Harvey Kurtzman is one of the most notable Comic Book artists of our time. Kurtzman was the founding editor for the comics like MAD and Help!. He was described by the New York Times as being “one of the most important post-war figures of America.” Kurtzman was born in New York City in 1924. As a child, he expressed an avid interest in Comic Books and drawing. At 18, Kurtzman broke in to the professional industry of Comic Books. Lou Ferstadt, the producer of comics like Prize and ACE, hired Kurtzman as an apprentice. Kurtzman‘s first task was to simply fill in black spaces of covers. He took a leave of absence, as many did, to serve in the military during World War II. After his return, the comic book industry had take a very drastic change, he found himself on a constant search for work. In 1952, Kurtzman teamed up with EC comics to publish the first issue of MAD. Some of the most well-known comic artists worked in collaboration with Kurtzman. The comic or magazine rather, targeted a more adult audience and contained much of Kurtzman’s humor and personality. The magazine became well known for its parodying of popular culture and current events. Everything from entertainment to politics and political figures were mentioned and harped upon in the publication. Kurtzman continued to work on several side projects up until his death in 1993, including one of the most infamous comic strips, Little Annie Fanny. Kurtzman has left a legacy for being one of the most influential comic book writers of the 20th century. MAD magazine is still widely distributed and recognized.
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