[bitwize]

Oh, kids think he's a scream. But the humor wears thin as you get older. I've noticed the same about Mad Magazine. When I was 11 and 12, it was hilarious. But as I got older I realized that half the reason I found it so funny is because I was a kid. The nonstop puns, pop-culture parodies, and low-key raunchy humor pushed the envelope for me. But as an adult I realized that whatever wasn't forced obvious humor, was boomers who haven't moved on, didn't understand new phenomena like video games at ALL (certainky not enough to competently make fun of them), and were fighting 60s and 70s ideological battles in the 80s and 90s. They dedicated an entire section of one issue to moralizing about smoking, for instance.

That said, some of the art -- especially Al Jaffee's -- was excellent. I can't say the same about Garfield.

[ksaj]

Mad Magazine was comedic gold for what goes on in the margins (the little mini-cartoons) and the self-referencing jokes. I was a fan of spy-vs-spy, too. It very well might have influenced my career.

The last page (the one you fold) was pretty innovative, too.