Media production/distribution The company was founded in 1986 by James P. Jimirro, who had previously been the founding president of the
Disney Channel and then a
CBS executive. At one point in the late 1980s, J2 Communications distributed
ITC Entertainment titles on
VHS; it also distributed
Dorf, a comedy series starring
Tim Conway. According to a 1999 filing with the
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
National Lampoon In 1990, J2 Communications bought
National Lampoon magazine and all its related properties (including the science fiction and fantasy comics magazine
Heavy Metal) from then-owners Daniel Grodnik and
Tim Matheson, who had acquired the properties in a hostile takeover in 1989. As part of the deal, Grodnik and Matheson agreed to stay on to run the new division. In May 1992,
Kevin Eastman, co-creator of the
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, bought
Heavy Metal magazine from J2 Communications, becoming its new publisher.
National Lampoon brand licensing J2 Communications almost immediately licensed out the "National Lampoon" brand to other companies who wished to make films and similar projects. some believe it damaged the reputation of National Lampoon as a source of respected comedy. This was followed by one issue in 1993, five in 1994, and three in 1995. After that the magazine was published only once a year for three years; the final issue of the magazine being published in November 1998. J2, however, still owned the rights to the brand name "National Lampoon", which it continued to franchise out to other users. and renamed "
National Lampoon, Inc." James P. Jimirro stayed on as National Lampoon, Inc. CEO until January 2005. == Notes ==