Author Topic: Mad Magazine Tribute  (Read 5054 times)

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Offline DrDeal

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Mad Magazine Tribute
« on: July 10, 2019, 03:03:28 AM »
RIP Mad Magazine. Remember the joy Mad brought into your life.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 12:32:08 PM by DrDeal »

Offline zerostreet

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2019, 03:40:48 AM »
I did post a peek of one of my Fearsome Weirdos product parodies over in the  Non-Sport Card Discussion area.... ;)
The Art of Robert Jimenez
www.zerostreet.com

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2019, 04:41:57 PM »
What about the recently announced demise of MAD magazine, with only reprint material and limited yearly specials going forward?  I figured that would have lit up the forum, as I’m sure MAD is near and dear to the hearts of many here.  I’m sure without MAD setting the trend, Wackys might have never been created, which is hard to imagine, but when you take a look back at old MADs, especially the movie and TV satires, the connection is impossible to miss.

On the other hand, it’s hard to believe they’ve stayed in print as long as they have.  I’ve probably bought fewer than 10 new issues in the past 30 years, so I have no right to complain.  But I have been feeling nostalgic about MAD the last couple months, buying some vintage lots on eBay, which made the announcement that much more surprising.  I always gravitated to MAD in summertime, as it gave me something fun to do during the dog days of those long childhood summer vacations from school.

Online RawGoo

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2019, 02:00:45 AM »
I had intended to start a thread about MAD ending but got distracted.  I used to buy them when the cover caught my attention, usually with Alfred being a Vulcan, or something like that.

Offline BustedFinger

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2019, 09:40:13 AM »
Who could forget this classic MAD cover:



I picked up a nice copy of this one a few years ago.  I should get it framed now!!
Giving "The Hobby" the finger since 1999!

Offline sco(o)t

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2019, 03:07:23 PM »
This cover both tickled and challenged my 11 year old brain.
         


aka Scot Leibacher (no trademark)

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2019, 06:43:57 PM »
Yes, they did a lot of clever things with A. E. Neuman on the covers.  The most iconic ones were drawn, or maybe painted, by a fellow named Norman Mingo.  I’m not aware of his involvement in any of the inside features, just the covers.  Something about that first name . . .

I wonder if any definitive books have been written about the history of MAD, a no-holds-barred, behind-the-scenes look in the daily workings of the creative side and business side, personalities, contract squabbles, etc., etc.  Can’t say enough about how awesome the book about Marvel comics is, I believe it’s called ‘The Secret History of Marvel Comics’.  I can look up the exact title and author for anyone interested in reading it.

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2019, 06:51:31 PM »
Also worth noting that a few months prior to the recent announcement, MAD had done what a number of long-running comic titles have done in recent years, abandoning the high issue number count and re-booting at issue #1.  In hindsight it would seem this was done as a last-ditch attempt to revive the brand, maybe to get younger readers interested, giving them the impression they’re discovering something brand new.  If that’s the case, it sure didn’t work....

Offline crackedjerk

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2019, 10:01:09 AM »

I wonder if any definitive books have been written about the history of MAD, a no-holds-barred, behind-the-scenes look in the daily workings of the creative side and business side, personalities, contract squabbles, etc., etc.  Can’t say enough about how awesome the book about Marvel comics is, I believe it’s called ‘The Secret History of Marvel Comics’.  I can look up the exact title and author for anyone interested in reading it.

I loved "The Secret History of Marvel Comics" as well.  As for a similar book about Mad, I'm not sure.  However, I think there have been some books written that would be similar in tone.  Can't say I know the titles, however.

Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #9 on: July 12, 2019, 11:17:27 AM »
Can’t say enough about how awesome the book about Marvel comics is, I believe it’s called ‘The Secret History of Marvel Comics’.  I can look up the exact title and author for anyone interested in reading it.

I'm sure "The Secret History of Marvel Comics" is awesome, in its way.  But as someone who was there, and had a rather privileged first-hand perspective on so many of the goings ons of the late 1990's, and was interviewed twice for the book, I came away rather disappointed in how so much of what I shared was not included or addressed at all, for reasons I can only speculate on.  My guess is, the events I saw play out and the way they actually did, did not fit the established narrative of those years, inaccurate though that established narrative may be. 

Sharing a piece of history that one actually witnessed, only to have it dismissed due to it not fitting someone else's questionable narrative, is a difficult thing to get around for me.  So, I'm not terribly in love with that book. 
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #10 on: July 12, 2019, 06:12:42 PM »
Surprised to hear that Jason.  It felt like a true warts-and-all expose, particularly in terms of not portraying working conditions within Marvel in a flattering way at all, so I never expected to find out that anything was whitewashed or altered to fit a predetermined narrative.  It’s been a few years since I read it, but from what I remember the majority of the subject matter from the 90s consisted of the quantity of titles (particularly X-titles) and associated story crossovers reaching insane proportions, and the formation of artist-owned imprints self-publishing their own work due to dissatisfaction with the status quo with the two titan companies, which I guess didn’t completely work out long-term.  Did the experiences you related refute any of that, or was it in a different subject area?

Now please, some MAD nostalgia!  A restlessly creative spirit like yours must surely have some great insights and recollections.

Offline vahsurfer

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2019, 06:51:28 AM »
I will always remember Spy Vs. Spy and The Shadow Wishes series - GREAT childhood memories!

Richard
#StayWackyMAD

Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2019, 11:47:53 PM »

Now please, some MAD nostalgia!  A restlessly creative spirit like yours must surely have some great insights and recollections.

I was at DC Comics when MAD was moved to the floor below us at 1700 Broadway (I think that's the right address) around 1994-95.  I just recall the excitement of getting to see some of them and rub elbows with a few at conventions.  I was never brave enough to invite myself onto their floor to ask questions, though.   I guess, for me it was just neat to be in their proximity.  But like anyone who was in a room with him, I had some great conversations with Sergio Arigones.  So, he was always a hoot. 
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline g.u.e.s.t.

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #13 on: July 16, 2019, 04:29:42 PM »
What about the recently announced demise of MAD magazine, with only reprint material and limited yearly specials going forward?  I figured that would have lit up the forum, as I’m sure MAD is near and dear to the hearts of many here.  I’m sure without MAD setting the trend, Wackys might have never been created, which is hard to imagine, but when you take a look back at old MADs, especially the movie and TV satires, the connection is impossible to miss.

On the other hand, it’s hard to believe they’ve stayed in print as long as they have.  I’ve probably bought fewer than 10 new issues in the past 30 years, so I have no right to complain.  But I have been feeling nostalgic about MAD the last couple months, buying some vintage lots on eBay, which made the announcement that much more surprising.  I always gravitated to MAD in summertime, as it gave me something fun to do during the dog days of those long childhood summer vacations from school.


I saw that news the other day. And you're right, I'm sure many (most?) of us here were big fans of MAD and Cracked Mazagine (sic). I know I sure was. Back in those days I collected Wackys, Cracked, MAD, and wrestling mags and would buy them all the time. It was part of my regular routine to always check the shelves in any and every store I went in, and I would always make a purchase whenever I could if I didn't already have it. That was the only way to know when something new was out-you had to go to the store and check for yourself, unless of course you heard it from a friend and then you just HAD to get to the store like RIGHT NOW! It was a real kid emergency! Ah, the good old days, lol. Great memories!
« Last Edit: July 16, 2019, 04:33:11 PM by g.u.e.s.t. »

Offline Pupsi-Cola

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #14 on: July 16, 2019, 07:13:34 PM »
This cover both tickled and challenged my 11 year old brain.
         










This is one of my favorite covers:


Offline bigtomi

  • Posts: 2158
Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #15 on: July 18, 2019, 06:06:03 PM »
I have a MAD story, but nothing as cool as Jason's (working right above them; well, maybe it's close, you be the judge). I will attempt to provide the Reader's Digest version.

When I was in high school (during the Wacky OS run), one of my best friends and I were both heavily into MAD magazine and the paperback books. We weren't old enough to work, so to buy each issue [every 6 weeks or so], we had to save up our allowance. Issues then were $0.40, lol. We lived in northern NJ, so were fairly local to where the MAD offices were in New York City.

My father was also somewhat into MAD at the time (he actually had almost a complete magazine collection, including the first magazine issue from 1953, I believe) and at some point, he offered to take us into Manhattan to visit the offices and, for the main reason, to see if we could find some of my missing MAD paperbacks to fill in the holes in my collection. I think I had 70+ of them by that point, but you had to actually go to book/department stores to find them then and some were elusive.

The MAD offices were housed on MADison Ave in the city then. We got there and rode up the elevator to the right floor. Just to the right of the elevator exit was an impressive wooden door with a big MAD logo on it, so we knew we'd found it. We walked in and, to be honest, I don't recall a lot of what happened next, except that a receptionist greeted us nicely, we explained why we were there and she had us "come on in". We went thru another door, down a narrow hallway and at the end of said hallway, we looked thru an open office door on our right....and there, at his desk, was William M. Gaines, on the telephone! How cool!! We waved and my friend said "Hello, Mr. Gaines" and he waved back! Just neato, as we'd say in 1974.

We turned to our left and walked down another hallway and I remember at the end of same was where there were artists sitting at drawing boards, desks, etc. working in an open room. I wish I could tell you for certain which artists/writers were there, but for two reasons: it was about 45 years ago and I was so overwhelmed at being there, my brain got fuzzy. We were guided back down the hallway a bit to a room on the side which was filled with back issues just strewn about (which they let us take some) and, as I had hoped, MAD paperback books galore! Yay! I don't remember exactly what I bought/got that day (see above reasons), but I do recall being ecstatic at my haul and visiting such a gloriously MAD place.

Offline BustedFinger

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #16 on: July 19, 2019, 09:01:55 AM »
Very cool story!  The admins should just rename this thread to be MAD Magazine Tribute (or something like that)!
Giving "The Hobby" the finger since 1999!

Offline crackedjerk

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #17 on: July 19, 2019, 01:58:58 PM »
I have a MAD story, but nothing as cool as Jason's (working right above them; well, maybe it's close, you be the judge). I will attempt to provide the Reader's Digest version.

When I was in high school (during the Wacky OS run), one of my best friends and I were both heavily into MAD magazine and the paperback books. We weren't old enough to work, so to buy each issue [every 6 weeks or so], we had to save up our allowance. Issues then were $0.40, lol. We lived in northern NJ, so were fairly local to where the MAD offices were in New York City.

My father was also somewhat into MAD at the time (he actually had almost a complete magazine collection, including the first magazine issue from 1953, I believe) and at some point, he offered to take us into Manhattan to visit the offices and, for the main reason, to see if we could find some of my missing MAD paperbacks to fill in the holes in my collection. I think I had 70+ of them by that point, but you had to actually go to book/department stores to find them then and some were elusive.

The MAD offices were housed on MADison Ave in the city then. We got there and rode up the elevator to the right floor. Just to the right of the elevator exit was an impressive wooden door with a big MAD logo on it, so we knew we'd found it. We walked in and, to be honest, I don't recall a lot of what happened next, except that a receptionist greeted us nicely, we explained why we were there and she had us "come on in". We went thru another door, down a narrow hallway and at the end of said hallway, we looked thru an open office door on our right....and there, at his desk, was William M. Gaines, on the telephone! How cool!! We waved and my friend said "Hello, Mr. Gaines" and he waved back! Just neato, as we'd say in 1974.

We turned to our left and walked down another hallway and I remember at the end of same was where there were artists sitting at drawing boards, desks, etc. working in an open room. I wish I could tell you for certain which artists/writers were there, but for two reasons: it was about 45 years ago and I was so overwhelmed at being there, my brain got fuzzy. We were guided back down the hallway a bit to a room on the side which was filled with back issues just strewn about (which they let us take some) and, as I had hoped, MAD paperback books galore! Yay! I don't remember exactly what I bought/got that day (see above reasons), but I do recall being ecstatic at my haul and visiting such a gloriously MAD place.

That's the kind of dream story I always wished would come true as a kid!  I would have loved to have a similar experience at Marvel Comics or Topps, but Mad would have been right up there as well.  Lucky you and props to your dad for making it happen!

Offline MoldRush

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Re: Mad Magazine Tribute
« Reply #18 on: July 19, 2019, 07:54:34 PM »
I would say Tom’s story is right up there with the best of them - visiting their offices are you kidding?  But it took an adult’s mutual interest and insight (your Dad) to know what was possible just for the asking.  Most parents back then probably weren’t that tuned in to what their kids’ interests were (mine sure weren’t).  This story also reminds me how I wanna kick myself every time I think that I never took the opportunity to attend a FREE taping (or maybe a few hundred) of Late Night with David Letterman, during the NBC run.  I was addicted to that show for years, but it never occurred to me to look into the possibility.  In fairness to myself though, they never really mentioned it during shows, closing credits, etc.  You just had to be in the know on how to go about it.  I guess they weren’t hurting for audience back then.  When I did start hearing promotions, years later for the CBS show, I jumped on it and got tickets in the mail within about a week, and went to a taping in early 1997.  Still a thrill, but the NBC show was the bomb.

Sorry to get off topic.  I do remember picking up some of the paperbacks at a large local drugstore that had a book aisle back in the early 80’s.  What a lot of casual fans of the paperbacks probably don’t know is that many of the titles had multiple print runs and therefore varying editions and copyright dates, sometimes as many as 5 or 6 for a given book.  So an obsessive completist collector REALLY has their work cut out for them if they want to collect every edition variant.

There is an excellent fan website for MAD enthusiasts where you can look up all kinds of stuff, from the regular monthly issue contents to the paperbacks, reprint specials, artist compilations, and on and on.  It’s called www.madcoversite.com.  You can really get lost in memories there looking around.  The only limitation is that you can’t look at images of the inside pages, but their are complete indices of contents.

Offline JasonLiebig

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Re: Summer Board Torpor
« Reply #19 on: July 23, 2019, 08:00:48 PM »
I have a MAD story, but nothing as cool as Jason's (working right above them; well, maybe it's close, you be the judge). I will attempt to provide the Reader's Digest version.



That is AMAZING!!!   
Jason Liebig - A swell TV host (currently on History Channel) who used to oversee Marvel Comics' X-Men - now creator and curator of WishbookWeb.com and CollectingCandy.com, a celebration of candy packaging, marketing and the people behind it all

Offline dth1971

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Re: Mad Magazine Tribute
« Reply #20 on: July 23, 2019, 08:13:36 PM »
I know MAD Magazine was parodied in Wacky Packages:
Original 11th. sticker series: MUD Magazine
Unreleased 1992 Wacky Packages sticker entry: SAD Magazine