M.D. was a short lived comic book

Comic book

A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...

 published by EC Comics

EC Comics

Entertaining Comics, more commonly known as EC Comics, was an American publisher of comic books specializing in horror fiction, crime fiction, satire, military fiction and science fiction from the 1940s through the mid-1950s, notably the Tales from the Crypt series...

 in 1955, the sixth title in its New Direction line. The bi-monthly comic was published by Bill Gaines and edited by Al Feldstein

Al Feldstein

Albert B. Feldstein is an American writer, editor, and artist, best known for his work at EC Comics and, from 1956 to 1985, as the editor of the satirical magazine Mad. Since retiring from Mad, Feldstein has concentrated on American paintings of Western wildlife...

. It lasted a total of five issues before being cancelled along with EC's other New Direction comics.

Content

M.D. was unlike practically any other comic published, focusing on medical stories, surgical practices and the day-to-day work of doctors. Each issue featured four stories, plus at least one text piece about a real-life major medical figure.

The frontispiece to the first issue set out its role:

...the Hippocratic Oath

Hippocratic Oath

The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine ethically. It is widely believed to have been written by Hippocrates, often regarded as the father of western medicine, or by one of his students. The oath is written in...

 was then reprinted in full.

The letters page (upon the first of which the above text appeared in lieu of early letters) was titled "The Needles, and contributors to M.D. include Graham Ingels

Graham Ingels

Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...

, Marie Severin

Marie Severin

Marie Severin is an American comic book artist and colorist best known for her work for Marvel Comics and the 1950s' EC Comics....

, George Evans, Joe Orlando

Joe Orlando

Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...

, Reed Crandall

Reed Crandall

Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...

 and Carl Wessler

Carl Wessler

Carroll O. "Carl" Wessler was an American animator of the 1930s and a comic book writer from the 1940s though the 1970s for such companies as DC Comics, EC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing....

.

Reprints

M.D. was reprinted as part of publisher Russ Cochran

Russ Cochran (publisher)

Russ Cochran is a publisher of EC Comics reprints, Disney comics and books on Hopalong Cassidy, Chet Atkins, Les Paul and vacuum tubes. He has been a publisher for over 30 years, after quitting his job as a physics professor....

's Complete EC Library collection, alongside Valor and Impact

Impact (comic)

Impact was a short-lived comic book series published by EC Comics in 1955 as the first title in its New Direction line. The bi-monthly comic, published by Bill Gaines and edited by Al Feldstein, began with an issue cover-dated March-April, 1955. It ran for five issues, ending with the...

as Volume 2 of the "New Direction Part 2" slipcased set (1985). Between September 1999 and January 2000, Cochran and Gemstone Publishing

Gemstone Publishing

Gemstone Publishing is a U.S. company that publishes comic books and collectors' guides. The company was formed by Diamond Comic Distributors President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen A. Geppi. Gemstone published licensed Disney comic books from June 2003 until November 2008. The company has...

 reprinted the five individual issues. This complete run was later rebound, with covers included, in a single softcover EC Annual.

Issue guide

#	Date	Cover artist	Story	Story Artist	Story Writer
1	Apr/May 1955	Johnny Craig	The Fight For Life	Graham Ingels Graham Ingels Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...	?
			Janie Some Day	George Evans	?
			The Pain Killer (text piece on William Thomas Green Morton William T.G. Morton William Thomas Green Morton was an American dentist who first publicly demonstrated the use of inhaled ether as a surgical anesthetic in 1846. The promotion of his questionable claim to have been the discoverer of anesthesia became an obsession for the rest of his life.- Life and work :Born in... )
			To Fill The Bill	Joe Orlando Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...	?
			The Antidote	Reed Crandall Reed Crandall Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...	?
2	Jun/Jul 1955	Johnny Craig	The Balance	Reed Crandall Reed Crandall Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...	?
			Fever Fighter (text piece on William Gorgas William C. Gorgas William Crawford Gorgas KCMG was a United States Army physician and 22nd Surgeon General of the U.S. Army... )
			Different	Joe Orlando Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...	?
			A Case For The Books	Graham Ingels Graham Ingels Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...	?
			The Trailblazer (text piece on Edward Jenner Edward Jenner Edward Anthony Jenner was an English scientist who studied his natural surroundings in Berkeley, Gloucestershire... )
			Even For a While	George Evans	?
3	Aug/Sep 1955	Johnny Craig	When You Know How	Joe Orlando Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...	?
			The Right Cure	Graham Ingels Graham Ingels Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...	?
			Advert for other "New Direction" titles	Jack Davis Jack Davis (cartoonist) Jack Davis is an American cartoonist and illustrator, known for his advertising art, magazine covers, film posters, record album art and numerous comic book stories...	?
			Shock Treatment	George Evans	?
			The Pioneer (text piece on Ignaz Philipp Semmelweiss)
			The Lesson	Reed Crandall Reed Crandall Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...	Carl Wessler Carl Wessler Carroll O. "Carl" Wessler was an American animator of the 1930s and a comic book writer from the 1940s though the 1970s for such companies as DC Comics, EC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing....
4	Oct/Nov 1955	Johnny Craig	So That Others May Walk	Reed Crandall Reed Crandall Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...	Carl Wessler Carl Wessler Carroll O. "Carl" Wessler was an American animator of the 1930s and a comic book writer from the 1940s though the 1970s for such companies as DC Comics, EC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing....
			Advert for other "New Direction" titles	Jack Davis Jack Davis (cartoonist) Jack Davis is an American cartoonist and illustrator, known for his advertising art, magazine covers, film posters, record album art and numerous comic book stories...	?
			Doctor Wizard (text piece on William Harvey William Harvey William Harvey was an English physician who was the first person to describe completely and in detail the systemic circulation and properties of blood being pumped to the body by the heart... )
			New Outlook	Joe Orlando Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...	?
			Point of View	Graham Ingels Graham Ingels Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...	?
			Worried Sick	George Evans	Carl Wessler Carl Wessler Carroll O. "Carl" Wessler was an American animator of the 1930s and a comic book writer from the 1940s though the 1970s for such companies as DC Comics, EC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Warren Publishing....
5	(Dec 1955/Jan 1956)	Johnny Craig	Complete Cure	Reed Crandall Reed Crandall Reed Crandall was an American illustrator and penciller of comic books and magazines. He was best known for the Quality Comics character Blackhawk and for stories in the critically acclaimed EC Comics of the 1950s.Crandall was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2009.-Early...	?
			Advert for other "New Direction" titles	Jack Davis Jack Davis (cartoonist) Jack Davis is an American cartoonist and illustrator, known for his advertising art, magazine covers, film posters, record album art and numerous comic book stories...	?
			"Army Doc" (text piece on Major-General Leonard Wood Leonard Wood Leonard Wood was a physician who served as the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Military Governor of Cuba and Governor General of the Philippines. Early in his military career, he received the Medal of Honor. Wood also holds officer service #2 in the Regular Army... )
			Child's Play	Joe Orlando Joe Orlando Joseph Orlando was a prolific illustrator, writer, editor and cartoonist during a lengthy career spanning six decades...	?
			Emergency	Graham Ingels Graham Ingels Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...	?
			The Right Diagnosis	George Evans	?