Editing National Lampoon (magazine) (section)

===J2 Communications era===
In 1990, Grodnik and Matheson sold the company (and more importantly, the rights to the [[brand name]] "National Lampoon") to [[J2 Communications]] (a company previously known for marketing [[Tim Conway]]'s ''[[Tim Conway#Dorf|Dorf]]'' videos), headed by James P. Jimirro.<ref>{{cite news|title=J2 Buys Lampoon|page= 10|work=[[The Comics Journal]] |number=137 |date=September 1990}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=10 March 1990 |title=National Lampoon Acquisition Set |author=Staff writer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/03/10/business/company-news-national-lampoon-acquisition-set.html |newspaper=[[New York Times]] |at=sec.1, p.33}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/10/26/New-owner-takes-over-National-Lampoon/5107656913600/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220201185503/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/10/26/New-owner-takes-over-National-Lampoon/5107656913600/ |archive-date=1 February 2022 |url-status=live |title=New owner takes over National Lampoon |last=McNary |first=Dave |date=26 October 1990 |website=United Press International}}</ref> According to Jimirro, at that point, National Lampoon was "a moribund company that had been losing money since the early 1980s."<ref name=UPI1993 />
The property was considered valuable only as a [[brand|brand name]] that could be licensed out to other companies.<ref name=VanityFair2022 /> The magazine itself was issued erratically and rarely from 1991 onwards; its final print publication was November 1998. (Meanwhile, in May 1992, J2 Communications sold ''[[Heavy Metal (magazine)|Heavy Metal]]'' to cartoonist and publisher [[Kevin Eastman]].)<ref>{{cite news|title=Eastman Buying Heavy Metal|page= 23 |work= The Comics Journal|number=148 |date=Feb 1992|department=Newswatch}}</ref>

In 1991, J2 Communications began selling [[film rights]] to the "National Lampoon" name;<ref>{{cite news|title=J2 Sells Lampoon Film Rights|page=34|work=The Comics Journal|number=146 |date=Nov 1991|department=Newswatch}}</ref> it was paid for the use of the brand on such films as ''[[Loaded Weapon 1|National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1]]'' (1993), ''[[National Lampoon's Senior Trip]]'' (1995), ''[[National Lampoon's Golf Punks]]'' (1998), ''[[Van Wilder|National Lampoon's Van Wilder]]'' (2002), ''[[Repli-Kate|National Lampoon's Repli-Kate]]'' (2002), ''[[Blackball (film)|National Lampoon's Blackball]]'' (2003), and ''[[National Lampoon Presents: Jake's Booty Call]]'' (2003).{{efn|The company was not involved in ''[[Vegas Vacation]]'' (1997), the fourth installment in National Lampoon's [[National Lampoon's Vacation (film series)|''Vacation'' film series]]. ''Vegas Vacation'' was the first theatrical ''Vacation'' film not to carry the ''National Lampoon'' label or a screenwriting credit from [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]]. Also, it is the only National Lampoon film to be released in the 1990s, and the final film released before ''National Lampoon'' magazine folded.}} During this period, the company also licensed the Lampoon brand for five [[Television film|made-for-television movies]], and one [[direct-to-video]] production. Although the licensing deals salvaged the company from bankruptcy,<ref name=UPI1993>{{Cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1993/11/30/National-Lampoons-parent-moves-into-black/9040754635600/ph|title=National Lampoon's parent moves into black|work=UPI|access-date=2018-03-22|language=en}}</ref> many believe it damaged National Lampoon's reputation as a source of respected comedy.<ref name=NYT2005 /><ref name=VanityFair2022 />

In 1998, the magazine contract was renegotiated and, in a sharp reversal, J2 Communications was then prohibited from publishing future issues.<ref name=VanityFair2022 /> J2, however, still owned the rights to the brand name, which it continued to franchise out to other users.<ref name=VanityFair2022 />