 Kurtzman , a cartoonist , created the series at the culmination of his career . He had launched Mad magazine , worked briefly for Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner and on a series of solo and collaborative projects , then returned to working for Hefner with Little Annie Fanny . Each episode of the comic strip was designed and written by Kurtzman and rendered in oil , tempera , and watercolor by Elder . Hefner edited each episode , often requiring detailed changes to ensure that the series remained true to the magazine 's editorial style . Critical reaction was mixed , with most praising the elaborate , fully painted comic , but some dismissing it as falling short of Kurtzman 's full potential . The complete series was first collected into two volumes in 2000 and 2001 by Dark Horse Comics . 
