“went up Pete B’s house and borrowed Mad Books”
This event may have been my introduction to “American Humour” – or, as they like say, “Humor”
Most people know about Mad Magazine. Somewhat astonishingly, it has been published non-stop since 1952! It is now part of the mighty Warner Bros/DC Comics empire, but is, sadly, no longer funny. I still pick up a copy every so often when I am perusing the magazines at my local Barnes & Noble and whilst it has tried to stick valiantly to its very early brief of being both satirical and funny it barely nudges either these days… at least in my ‘older’ opinion. Indeed, the best parts of new issues would appear to be reprints of cartoons the magazine ran in the 60’s and 70’s!
Which is definitely when it was ‘king’. From the back page ‘fold-ins”, to Dave Berg’s superb “Lighter Side Of…” strip, the sublime “Spy Vs Spy” and – best of all – Don Martin’s hysterical cartoons, it was an assured riot from start to finish.
These paperback books compiled the best of the best bits and I’m sure that I pored over each and every page carefully, making sure I didn’t miss anything.
Seems as if someone else read the magazine too, going so far as to model his looks and political policies on Alfred E Neuman, Mad’s perennial cover star….
“What, me Worry?”
Excerpts from a 70's Teenage Rock Opera 