
* Aunty Nuke-comic story
* Crazy's Gross Encounters-single page comic strip by Dave Manak or
Bobby London
Robert London (born June 29, 1950) is an American underground comix and mainstream comics artist. His style evokes the work of early American cartoonists such as George Herriman, Cliff Sterrett and Elzie Crisler Segar.
Biography
As a child, Lond ...
Cultural references
The publication was referenced in ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' episode "
Separate Vocations
"Separate Vocations" is the eighteenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on February 27, 1992.
In the episode, the students of Springfiel ...
".
Principal Skinner
Principal Seymour Skinner is a recurring fictional character in the animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'', who is voiced by Harry Shearer. He is the principal of Springfield Elementary School, which he struggles to control, and is constantly enga ...
shows
Bart Simpson
Bartholomew Jo-Jo "Bart" Simpson is a character in the American animated television series ''The Simpsons'' who is part of the titular family. Bart made his television debut in the short " Good Night" on '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' on Apri ...
some of the confiscated contraband in a storeroom at
Springfield Elementary School
Springfield is the primary fictional setting of the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and related media. It is an average-sized, fictional city within an unknown state in the United States. The fictional city's geography, surroundings ...
Cracked
Cracked may refer to: Television
* ''Cracked'' (British TV series), a 2008 British comedy-drama television series that aired on STV
* ''Cracked'' (Canadian TV series), a 2013 Canadian crime drama series that aired on CBC
* "Cracked", a Season 8 ( ...