Not Brand Echh

Not Brand Echh was a Marvel Comics comic book published in the 1960's. The purpose of this title was to lampoon Marvel's own characters much in the manner that EC Comics did parodies in its own Mad magazine. Other companies's characters were hit also. Batman of DC Comics became Gnat Man within a story where the popularity of the television series and merchandising is lampooned.

Thor became Sore and the Hulk became Bulk. Many small sight gags were used as Will Elder did in MAD.

Early targets were almost always superheros though in later issues movies and television shows also became subjects for satire.

Many of the Marvel artists worked on the series such as Jack Kirby, John Severin and Marie Severin. The later issues were larger-sized issues selling for a quarter instead of the going price of twelve cents. This allowed for lesser-known arists to be given tryouts.

Not Brand Echh even had its own mascot much in the way 'MAD had Alfred E. Neuman. The character's name was Forbush Man, who wore a pot on his head with eye holes cut out and wore red long johns with a big letter F on the front of them. This might be a tribute to the golden age Red Tornado character of DC Comics.

Several stories were reprinted in Crazy, and in a three-issue color comic book — not to be confused with Marvel Comics black-and-white humor magazine Crazy (though a reprint of the color Crazy appeared in one issue of the black -and-white Crazy, just as during the 1970's the black-and-white MAD magazine would include an insert of the older colored Mad Comics.