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

Issue Details

Issue #5
Published June - July 1953
Cover Price 0.10 USD
Pages 36
Editing Harvey Kurtzman

Cover Details - "You Say You Lost Your Voice..."

Characters Kane Keen
Genre humor
Pencils Bill Elder (signed)
Inks Bill Elder (signed)
Colors Marie Severin
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002)

1 page William M. Gaines text article The EC "Publisher of The Issue"

Characters William M. Gaines [Melvin]
Synopsis A fake biography of William M. Gaines.
Genre satire
Letters typeset
Notes On inside front cover.
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002)

8 page Horror Dept. story "Outer Sanctum!"

Characters Ramon; The Professor; Heap
Synopsis The Professor creates Heap and uses him to rob banks until Heap leaves to find a mate.
Genre satire
Pencils Bill Elder (signed)
Inks Bill Elder (signed)
Colors Marie Severin
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1; Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #2; Bedside Mad, The (Ballantine Books, 1959 series) #S1647; Bedside Mad, The (Ballantine Books, 1959 series) #D2316; Bedside Mad, The (Ballantine Books, 1959 series) #P3520

7 page Hero Worship Dept. story "Black And Blue Hawks!"

Characters Saddlesore; Saurbratten; Robespierre; Boss Hawk; Yonny Yohnson; Chop Chop Chop; woman in red
Synopsis The Black And Blue Hawks stage a mutiny.
Genre satire
Pencils Wally Wood [as Woodhawk]
Inks Wally Wood [as Woodhawk]
Colors Marie Severin
Notes A parody of Blackhawk comic books.
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002); in Mad (EC, 1952 series) #28; in Brothers Mad, The (Ballantine Books, 1958 Series) #267; in Brothers Mad, The (Ballantine Books, 1958 Series) #267K; in Brothers Mad, The (Ballantine Books, 1958 Series) #U2105; in Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #2

1 page E.C. comics promo (ad from the publisher) "We At E.C. Are Proudest of Our Science-Fiction Magazines"

Colors Marie Severin
Letters typeset
Notes House ad for E.C. comics. Printed as two ½ pages in bookend fashion around text story sequence.
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002)

1 page text story "Exam"

Synopsis Analysis of what happens to the average college student on exam day.
Genre humor
Script Jerry DeFuccio
Colors Marie Severin
Letters typeset
Notes Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002); Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #2

1 page MAD Mumblings letters page "MAD Mumblings"

Script Harvey Kurtzman ?
Colors Marie Severin
Letters typeset
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002)

6 page Tales From The Northwest Dept. story "Miltie of The Mounties!"

Characters Scott Yardland; Jackie; Herbie; Jerkie; Scoggins; Miltie; Nanuk The Canuk
Synopsis Miltie the Mountie doesn't get his man.
Genre satire
Pencils John Severin (signed)
Inks John Severin (signed)
Colors Marie Severin
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002); Son Of Mad (Ballantine Books, 1959 series) #S1701; Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #2

7 page Kane Keen story "Kane Keen! Private Eye"

Characters Kane Keen; Lassie Rover; Rollover Rover; Schlep; Mrs. Rover; laywer; police officer
Synopsis Kane finds the murderer: the butler did it.
Genre satire
Pencils Jack Davis (signed)
Inks Jack Davis (signed)
Colors Marie Severin
Reprinted in Mad Archives, The (DC, 2002 series) #1 (July 2002); Son Of Mad (Ballantine Books, 1959 series) #S1701; Tales Calculated to Drive You Mad (EC, 1997 series) #2

1 page U. S. Diamond House advertisement "Artistic Similes of Fine Diamond & Gold Rings"

Letters typeset
Notes Ad for rings.

1 page Jowett Institute of Physical Training advertisement "I Gained 53 lbs. of Shapley Power-Packed Muscles!"

Characters Roger Hirsch; George Jowett
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Ad for body-building method. On inside back cover.

1 page The Dollar Mystery Guild advertisement "I Killed That Cop!"

Letters typeset
Notes Ad for mystery novel book club. On back cover.