Mad  MAD9   (E.C., 1952-Present) ™ and © William M. Gaines, Agent

Comics publisher EC was in trouble in the 1950s, with the recently adopted Comics Code seemingly designed to ban most things that had been hallmarks of the publisher’s line. Although the code spelled the doom of most of their line, publisher William Gaines had a final trick up his sleeve: a humor publication called Mad.

Originally published in comic form, it switched to its current magazine format in order to avoid the influence of the Comics Code Authority. Decades later, the move seems to have worked, as whole generations of readers have grown up reading its satirical coverage of current events, popular culture, and celebrities. It’s also well-known for its standing features, including Spy vs. Spy, the Mad Fold-In, and the grinning visage of Alfred E. Neumann.

The Comics Code may have cost Gaines dearly, but thanks to Mad, he and his readers got the last laugh.

(Additional comments from comics historian Maggie Thompson…)

This series, carrying the spine-long text “Humor in a jugular vein” and the top-of cover lead-in “Tales calculated to drive you,” was one of two of Editor Harvey Kurtzman’s major projects at E.C. (The other was Frontline Combat.)

Mad began as a color comic book, shifted to black-and-white magazine format with #24, and continues to this day.) Several of the early covers were by Kurtzman, and the satiric title carried parodies even on many of its covers.

The face of “Alfred E. Neuman” as connected with Mad actually appeared first on a collection of Mad reprints from publisher Ballantine Books (The Mad Reader); the first use of the image in Mad itself appeared on the cover of #21. Issue #23 carried a notification of the upcoming change in format.

The comic book’s topics ran from Archie to Gasoline Alley, from Sherlock Holmes to Flash Gordon, from G.I. Joe to Pogo, and from Mickey Mouse to The Shadow. No issue of Mad carried the seal of the Comics Magazine Association of America.

When the shift came to the magazine format, more text was introduced and initial contributions from such mainstream comedy sources as Bob and Ray, Ernie Kovacs, and Tom Lehrer appeared. Kurtzman departed, Al Feldstein took over as editor, and the title continues to this day, with “What—Me Worry?” kid Neuman as a mascot and satire directed more toward media and society than other comic art staples. Entire books have been devoted to the series.

— Maggie Thompson

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		Notes	Writer	Artist
	Mad #1 Date: 10/1/1952 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $5,000.00 No copies available		Harvey Kurtzman	Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Will Elder, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman
	Mad #2 Date: 12/1/1952 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $1,250.00 No copies available		Harvey Kurtzman	Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Will Elder, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman
	Mad #3 Date: 1/1/1953 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $725.00 No copies available		Harvey Kurtzman	Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Will Elder, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman
	Mad #4 Date: 4/1/1953 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $700.00 No copies available		Harvey Kurtzman	Wally Wood, Will Elder, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman, Jerry DeFuccio
	Mad #5 Date: 6/1/1953 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $1,200.00 No copies available	Low distribution	Harvey Kurtzman	Jack Davis, Wally Wood, Will Elder, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman, Jerry DeFuccio
	Mad #6 Date: 8/1/1953 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $530.00 No copies available		Harvey Kurtzman	Jack Davis, Will Elder, John Severin, Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood
	Mad #7 Date: 10/1/1953 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $530.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #8 Date: 12/1/1953 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $530.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #9 Date: 3/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $530.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #10 Date: 4/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $530.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #11 Date: 5/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $530.00 No copies available			Basil Wolverton, Wally Wood
	Mad #12 Date: 6/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $750.00 No copies available			Bernie Krigstein, Wally Wood
	Mad #13 Date: 7/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $420.00 2 copies available from $30.00			Wally Wood
	Mad #14 Date: 8/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $430.00 No copies available
	Mad #15 Date: 9/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $420.00 1 copy available for $50.00
	Mad #16 Date: 10/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $430.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #17 Date: 11/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $430.00 No copies available
	Mad #18 Date: 12/1/1954 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $440.00 1 copy available for $41.00			Wally Wood
	Mad #19 Date: 1/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $420.00 No copies available
	Mad #20 Date: 2/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $300.00 No copies available
	Mad #21 Date: 3/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $360.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #22 Date: 4/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $300.00 No copies available	Art Issue	Harvey Kurtzman	Bill Elder
	Mad #23 Date: 5/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.10 NM Guide: $300.00 No copies available	Think	Harvey Kurtzman	Jack Davis, Wally Wood
	Mad #24 Date: 7/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $775.00 No copies available	Mad switches to magazine format
	Mad #25 Date: 9/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $300.00 No copies available
	Mad #26 Date: 11/1/1955 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $250.00 No copies available			Bernie Krigstein, Wally Wood
	Mad #27 Date: 4/1/1956 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $250.00 No copies available			Russ Heath, Wally Wood
	Mad #28 Date: 6/1/1956 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $225.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #29 Date: 9/1/1956 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $225.00 No copies available			Jack Kamen, Basil Wolverton, Wally Wood, Don Martin
	Mad #30 Date: 12/1/1956 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $350.00 No copies available	Alfred E. Neuman cover
	Mad #31 Date: 2/1/1957 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $200.00 No copies available
	Mad #32 Date: 4/1/1957 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $175.00 No copies available
	Mad #33 Date: 6/1/1957 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $165.00 No copies available
	Mad #34 Date: 8/1/1957 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $140.00 No copies available
	Mad #35 Date: 10/1/1957 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $140.00 No copies available
	Mad #36 Date: 12/1/1957 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $110.00 No copies available
	Mad #37 Date: 1/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $110.00 No copies available
	Mad #38 Date: 3/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $110.00 No copies available
	Mad #39 Date: 5/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $110.00 No copies available
	Mad #40 Date: 7/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $110.00 No copies available			Basil Wolverton, Wally Wood
	Mad #41 Date: 9/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #42 Date: 11/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #43 Date: 12/1/1958 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #44 Date: 1/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #45 Date: 3/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #46 Date: 4/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #47 Date: 6/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #48 Date: 7/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #49 Date: 9/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 1 copy available for $130.00			Wally Wood
	Mad #50 Date: 10/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $80.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #51 Date: 12/1/1959 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #52 Date: 1/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #53 Date: 3/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #54 Date: 4/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood, Al Jaffee
	Mad #55 Date: 6/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #56 Date: 7/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #57 Date: 9/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #58 Date: 10/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #59 Date: 12/1/1960 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #60 Date: 1/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available	1st appearance of Spy Vs Spy		Wally Wood
	Mad #60 Variation A Date: 1/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $60.00 No copies available	Richard Nixon cover
	Mad #61 Date: 3/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #62 Date: 4/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available			Wally Wood
	Mad #63 Date: 6/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #64 Date: 7/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #65 Date: 9/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #66 Date: 10/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #67 Date: 12/1/1961 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #68 Date: 1/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #69 Date: 3/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #70 Date: 4/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $48.00 No copies available
	Mad #71 Date: 6/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #72 Date: 7/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #73 Date: 9/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #74 Date: 10/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #75 Date: 12/1/1962 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #76 Date: 1/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #77 Date: 3/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available	48 pages; b&w		Antonio Prohias, Don Martin, Joe Orlando, Mort Drucker, Wally Wood
	Mad #78 Date: 4/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #79 Date: 6/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #80 Date: 7/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $36.00 No copies available
	Mad #81 Date: 9/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #82 Date: 10/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #83 Date: 12/1/1963 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #84 Date: 1/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available	48 pages; b&w		Antonio Prohias, Don Martin, George Woodbridge, Joe Orlando, Mort Drucker, Sergio Aragonés, Wally Wood
	Mad #85 Date: 3/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #86 Date: 4/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available	1st fold-in
	Mad #87 Date: 6/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #88 Date: 7/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #89 Date: 9/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #90 Date: 10/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #91 Date: 12/1/1964 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #92 Date: 1/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #93 Date: 3/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #94 Date: 4/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.25 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #95 Date: 6/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.30 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #96 Date: 7/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.30 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available	48 pages; b&w		Al Jaffee, Antonio Prohias, Don Martin, Joe Orlando, Mort Drucker
	Mad #97 Date: 9/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.30 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #98 Date: 10/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.30 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
	Mad #99 Date: 12/1/1965 Cover Price: $0.30 NM Guide: $32.00 No copies available
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