It’s an end of an era. After 67 years, Mad magazine will turn to reprinting older material except for the annual year-end issue.
“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,” publisher DC said in a statement to ABC News. “So starting with issue #11 the magazine will feature classic, best-of and nostalgic content from the last 67 years.” New material will appear each year in the annual Mad year-end issue and “MAD books and special collections.”
Founded in 1952, Mad became a staple of grade school lunchrooms. It became famous, mainly, for its movie parodies, and the “Mad Fold-In” feature where you could fold a page to make a new image. And, of course, Alfred E. Neuman, the mascot of the magazine, became iconic for his motto, “What me, worry?”
Director Chris Miller (21 Jump Street) shared a story from his time interning at the magazine in the wake of the news. “I was an intern at MAD Magazine in 1994,” said Miller. “I had no apt in NY so I kept my belongings in the archives & took a daypack & crashed on couches for 3 months. In the writers room they had a drum kit to do rim shots on bad jokes. Great memories. I’ll miss it.”
I was an intern at MAD Magazine in 1994. I had no apt in NY so I kept my belongings in the archives & took a daypack & crashed on couches for 3 months.
In the writers room they had a drum kit to do rim shots on bad jokes. Great memories. I’ll miss it https://t.co/xGjrTeefXI— Chris Miller (@chrizmillr) July 4, 2019
Weird Al Yankovic, who served as a guest editor for Mad, said, “I am profoundly sad to hear that after 67 years, MAD Magazine is ceasing publication. I can’t begin to describe the impact it had on me as a young kid – it’s pretty much the reason I turned out weird. Goodbye to one of the all-time greatest American institutions. #ThanksMAD.”
I am profoundly sad to hear that after 67 years, MAD Magazine is ceasing publication. I can’t begin to describe the impact it had on me as a young kid – it’s pretty much the reason I turned out weird. Goodbye to one of the all-time greatest American institutions. #ThanksMAD pic.twitter.com/01Ya4htdSR
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 4, 2019
Sadly, it appears we’ll never know for sure if the Black Spy or the White Spy in Spy Vs. Spy will win.
