*Comic Strip Books: Harvey Kurtzman’s Jungle Book swings onto our shelves today. This is what the book says about Kurtzman:

“Every morning now he runs up to his attic to think. When he has a good thought he runs over to the window and breathes deeply. Then he gives his Tarzan cry and goes loping off through the trees.”

Between lianas Kurtzman founded Mad, published by EC. The Jungle Book was conceived after he left EC, and taken up by Ballantine after they lost the right to publish Mad collections. It was the first paperback of original cartoons aimed at the US mass-market, with the same satirical outlook as Mad, but with a more adult slant. We’re anticipating a great deal of interest in this ground-breaking book, offered in 1st US PB at £25 in VG.