I grew up reading MAD, CRACKED, and NATIONAL LAMPOON… This type of humour is brilliant and genius. It was well written, hilarious, witty, and the art was incredible… This is a huge loss to comics, a forum that will be remembered fondly by many…
Personally, I’m going to miss SPY VS SPY, THE LIGHTER SIDE, and of course the most clever… THE MAD FOLD-IN COVER by the unbelievably creative mind of AL JAFFEE who is 98 years young now and was employed by MAD MAGAZINE for 64 years… Shame… If you don’t know who he is I highly recommend you take 5 mins to appreciate that guy, there’s a great interview on you tube…
Tell me friends, what was your favourite stories/part of MAD?? Be well everyone, have a safe weekend…
I was never a huge fan or reader but did pick up some long ago as a kid.
I saw this news and didn’t even realize it was still around. At least in my area I don’t recall ever seeing it anywhere. Not even my comic shops order it to my knowledge.
Another stake in the Heart of Satire … anything from the 1970’s run is generally great, but the whole run don’t really have a throw a way in the bunch …
It’s very much around here in Canada, even the small shops carry a few copies… We love MAD here north of the border… They recently relaunched a new series in 2018 and sold out instantly at diamond for issue #1. It was a VHTF book and a super low print run. It was a speculation success with eBay sales currently $20-25. Now that the news of it’s demise spreads watch those prices guys… Yes I speculated MAD MAGAZINE #1, yes I bought 5 copies, and yes I am very pleased I did…
I was both sad and angry when I saw this news yesterday. I recently finished obtaining all the monthly issues from #24 (1955) through #550. Then I have all the current Vol. 2 issues along with a monthly sub I just received in May for my bday from the family. I’ll likely continue collecting them after my sub ends for the new covers but I’m bummed it’s just reprinted material with the exception of the end of year specials. I can remember going to the grocery store with my mom and always checking the magazine rack for the newest issue of MAD and Cracked. I’ve recently found myself trying to recollect items from my childhood and MAD was a big part of those years.
Completing the magazine portion of Vol. 1 was a major quest for the better part of 3 years. It was very difficult obtaining copies VG+/F or better for many of the older issues and even some newer years as they just weren’t out there to be found. I’m glad to have completed this prior to the news in case others begin trying to complete runs. However, I can’t imagine too many would even have interest in doing so. =)
I realized I didn’t answer your question about favorite issue. My second goal was to power read through all these issues after completing Vol. 1 and go through 60+ years of American history and pop culture parody. I’ve yet to do so but my all time favorite issue will always be #165. After my grandparents passed and their house was cleaned out my dad found his old #165 in the attic. The sentimental value of it alone and knowing it was my father’s will always be the most cherished issue I own out of the run.
However, some of my favorite covers are 31, 43, 52, 55, 59, 105, 126, & 154. The artistic skill and painted covers are just gorgeous. They’re even better looking at them in hand.
Personally I haven’t read it in decades, but it’s a bummer to hear. I had tons of them when I was a kid, my made it through many grocery store trips by letting me hit the newsstand first and start reading a new copy of Mad
Man, that sucks! When I was a kid I lived in a small, out of the way mountain community in NJ (Close to Action Park if anyone remembers that). My friend and I would take our allowance and ride our bikes to the local general store once a month to get the new Mad and Cracked. That bike ride was about four or five miles one way. Pretty long for a ten year old but completely worth it! Summers were awesome, bike rides, softball, Atari and Mad magazine! Think I need to watch some Stranger Things now.
I would try and finish your run sooner than later, what an awesome idea I’m jealous! I’m not expecting excessive speculation on any of the series but there’s no question about it’s value… Early high grade MAD are worth huge bucks! Even the new #1 (2018) is seeing a few sales and has jumped from$20 to around $25 since I wrote this article a few hours ago…
More importantly I would gather what you want/need now because it’s a finite market and all these old books will be lost… Unfortunately, most aren’t worth much… It becomes an issue of saving the laughs and brilliant artwork for future generations… I know a few places where I will be pulling a box of “greatest hits” from my childhood mostly late 70’s and 80’s… We don’t know what will get reprinted in today’s sensitive times. It’s likely some of it will be deemed “inappropriate” to today’s standards and be lost for good… Let’s not kid ourselves MAD MAGAZINE had some pretty edgy content. That’s why I loved it so much…
I really appreciate you telling us about your run and glad to hear everyone’s thoughts about MAD. It truly is the end of an era… I also feel that the magazine doesn’t necessarily get the respect it deserves but maybe that’s another forum discussion in itself…
I really enjoyed MAD’s movie parodies as well… They were so funny! You’re bringing a lot of great 80’s memories back… BMX’s and popsicles, atari and mad magazine. Good times man… Thanks for contributing bud
The lighter side is probably my favorite collected Mad before I ever bought my first comic. I use to go to the comic shop at the swap meet and buy all their old Mad books. Currently I own the two worth owning #1 and #24
Wow. Good for you! Might be time to sell depending on your attachment to them. They’re likely to see a little bump from all the nostalgia collectors after the news breaks? Depends on if they’re PC or an investment? Probably both?
I have to say I think they are all worth owning … although #1 / #24 may be the most desirable … MAD is a Time Capsule, as nothing was really off limits from it’s Satire …
Mad and Cracked were a part of growing up and going to the cottage. I was a big fan of all the Super Hero Parodies. I remember owning a Cracked that parodied Superman 4, with Nuclear Man, and I remember a Teen Wolf Mad magazine that i owned. There was a good parody of Rodney Dangerfield and ‘Back To School’. Good stuff. When I was younger, my dad or I would buy a copy for me at the ‘treat’ store, that we always stopped at on the way up to the cottage. I loved The Lighter Side, the fold out (of course) and my favourite was White Spy vs Black Spy, and I loved the Spy vs Spy video game for the commodore 128 (164?). In the game, you would play vs a friend, one as white spy, the other as black spy. The game board was a building with different floors and rooms on each floor and, if I remember correctly, you had to find keys and the right door to get out. Along the way, you could set traps for the other Spy. Such as bombs in a dresser, and the like, that would go off as the other Spy was looking for the keys too. Each different trap ‘stalled’ the other spy in a different manner, allowing yourself free time to look for the key and the door. I believe there was a timer too, so if no one gets out before the timer went off, you both lose. My buddy and I played that game for hours on end back in the 80s. So much fun.
I have a copy or two of the 2018 MAD #1, as my friend, @rigger_one, brought it to my attention on release day. Thank you. RIP MAD.
That’s awesome and you surely scored at a great price. I almost splurged for a 7.0 #1 earlier this year but got cold feet as I didn’t want to finance the purchase. I’ve been selling off moderns recently to help me obtain the funds for 1-23. Recently found sub #100 issues at a local antique store for $5-$8 each that I’ve been picking up.
I just feel they’re too old and too iconic to not be more valuable in the future. So much history and I’m doing my part to ensure at least one run is whole & complete. =)
