---
product_id: 86808468
title: "Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine"
brand: "maria reidelbach"
price: "$90.01"
currency: USD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 12
url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/86808468-completely-mad-a-history-of-the-comic-book-and-magazine
store_origin: US
region: United States of America
---

# Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine

**Brand:** maria reidelbach
**Price:** $90.01
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine by maria reidelbach
- **How much does it cost?** $90.01 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/86808468-completely-mad-a-history-of-the-comic-book-and-magazine)

## Best For

- maria reidelbach enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted maria reidelbach brand quality
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## Description

Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine

## Images

![Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91nNMF3yisL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Invaluable for the collector or reader or fan, of Mad Magazine/Comic!!
  

*by R***Z on Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2021*

Firstly, I would like to thank Booksonrange for the warp speed delivery of this wonderful book! To any fan of, or collector of, Mad Magazine/Comics this book is for you! Extremely informative, and utterly fascinating, this history of one of the greatest satire/humor magazines to ever be produced in America and abroad is very compelling reading. It is an invaluable tool for the Mad collector, as well. Dates, times, stories, and pure hard facts, make up this amazingly illustrated tale of Mad. Informative information on the production of, writers of, and exceptional artists of Mad is all contained herein. As well as the story of EC publishing; it's comics, and it's trials, and it's growing pains, that all conspired to bring about the birth of Mad. The compelling story of Mad's journey from early 1950's comic format, to the slick, super- successful magazine that it became. Seventy years of amazing history. The triumphant tale of a great piece of true Americana. This book has it all; well written, obviously well researched, and beautifully illustrated. As a collector of Mad back issues, as well as a lifelong fan and avid reader, I can honestly say that this book is well worth the asking price, and then some! My hat is off to the author Maria Reidelbach; well done!...and thank you.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    An Excellent Visual Companion to "The MAD World of William Gaines"
  

*by R***7 on Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2016*

Completely MAD was published in the early 1990's after 303 issues of MAD had come out.  Full of pictures & examples from the magazine, it tells of the history of MAD during its first 4 decades, with emphasis on the earlier times.  That was when MAD's foundations were built and cemented, from the comic-book days (issues 1-23) into the earlier and intermediate black/white satirical periods. Goes thru the "guest comedian" era (Bob & Ray, Henry Morgan, Sid Caesar etc.) to the inaugurations of great artists such as Don Martin, Sergio Aragones, Antonio Prohias, & others which were already aboard or came on later.  Through the Magazine satires, TV Show, Movie, Advertising satires, & the arrivals of Berg's Lighter Side and the Fold-In.Completely MAD's main purpose is to tell much of the goings-on with the magazine in its infancy and adolescence, visually. Includes a chapter covering Alfie's sprouting, beginnings, and roles as well; also sidebars with features of each member of the Usual Gang of Idiots (writers AND artists).  Small shots of each cover through Issue 303 are interspersed among the text and drawings.  Other chapters focus on advertising satires, MAD coined words and phrases ("furshlugginer", "potrzebie") and individual artwork.To appreciate greater all of this history, have Frank Jacobs' "The MAD World of William F. Gaines" on hand, which, being a mass-market opus (though hard to locate these days) isn't visually enhanced (save for a short section of color drawings midway through) but offers more details of the comings and goings of MAD personnel and background subplots of Gaines' early endeavors, especially with the early horror comics. Serves as an excellent cross-reference to the present volume.Would like to see a sequel to, or extension of Completely MAD, traversing the period of Gaines' passing (10 issues after this book's coverage), the advent of internal color articles, contributions of newer members of the Gang of Geniuses such as Duck Edwing, the Fundalini pages, and Tim Carvel (Planet TAD!) and new regular features such as the annual MAD 20 Dumbest.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Great gift for my Brother
  

*by M***E on Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2024*

This was a Christmas gift for my Brother and he liked it so much! Informed me that it was written before Warner bros bought it out. Such a great gem to find!

## Frequently Bought Together

- Completely Mad: A History of the Comic Book and Magazine
- Little, Brown Mad About the Sixties: The Best of the Decade

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*Product available on Desertcart United States of America*
*Store origin: US*
*Last updated: 2026-03-21*