Humbug

After leaving his coveted role as editor of the increasingly popular Mad magazine and a short-lived attempt with Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame to create Trump, this time Harvey Kurtzman took matters into his own hands and pooled his own money with other artists and writers to form this early creator-owned humor publication. Though very funny, the one drawback to its success was its oddball size. Smaller than a standard comic book, yet larger than a typical digest, it got lost in the shuffle on the newsstand. By the time Kurtzman changed the size to a standard 8½”x11” magazine size, it was too late and the magazine was canceled shortly thereafter.

— Mark Arnold

Jump to issue:

#1

Aug 1957

Cover: $0.15

1 copy for $144.98
#2

Sep 1957

Cover: $0.15

1 copy for $119.98
#3

Oct 1957

Cover: $0.15

1 copy for $49.98
#4

Nov 1957

Cover: $0.15

1 copy for $29.98
#5

Dec 1957

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1 copy for $49.98
#6

Jan 1958

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1 copy for $79.98
#7

Feb 1958

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1 copy for $34.98
#8

Mar 1958

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1 copy for $59.98
#9

May 1958

Cover: $0.15

1 copy for $34.98
#10

May 1958

Cover: $0.25

2 copies from $34.00
Book #1 Deluxe Edition

Deluxe Edition; Hardcover

Feb 2009

Cover: $60.00

Collects Humbug #1-11 in two volumes with slipcase; Published by Fantagraphics

1 copy for $40.00