Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #15
Published September 1954
Cover Price $0.10
Pages 36
Editing Harvey Kurtzman
Notes Character appearances, Department names and other miscellaneous info for this issue added by Donald Dale Milne, December 2008.

Cover Details - "...a MAD tea party"

Characters Alice; Mad Hatter; March Hare; Doormouse
Synopsis An illustration from Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" with MAD comics added in the characters' hands.
Genre satire; parody
Pencils John Tenniel; ?
Inks John Tenniel; ?
Letters typeset
Reprinted in Mad About the Fifties (Little, Brown & Co., 1997 series) #[nn]

1 page promo (ad from the publisher) "Proof...Of 8 Brands Tested, Panic is best imitation of MAD"

Synopsis House ad for Panic and MAD subscriptions
Pencils Will Elder (signed)
Inks Will Elder (signed)
Reprinted in Comix: A History of Comic Books in America (Outerbridge & Dienstfrey, 1971 Series) #[nn]

8 page Newspaper Comics Dept. story "Gasoline Valley!"

Characters Wilt Willit; Skizziks Willit; Phyllus Willit; bully; Alexander Bumpstead; Juddy Willit; Caulky Willit; Nin O'Clock; Smilin' Jack (cameo); Wilber Booble; Cleavia Willit
Synopsis Where the question of "will Caulky ever grow" is answered.
Genre satire; parody
Script Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils Will Elder (signed)
Inks Will Elder (signed)
Colors Marie Severin ?
Notes A parody of the Gasoline Alley comic strip. Will Elder's signature grows larger with each page.
Reprinted in Mad Reader, The (Ballantine Books, 1954 series) #93

5 page Collectors' Item Dept. story "Pot-Shot Pete Sheriff of Yucca-pucca Gulch!"

Characters Pot-Shot Pete; Pot-Shot's girl; Poopy; Apaches; Muzzle; arms dealer; the U.S. Calvary
Synopsis Pot-Shot tries to halt arms sales to the Apaches.
Genre satire; parody; western
Script Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils Harvey Kurtzman (signed)
Inks Harvey Kurtzman (signed)
Colors Marie Severin ?
Notes A western parody.
Reprinted from John Wayne Adventure Comics (Toby, 1949 series) #6

1 page [Report From Abroad] text story "in Chinese"

Synopsis An analysis of the Chinese political situation -- in Chinese.
Genre satire; parody
Letters typeset
Notes "Potrzebie" appears several times in the text.

1 page E. C. Fan-Addict Club! promo (ad from the publisher) "Now...If You Join...You Get the Bulletin...Free!"

Synopsis House ad for the E.C. Fan-Addict fan Club.
Pencils Jack Davis (signed)
Inks Jack Davis (signed)
Colors Marie Severin ?

1 page MAD Mumblings letters page "MAD Mumblings"

Synopsis Letters of comment from John Davidson, Sparks NV; Charles Chapocon, Aiken SC; Bob Henning, Brooklyn NY; David Anderson, Washington DC; Daniel Markewich, New York NY; I. Carnel, Bay Saint Louis MS; Victor Goff, Ft. Bragg NC; Walt Place, Detroit MI;
Letters typeset

8 page Hollywood Dept. story "Wild 1/2"

Characters Johnny [played by Marlon Branflakes]; Johnny's gang; a girl; the girl's father
Synopsis Johnny and his gang give up motorcycles.
Genre satire; parody
Script Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils Wally Wood (signed)
Inks Wally Wood (signed)
Colors Marie Severin ?
Notes Parody of the movie "The Wild One."
Reprinted in Son of Mad (Signet Books, 1959 series) #S1701; MAD Special [MAD Super Special] (EC, 1970 series) #18

7 page T.V. Dept. story "Captain Tvideo!"

Characters Captain Tvideo; Venusian; Commissioner; Lone Ranger (cameo); assistant Ranger; commercial announcer
Synopsis A parody of the Captain Video television program.
Genre satire; parody
Script Harvey Kurtzman
Pencils Jack Davis (signed)
Inks Jack Davis (signed)
Colors Marie Severin ?
Reprinted in Mad Strikes Back (Ballantine Books, 1955 series) #106

1 page National Schools advertisement "Get Shop-Method Home Training"

Synopsis Ad for National Schools training courses.
Pencils ? (photograph)
Inks ? (photograph)
Letters typeset

1 page Cheerful Card Company advertisement "Do You Need Money?"

Synopsis Ad for Cheerful Card Company.
Letters typeset
Notes Inside back cover.

1 page Charles Atlas advertisement "Hey Skinny!"

Synopsis Ad for Charles Atlas body building booklet.
Pencils ?; ? (photo)
Inks ?; ? (photo)
Notes Back cover.