Collectibly Mad: The Mad and Ec Collectibles Guide [Hardcover]

Grant Geissman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995

COLLECTIBLY MAD. Special Limited Edition of 500 signed by MAD publisher William C. Gaines and author/musician Grant Geissman. Hardcover book housed in a deluxe slipcase with a foil-embossed E.C. logo. $150 sound a little pricey? Consider that only 500 deluxe editions were published and this is the ONLY book Bill Gaines (1922-1992) EVER SIGNED! And this is the original retail price from fifteen years ago. The book is an extensive illustrated history of MAD magazine collectibles starting with its comic book inception from genius cartoonist/editor Harvey Kurtzman in 1952 (see also The Art of Harvey Kurtzman from Abrams). Collectibly MAD is a fat 320-page square compendium. Not at all square is author Geissman, the world s authority on MAD collectibles, not to mention a respected jazz musician (Chuck Mangione band, TV/movie scores). Limited to just five hundred Signed & Numbered copies, this is the ultimate book (or gift) for any MAD or comics fan s library. Published by Kitchen Sink Press in 1995, several years after Gaines (who died in 1992) signed the historic bookplates. These are the last of publisher Denis Kitchen s personal inventory, still in mint condition in the original shrink-wrap.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 8 pages
• Publisher: Kitchen Sink Pr (Nrt) (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878162038
• ISBN-13: 978-0878162031
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,110,941 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Lord! A Treasure Trove of MADcap Memorabilia!, July 25, 2006

By 

Michael Doty (Houston, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Collectibly Mad: The Mad and Ec Collectibles Guide (Paperback)

In this oversized volume, EC and MAD expert Grant Geissman presents a guide to vintage EC and MAD collectibles ranging from the turn of the 20th century to the early 1990s.

Geissman is arguably one of the leading authorities on MAD and EC, and the book is filled with historical info alongside the rare merchandise. He also includes an interview with William Gaines that was conducted shortly before Gaines' death.

The MAD section, which comprises the majority of the book, has, in my opinion, the most interesting section-rare and unusual Alfred E. Neuman merchandise. Alfred existed for over 50 years before MAD as a humorous folk creation, and the range of items presented are both amusing and fascinating from a historical perspective.

I deducted a star because the book is mostly black and white, with a brief color section. While cost-effective, it would have been nice to see these items in living color.

Overall, "Collectibly MAD" is highly recommended for old-school MAD fans.