Publishers / EC / Mad (1952) / #4
4April-May 1953
$0.10

Mad #4

EC · April-May 1953 · on sale 1953-01-09

First appearance: Clark BentFirst appearance: Superduperman
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
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Identification plate

Series
Mad (EC, 1952 series)
Issue
#4
Publication date
April-May 1953
Key date
1953-04-00
On-sale date
1953-01-09
Indicia publisher
Educational Comics Inc.
Price
$0.10
Pages
36

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Clark Bent - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Superduperman - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0Madcover1script: Harvey Kurtzman; pencils: Harvey Kurtzman; inks: Harvey Kurtzman; colors: Harvey Kurtzman, Marie Severin; letters: Harvey KurtzmanMelvin
1-letters page1script: Harvey Kurtzman, William Gaines; pencils: Harvey Kurtzman; inks: Harvey Kurtzman
2Superduperman!comic story8script: Harvey Kurtzman; pencils: Wally Wood; inks: Wally Wood; colors: Marie Severin; letters: Ben OdaClark Bent First, Lois Lane, Superduperman First
3Flob Was a Slob!comic story7script: Harvey Kurtzman; pencils: Jack Davis; inks: Jack Davis; colors: Marie Severin; letters: Ben OdaRamona Snarfle; Sheldon Flob; Rackstraw Him
4We at E.C. Are Proudest of Our Science-Fiction Magazines!promo (ad from the publisher)0.5pencils: Al Williamson; inks: Al Feldstein; colors: Marie Severin
5The Paroletext story1script: Jerry De Fuccio; pencils: Harvey Kurtzman; inks: Harvey Kurtzman; colors: Marie SeverinTumblers Tympannus; Tiberious O'Leary
6-promo (ad from the publisher)0.5pencils: Don Cameron; inks: Don Cameron
7Let’s Deplore Your Mindtext story1script: Jerry De Fuccio; pencils: Harvey Kurtzman; inks: Harvey Kurtzman; colors: Marie SeverinCosmo McMoon; J. Remington Seaworth (letter writer); A. Distraught Bum (letter write); Oxo Radar (letter writer)
8Robin Hood!comic story6script: Harvey Kurtzman; pencils: John Severin; inks: John Severin; colors: Marie Severin; letters: Ben OdaBashful, Doc, Dopey, Friar Tuck, Grumpy, Happy, Little John, Robin Hood, Sleepy, Sneezy
9Shadow!comic story7script: Harvey Kurtzman; pencils: Bill Elder; inks: Bill Elder; colors: Marie Severin; letters: Ben OdaLamont Cranston, Margo Lane, The Shadow

Plus 3 pages of advertisements and other matter across 3 sequences, as published.

Where to read it

CollectionYear
The Mad Reader #93 [1]1954On eBay ›
Utterly Mad #41956On eBay ›
The Brothers Mad #5 (U2105)1963On eBay ›
A Smithsonian Book of Comic-Book Comics #[nn]
ISBN 0-87474-228-5; 0-8109-0696-1
1981On eBay ›
Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad #21997On eBay ›
Mad about the Fifties #[nn]1997On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #91972On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #151975On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #281979On eBay ›
The Brothers Mad #51958On eBay ›
The Brothers Mad #5 (24331)1975On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Golden-age paper is brittle. Ask about page suppleness and check edges for chips in the photos.
  • Check for trimmed edges, married covers, and clipped coupons - all common on books this old.
  • Confirm the indicia matches this plate; many golden-age titles changed names mid-run.

Series context

‹ #34 of 550#5 ›

Sources

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com