Max and Maurice (1871) comic books 1882

This is the softbound edition of the 1st printing. "Max and Maurice: a Juvenile History in Seven Tricks" by Wilhelm Busch. Roberts Brothers, Boston. 1871 first edition (5-1/2" x 8-1/8", 74 pages, softbound cover, black and white.) Overstreet notes "Green or brown illustrated hardcover. The name of the author is given on the title page as 'William Busch.'" Overstreet assumes "this to be the 1st edition. Back side of title page states: Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by Roberts Brothers, In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington." HISTORICAL NOTES FROM OVERSTREET: "Seminal inspiration for William Randolph Hearst to acquire as a "new comic" (following the wild success of Outcault's Yellow Kid) to license M&M from Busch and hire Rudolph Dirks in late 1897 to create a New York American newspaper incarnation. In Hearst's English language newspapers it was called The Katzenjammer Kids and in his German language NYC newspaper it was titled Max and Moritz, Busch's original title...Translated from the 1865 Germain original."

1882 Reprint. "Max and Maurice: a Juvenile History in Seven Tricks" by Wilhelm Busch. Roberts Brothers, Boston. 56 pages of art and text in a transitional format between a regular children's book and a comic book (the page count difference is ad pages in back). Seminal inspiration for William Randolph Hearst to acquire as a "new comic" (following the wild success of Outcault's Yellow Kid) to license M&M from Busch and hire Rudolph Dirks in late 1897 to create a New York American newspaper incarnation. In Hearst's English language newspapers it was called The Katzenjammer Kids and in his German language NYC newspaper it was titled Max and Moritz, Busch's original title. Translated from the 1865 Germain original." Cover price $0.75.