The Hungarian Edition of MAD Magazine: A Historical Overview
The story of the Hungarian MAD begins with Semic Interprint (later known as Adoc Semic), a Swedish-Hungarian company that eventually became 100% Hungarian-owned. From the late 1980s until its bankruptcy around 2011, Semic played a pivotal role in publishing a wide variety of comics in Hungary.
During this period, Hungary was a cost-effective hub for printing foreign comics for Western European markets, including publications from the Netherlands and Scandinavia. Due to the nature of the printing process, slightly more copies were always produced than ordered to account for defects and errors. These surplus copies were often taken home by the printing plant workers, leading to a significant number of foreign comics remaining in the country. Recognizing the popularity of these materials, publishers saw a potential market for Hungarian-language editions.
However, this venture had to wait until the fall of the Communist regime. Prior to the late 1980s, Western comics were considered culturally inferior, and only works connected to classical literature were permitted for publication. The political change opened the door for Semic to become a leading force in comic publishing, introducing Hungarian readers to a wealth of international material.
Before MAD: The Rise of Kretén (Cretin)
Before the Hungarian MAD was launched, Semic published Kretén from 1994 to 2009. This magazine ran for 100 issues and featured a mix of content from MAD, various European and U.S. comic strips, and French comics, making it stylistically similar to both MAD and the French satirical magazine Fluide Glacial. Its format was later enlarged from the standard comic book size to better accommodate its diverse content.
Marcel Gotlib, a founder of Fluide Glacial and one of its most famous contributors, saw his work frequently appear in Kretén. Material from MAD itself began appearing as early as the 4th issue. Among the most prominent U.S. contributors were P. C. Wey (18 issues), Sergio Aragonés (26 issues), Don “Duck” Edwing (56 issues), and Don Martin (81 issues). Four special issues of Kretén (numbers 9, 16, 18, and 21) were entirely devoted to MAD, featuring exclusively U.S. content. The magazine also served as a platform for German, Dutch, and other lesser-known U.S. comics.
Crucially, Kretén provided an essential outlet for Hungarian caricaturists and comic artists during the 1990s, a time when many local newspapers and magazines were ceasing publication. One notable example is a parody of the Dallas TV series, which ran for 45 issues and was created by a Hungarian artist. Some of these local works were later reprinted and collected in special issues outside the Kretén banner. For instance, the character Ágoston, the nuclear chicken, was continued by another publisher after Kretén‘s final issue in 2010. The magazine saw a brief revival in 2019, but unfortunately, it was discontinued after only five issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hungarian MAD (1997–2001)
The official Hungarian edition of MAD was published from 1997 to 2001, totaling 30 issues. Like its predecessor, it featured works from classic MAD artists such as Sergio Aragonés, Don “Duck” Edwing, and Don Martin. One of the most beloved recurring features were the movie parodies, illustrated by talents like Mort Drucker and Harry North. The magazine also drew from different eras of MAD’s history, reprinting classic works from the 1950s by creators like Harvey Kurtzman and Bill Elder. In a continuation of Semic’s tradition, the Hungarian MAD also provided opportunities for local artists to have their work published.
MAD Pocket Books
In addition to the monthly magazine, three MAD pocket books were released in Hungary. The first volume collected the works of Sergio Aragonés, while the remaining two focused on the art of Al Jaffee.
Note on sources: Most parts of the historical information presented above were sourced from the book A Semic Képregényei ("The Comics of Semic") by Antal Bayer, which provides a comprehensive overview of the titles published by Semic in Hungary.
