It has been announced that after August, MAD Magazine, will no longer be publishing new material, but will instead publish only year end specials with reprints.

MAD started off as a comic book in 1952, and then switched to magazine format in 1955.

In 2018, MAD "ended" with issue # 550, and then re-started with a new # 1.

The magazine was at its peak of popularity in the 1970s, but by the mid-1980s, sales began to decline.

Surprised it was published this long. I can't remember the last time I heard MAD mentioned, let alone seen anyone reading it. The ones who grew up with it grew out of it and the last few generations can't look away from their screens. Nobody needs Alfred E. Neuman anymore, RIP.

I still see MAD in the magazine sections of some of the local supermarkets. Not many

They moved their offices from NY to CA in 2018, at which time the magazine "ended" with issue 550 and began again with a new # 1. However, the Vol. 2 has only made it up to issue # 9 so far.

I think "younger folks" don't know who Alfred E. Neuman is, as evidenced by the recent comment by Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (in his late 30s) who had no idea what Donald Trump meant, when he said that Pete looked like him.

MAD had 3 card sets in the 1990s, and also a fourth, Spy vs. Spy !

Sorry to see MAD go the way of the dinosaur. MAD was an absolute necessity in the early '70s when in elementary (and later junior high). I still have hundreds of back issues and reread them to this day. I've picked up recent copies every now and then, but it's not the same as the new issues lack a certain "something" that made the old issues so enjoyable. The writing had a definite edge to it then that it lacks today...parody is hard to do correctly, but MAD was a master at it back in the day as there is a big difference between doing subtle parody and simply making fun of something.

I started reading MAD in 5th grade, with Issue #48. I read it for many years, I'm sure my weird sense of humor was shaped by this magazine. Then I graduated to National Lampoon - and my sense of humor got even weirder.
Haven't seen a MAD in many years, but I want to thank Alfred E. Neuman and the usual gang of idiots for making me the man I am today. Hoo-Ha!

Truly the end of the era.

I've got a magazine box (or two) filled with MAD back issues and actually did read and enjoy a couple issues of the current series (ending with #9).

I actually have a full collection of National Lampoon, and I credit it and MAD for enriching my humor sensibilities where periodicals are concerned.
(And you can tell by that sentence just how very funny I am.)

Yes, I started reading it around time of the "Jaws" issue in '75. I stopped reading it a few years after the "Star Wars" issue (something about Obi-Wan dying not because a lack of faith in the Force but because of a ridiculously short extension cord). It was what you could call "well-done smart-aleckness" with some old school humor that would be considered unacceptable today though I think it was a magazine we weren't supposed to bring to school even then. It was funny. I'm sorry something else from the 70's has died forever.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
It has been announced that after August, MAD Magazine, will no longer be publishing new material, but will instead publish only year end specials with reprints.

MAD started off as a comic book in 1952, and then switched to magazine format in 1955.

In 2018, MAD "ended" with issue # 550, and then re-started with a new # 1.

The magazine was at its peak of popularity in the 1970s, but by the mid-1980s, sales began to decline.

Yes, and just today, I was at a flea market and spotted one of the Lime Rock factory sets, the one from '93 in the black case. It might have been a great deal especially if it still contained one of the three special prototype cards you got when they were new. Unfortunately, it turned out to be just an empty case. Bummer.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
MAD had 3 card sets in the 1990s, and also a fourth, Spy vs. Spy !

Lime Rock also issued at last 33 promo cards 31 for series 1 and 2 for series 2. Some were with the Inside Trader Club. Also issued were 4 SPY VS SPY promo cards

regards

John

Yes, and I'm still slowly working on that set. I have the Spy vs. Spy promos but am missing a few MAD promos with the different stamps. Sometimes, a dealer offers a mix of them with some other promos for less than a buck per card. I bought some MAD and Dream Machines promos that way a couple of years ago.

The ones for Series 2, F1 (Batman) and F2 (Star Trek) peaked around $10 each years ago but you can find them for less now if you look around.

quote:

Originally posted by JOHN LEVITT:
Lime Rock also issued at last 33 promo cards 31 for series 1 and 2 for series 2. Some were with the Inside Trader Club. Also issued were 4 SPY VS SPY promo cards

regards

John

I have all the regular cards including the 3rd series in the black box (and the Spy Vs. Spy set), but am surely missing plenty of promos. I did buy a group of them that included a signed one by Frank Kelly Freas, a painter who did a lot of iconic Mad covers (and the classic Queen "New of the World" album cover).

I saw one of the new MAD specials at our local supermarket the other day.

They actually are continuing to publish new issues, with #10 and #11 having been issued over the past few months despite reports that #9 was to be last new material issue. Perhaps sales increased once people thought they were going to lose it. I pre-ordered the previous three issues and that's not something I used to do.

According to MAD's website, issue # 14 is on sale next week.