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MAD Magazine, the iconic comic that taught generations of kids to laugh at the absurdity of the world around them, will no longer publish monthly new content, according to reports.
The magazine known for its gap-toothed mascot Alfred E. Neuman and his “what, me worry?” slogan has been published for nearly 70 years.
Newsstand circulation will come to an end after the August issue, per The Hollywood Reporter. Subscribers and comic shops will continue to receive MAD, but starting in the fall those issues will feature old material repackaged with new covers.
In what may be a small silver lining, publisher DC plans to produce end-of-the-year editions with new material, MAD books and special collections, THR reported.
DC confirmed the news in a statement to ABC:
“After issue #10 this fall there will no longer be new content ― except for the end-of-year specials which will always be all new. So starting with issue #11 the magazine will feature classic, best-of and nostalgic content from the last 67 years.”
Publisher William M. Gaines and editor Harvey Kurtzman launched MAD in 1952. Over the years, the magazine earned a reputation for its unforgiving satire of authority figures, especially politicians (and presidents in particular), and its pop culture parodies, including send-ups of movies and TV shows. It was also known for regular features, including Spy vs. Spy, Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions and the Fold-In (a back cover that revealed a gag when folded just right).
MAD published often wordless comics by longtime artist Sergio Aragonés, including the recurring A Mad Look At… feature as well as his tiny drawings that appeared in the margins throughout each issue.
But in perhaps a writing-on-the-wall sign of how the magazine’s cultural footprint had shrunk, a MAD-based insult by President Donald Trump didn’t quite hit home. Trump compared South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg to MAD’s famous mascot.
“Alfred E. Neuman cannot become president of the United States,” Trump told Politico in May.
“I’ll be honest, I had to Google that. I guess it’s a generational thing, I didn’t get the reference,” Buttigieg said. “It’s kinda funny, I guess.”
But to fans from those generations, MAD was a part of their lives ― and they’re devastated:
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