Rogue (magazine) no four-color reproduction, or full-page cartoons, and certainly no centerfold. Hamling was the editor and publisher, his wife, Frances, was executive editor; and Frank M. Robinson was the first managing editor. Henry Botts, a friend of Hamling's, became the first associate editor. Lead fiction was by a hot science fiction author, Harlan Ellison who became associate editor with the third issue (April 1956). The first issue of "Rogue" was published in November 1955, with a December release date. Following Hefner's successful lead with the first issue of "Playboy", that first issue of "Rogue" contained "A New Aspect of Marilyn Monroe,"
The Playboy earned a Harvey Award nomination in 1991 for Best Single Issue or Story. "The Playboy", "I Never Liked You", and several shorter pieces placed No. 38 on "The Comics Journal"s list of the best 100 English-language comics of the 20th century as "The autobiographical comics from Yummy Fur". Cartoonist Gilbert Hernandez asserted, ""The Playboy" and "I Never Liked You" are probably the best graphic novels next to "Maus"". Critic Frank Young called it a "pivotal work" in the autobiographical comics trend of the early 1990s. Critic Darcy Sullivan considered it required reading for those who are serious about comics and