R.I.P. Mad Magazine

[tegeus-Cromis]

I discovered MAD in the seventies. Some early issues included a comic book. Like this one.

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I slowly stopped reading them in the early nineties. For me, it was the funniest magazine ever. They spoofed everything and everyone. Tons of great silly cartoon stories. I enjoyed the paperback books too.

Strangely, my first MAD issue I bought, from a magazine stand, was this one. As a kid I thought it was a weird parody of a film that I'll probably never see.

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Over a decade later, I saw the movie, A Clockwork Orange, when cable was first introduced. I was shocked by how graphic it was. Today, many films are even worse, BUT, like most horror movies, gore seems more important then a good story.

Anyway. MAD will always hold a place in my heart and fun times in my memories.



One of my favorite covers.

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Actually, the first 23 issues were comics. And utterly brilliant. They switched to magazine format in 1956 to avoid being controlled / censored by the then recently established Comics Code Authority.

 

[Starbeast]

Definitely.

One of the funniest stories that I ever read. "Thank you, MAD."




There is a great MAD special edition, that included a recording, printed on plastic, playable on a phonograph, a parody of All in the Family TV show.

 

[REBerg]

Like elvet, I really used to like the ingenuity of the folding back cover, and I always enjoyed the never-ending struggle of 'Spy v Spy'...

It always took several tries before I could get the $%@& sides to line up properly.

 

[Pyan]

Here's a gem from SyFy celebrating 60 years of Mad - 60 SF and fantasy Mad covers

 

[REBerg]

Mad may be gone, but it's influence is immortal.

The Magazine That Made America Snarky

After 67 years, Mad magazine is no longer producing new material.

slate.com

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

As a pre-teen I used to read my older brother's copies. When he joined the navy I started buying my own, all though my late teens and into early adulthood. Not sure why I stopped. I still enjoyed it very much, I know, particularly the television and movie parodies, but possibly it was because money was so tight after I married and we put our small discretionary income into science fiction and fantasy.

 

[Starbeast]

Anyone else remember this "two-cover" special edition?

Cool idea I thought.

 

[olive]

Oh I had no idea. I have several paperbacks. From 60s and 70s. Dave Berg, Don Martin, one Sergio Aragones. I haven't followed the mag, but it is sad and bad.

"This book is dedicated to THINKING. Unfortunately, most of man's thinking is in black and white and rarely ever gets into the gray matter." -Dave Berg Looks at Modern Thinking

I just took it from a shelf and my hands... dust. They need attention. E: Hangs head in shame.

 

[BigBadBob141]

It's a shame they're on the way out, I used to collect the paperback best of's, I remember the start of Mopey Dick, Just call me Fishmeal!!!!
Great sense of wacky humour!

 

[Guttersnipe]

MAD Magazine will forever be in our hearts. And in my dad's basement.