Thanks to satire likeThe SimpsonsandThe Daily Show , it ’s hard to imagine a time when irreverent humor was n’t everywhere . But the 1950s were much different . Anti - establishment mood was n’t part of the mainstream . Not untilMadmagazinearrived to poke holes in everything from politics to movies to advertising . And even if you never picked upMad , you probably knowAlfred E. Neuman , its moronic mascot .
But who came up withMad ? What prompted a suit over Alfred E. ? And why did the FBI feel the pauperization tokeep a fileon a empty-headed humor cartridge clip ?
Mad Men
Today , comic account book are the reservoir material for moving-picture show that gross jillion of dollars . But in the 1950s , grownup generally perceived them as hot dumpster trash that would rot kids ’ Einstein . Some multitude even took toburning them .
How did funnies get such a bad strike ? While fibre like Superman and Batman were viewed with suspiciousness , adults were really fixate on crime and horror comics like the ones publish by EC Comics . Foundedby Maxwell Gaines in 1944 and later run by his sonWilliam Gaines , EC was the publishing firm behind grisly form of address likeTales From the CryptandThe Vault of Horror . beheading and other gore made them a slight bit like the slasher movies of their day .
But Gaines had one employee who thought comics could do better . His name wasHarvey Kurtzman , and he was a very gifted writer and artist who had land up military service and was looking to become a professional illustrator . After a series of rum jobs , Kurtzmanlanded at EC Comics , where his approaching to pop warfare rubric was more thoughtful than most of the stories being published at the clip . With the Korean War raging and the experiences of his many fan in the armed services to tie from , Kurtzmantold storiesthat examined the human price of war .
While Kurtzman test serious topics , he was n’t that serious a bozo . He had spent years instance humor comics , include a stint working for Marvel Einstein Stan Lee . And as much as he loved his armed combat stories , EC Comics was n’t exactly known for their deep pockets . Kurtzman want an opportunity to be comical , and to make more money doing it .
The historical disk gets a little murky when it come to who exactly arrive up with the theme forMad . Kurtzman insisted a humour comic was his idea . William Gaines said it was his . The two never even agreed on who named itMad . Kurtzman read he came up with it . Gaines said that he and other editors had bear on to EC Comics as “ EC ’s mad mags ” for their bombastic approach , and that Kurtzman had merely submit the phrase and shorten it .
What we do know is that Kurtzman wanted to do something Modern at the time — a comic book that made play of other comic books . Each consequence would have a serial of stories poking merriment at popular genres like horror , Westerns , and superhero title , with Kurtzman using many of the same artists , admit Jack Davis and Wallace Wood , that EC used for their conventional titles .
It was something different , and in the comics marketplace of 1952 , dissimilar was important . Roughly 3250 comics were put out that year , with over 60 different form of address hitting the newsstand every week . Kids — who made up most of the risible book readership — had destiny of selection , and there was no telling whether a humour comedian would win .
Thefirst issue ofMadwas really titledTales Calculated to repel You Madand retailed for 10 cents . Gaines print 400,000 copies for its October / November 1952 launching and hold back to get parole from distributors and retailer on whether it was a collision . And — it was n’t . It sold moderately poorly , actually . All of that competition had squeezedMadout of the motion picture . Gaines was appal to see that issues two and three were also meet with a lukewarm receipt .
Kurtzman decide that if they were go to parody funnies , they might as well set their mountain on the biggest and most indestructible target possible : Superman .
A irony titled “ Superduperman ” ran in the fourth consequence and was significant for two reasons . Mocking DC ’s hero created strong word of mouth among lector , and it also led to DC — then known as National Comics Publications — sending a powerfully word legal varsity letter demandingMadstop mock their most popular graphic symbol . DidMadcomply ? It did not . DidMadget a lot of legal letters from that point forth ? It did .
Mad Success
With momentum generated by “ Superduperman , ” the circulation ofMadsoared to 750,000 copies per issue . More parodies stick with , like “ Starchie , ” a take - off of Archie , which date the Riverdale gang acting more like delinquents than innocent teenagers . Under Kurtzman ’s sentinel , Madwas also leaning into more insurgent humor . One issue had a cover publish to reckon like a classic composition Koran , which persuaded kid to try and get away with reading it in school .
The success of the comic came at a beneficial time for EC , since they were about to face a very public scolding for pretty much everything else they bring out . In 1954,congressional hearingswere check on the potential dangers of funny books , and William Gaines was called in to show .
What, Me Worry?
One of the fully grown mysteries behindMadactually started more than 50 year before the first issue was impress . That ’s around the time an illustration of a gap - toothed imbecile commence circulating in ad material . He was even used in a political hunting expedition against Franklin Roosevelt .
Around the time Gaines and EC were preparing to issue a series ofMadtrade paperback collection , Kurtzman was in the offices of Ballantine Books when he sawthis unusual figureon a bulletin display panel with the legend , “ Me concern ? ” Kurtzman stole the nameAlfred Neumanfrom a wireless show hosted by Henry Morgan , but it was originally just used as a form of generic pedestal - in name around EC , not a label for any finical fictitious character . A story in Crime Illustrated , for illustration , has a story attributed to Neuman . According to Kurtzman , it was only when fans begin apply the name Alfred E. Neuman to the dimwitted character thatMadeditors follow suit . Artist Norman Mingo perfect Neuman ’s dull expression and illustrated many covers forMad . Alfred E. Neuman became so popular that a reader in New Zealand once sent a letter to the publishing company ’s offices in New York with no reference on it . Instead , the correspondent had drawn Neuman on the envelope . It made it to its finish .
Even though paternity of the character was never get word , it was n’t long before someone tried to lay claim Neuman as their own . A fair sex named Helen Pratt Stuffsued ECclaiming that her late husband , Harry Spencer Stuff , had copyright the character back in 1914 . AsMadgeared up for the lawsuit , they began research the story of the character reference and found widespread use of the face . What ’s more , Harry Spencer Stuff was , in the dustup of the court , “ most derelict in preventing others from infringing his copyright , ” which did n’t help his widow ’s argument . She lost the lawsuit on charm . In fact , Neuman ’s semblance may see back to 1894 , whenThe Los Angeles Heraldran an announcement for a gaming calledThe New Boy . His depiction may have been inspired by an actor who look in the show .
How popular did Neuman get ? In 1959 , Fred Astaire starred in a variety television special titledAnother eve With Fred Astaire . In it , Astaire perform a terpsichore routine that ’s every bit as compelling as any other Fred Astaire procedure — except he go on to be wearing an Alfred E. Neuman disguise the full time .
The Useful Gang of Idiots
Alfred E. Neuman might have been the most placeable personality fromMad , but he was n’t the only one . Over time , the clip would introduce some popular recurring feature in the magazine as well as writers and artists who developed followings of their own . WhileMadreferred to them as the Usual Gang of Idiots , they were some of the most talented visual storytellers in the business organization .
One of the most noteworthy characteristic was theMadFold - In . make byMadcontributorAl Jaffee , who spent an astounding 56 twelvemonth making them , the Fold - In boost reader to reveal a out of sight image by pressing two side of the inner back cover together . Jaffee suppose he was inspired by the fold - out vulgar in powder store of the era , like those found inPlayboy . Jaffee also created the popular “ Snappy response to Stupid Questions ” newspaper column , which allowed readers to piece their choice of sarcastic counter . Jaffee contributed toMadthrough 2020 , when heretiredat age 99 .
Sergio Aragonéswas best known for his work in the perimeter of the magazine publisher . According to Aragonés , he go far in New York from Mexico in the sixties in the hopes of making it as a cartoonist . When he show some samples to editors , they declared his work a good set forMad . Aragonés noticed there was pot of empty distance on the borderline of each pageboy and offered to start filling them with petite , wordless illustrations . He basically produce a military position for himself that survive for decades .
Antonio Prohías , who produce the secret federal agent spoof “ Spy vs. Spy , ” was actually a Cuban refugee who fled the country in 1960 and devised his famously awkward spies while working in a clothing factory . He visited theMadoffices with both his drawings and his daughter , 14 - year - sometime Marta , to help him translate .
Drucker arrived atMadin 1956 , the same twelvemonth the magazine had to say goodbye to perhaps its big influence — Harvey Kurtzman .
Printing Error
Despite having a significant influence on the direction and style ofMad , Harvey Kurtzman was n’t at the helm very long . Kurtzman was expectant on tone controller , and he feel the freelance budget Gaines accord did n’t permit him to pay his natural endowment what they deserve . At the same time , Kurtzman was being courted by Hugh Hefner , who had recently start hisPlayboypublishing empire , to hail make a humor clip for him . So , in 1956 , Kurtzman parted ways with Gaines to begin a cartridge holder titledTrump . When that conform to with motley reviews , Kurtzman tried again with a magazine titledHumbug . But recapturing thatMadmagic was rise elusive . Despite Kurtzman ’s best efforts , Madstood alone in the humor department . And under the vigil of Modern editorAl Feldstein , who would stay on add-in for 28 years , Madwas grow by leaps and bounds .
In 1960 , the editorial staff seemed to forebode the future when they printed a cover pride John F. Kennedy on his presidential victory even though the election was weeks away . How did they do it ? Simple . The issue had two covers , with Kennedy on one side and nominee Richard Nixon on the other . distributer were told to expose whichever candidate won , makingMadlook overbold — for a minute , anyway .
In the 1960s , songwriter Irving Berlin and others went afterMadin court of law . Mad had printed a assemblage of joke lyrics to be whistle to the tunes ofpopular songs , and the music manufacture felt this was copyright infringement . The United States Court of Appeals disagreed and sided withMad , say that burlesque and satire were merit of substantial exemption both as amusement and as a form of literary and societal unfavorable judgment .
That is a powerful proclamation , which Mad may or may not have been remember about when they determine to print a middle finger on the cover of their April 1974 issue . Some store refused to sprout it , which prompted William Gaines to bring out a letter of excuse — one of the many Mad has been forced to issue over the years .
The first was addressed to newsstand dealers in 1953 , when Gaines published his biography in the magazine key himself as a Communist , pyromaniac , and dope dealer . Then , in 1957 , Gaines receive the ira of the Federal Bureau of Investigation when the powder magazine print a game in which the reader could take in a draft - fox card they were opine to quest from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover . When three readers actually wrote to Hoover asking for their card , the FBI chit-chat theMadoffices in New York . Gaines was handily not in , but artistic production theater director John Putnam promised they would never make fun of Hoover again . Gaines then wrote a letter of the alphabet saying how very distressing he was .
And in June 1961 , the FBI got upset whenMadoffered advice on writing an extortion letter that several kids used as a template to need money . The FBI wanted the Attorney General to investigate since they felt the mag was urging multitude to ravish federal law .
They did n’t get their compliments , but in 1967,Maddid get a sojourn from the U.S. Treasury Department afterprintingwhat was plain a false $ 3 bill . The problem was that some of the first change machines in the land could n’t tell a legitimate banknote from one conduct Alfred E. Neuman ’s face ; the auto were impart out change when hoi polloi inserted the fake money into the slot . How that was the fault ofMadwas never really explained , and they at last wound up not beat in trouble for the accidental counterfeiting .
Madness
By the early seventies , Madhad a circulation of over 2 million readers and was progressively seen as a vital representative in the counterculture movement . Alfred E. Neuman set his batch on everything from Vietnam to Watergate . Even Harvey Kurtzman returned shortly in 1985 to aid spoof Rambo .
But by the ending of the 20th century , pop culture and witticism were changing rapidly . Kids who had grow up onMadwere now crafting their own comedy , and the winking irony once exclusive to the magazine could be picture in films likeThe Naked Gun , shows likeSaturday Night Live , and evenThe Onion , which would finally bridge over the gap between print and online humour .
Faced with dwindling circulation , editor program atMadtook some drastic steps . In 1994 , they allowed Alfred E. Neuman tobecome a radius - idiotfor a Syquest computer computer memory gimmick . By 2002 , he was appear in catalogs for Land ’s terminal and aGot Milk ? ad political campaign . The magazine itself had also started accept ads . Both of these steps were a swelled deal . William Gaines had kibosh assume ads in 1957 . Gaines , who passed away in 1992 shortly before Kurtzman , matte up thatMadcouldn’t parody consumerism if they were gain from advertising . In 2001 , ads helped pay for the magazine ’s switch to colour printing .
Butby 2002,Madwas selling just 200,000 written matter a calendar month . finally , the magazine faced the same critical decision that a lot of mark publishing had to make . In 2019 , DC Entertainment , which had long - ago acquiredMad , decided to stop issue new issues . For now , the magazine primarily offers reprints of Hellenic stories both in photographic print and online , with some rarer unexampled cloth disperse in .
MadMagazine ’s clip as a ritual of passageway for teen may be over , but there ’s no misunderstanding the shock it had on democratic culture . WithoutMad , we might never have gotten theGarbage Pail Kidsor“Weird ” Al Yankovic(who once client - edited an issue , incidentally ) . Underneath the vacant gaze of Alfred E. Neuman were some absolutely amazing artists plying their craftiness in the same subversive way Harvey Kurtzman used throwaway warfare comics to get readers thinking about more crucial things . Madlet minor know that making sense was overrated . make nonsense was sometimes full .
This narration has been adapted from an episode of Throwback on YouTube .
