Monday MADness- The New MAD!
After weeks of teasing and gaslighting readers with hints about what to expect, this past weekend the new look MAD Magazine was unveiled at Wondercon in Anaheim. So, what was real and what were gags about the new MAD? Here’s a rundown:
Alfred E Neuman gets a facelift and becomes Al Newman– Gag. Alfred is still Alfred. He’s still a gap-toothed idiot. He’s not this:
They are redesigning the logo– True, but it’s not the horrific 80’s chrome monstrosity seen above. That was a gag. The new logo:
It’s clearly a re-imagining of the classic Kurtman Era logo from the comic book days.
MAD is going to restart the numbering with new #1– True. In fact, here’s the cover of the new MAD #1:
This is in part a tribute to the famous “middle finger” cover from MAD #166. Art by Jason Edmiston.
MAD is going back to a comic book format- Gag. They are still a magazine. Same size, same page count, etc. Nicer paper, though.
The rest of the “announcements” were sufficiently ludicrous that I doubt anyone took them seriously (for example, MAD never considered Comic-Sans as their new official font).
All that said, the new MAD really is a new MAD. Executive Editor Bill Morrison showed some of the upcoming content from MAD #1, and shared a few things you can expect to see with the new MAD:
- More comics content, both short and longer, ongoing format stuff. “The Strip Club” is being replaced with 12-14 pages of longer format comics. Bill introduced two new contributors in Bob Fingerman and Luke McGarry, along with a look at their first MAD pieces.
- MAD anchors like Alfred E. Neuman, Spy vs. Spy, the Fold-In, Sergio, movie and TV spoofs are still going to be an important part of the magazine
- Redesigned contents page
- New subscribers get a limited edition mini Alfred tiki-mug. Info in first issue.
Lots new, but a lot of familiar stuff also. The new issue hits news stands April 17th, but if the release process remains the same, it should be in direct sales comic book shops on April 11th, and subscribers both mail and digital would get it earlier. I’m not sure that will hold true, though.
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Thanks for the reassuring update info. The new logo and electric first cover are a complete success. The logo does as you say pay tribute to the earliest issue logo look, but the cleaning up of that design was done so well. The wide D balances out the wide M. And so glad to hear the overall mag size will not change, or the Alfred tiki mug subscription gift would have had to be replaced by a complementary magnifying glass to see Sergio’s marginal cartoons reduced in size. Should be a fun and re-inspired era.
Very happy to hear they’re keeping magazine format!
Immediately, I really like the reimagined throwback MAD logo. It’s not an eyesore, nor is it a distraction. It’ll offer a distinctive break in my collection where I can point out the time when MAD went Hollywood, so to speak. I’m not bothered by restarting the number sequencing, either. My total issue count will continue to increase even if MAD decides to issue six #1s in a row. I can complain a little bit about the cover as I’m not too keen on the color explosion behind Alfred, and I can only hope that we see the return of Mark Fredrickson by Issue #2. But what I really wanted to find out was at least a hint of your contribution, Tom, to this issue. I guess I’ll have to wait for news about that in the coming weeks leading up to the release of Issue #1. (Or you could offer up some tidbits in a response.)
Well, they did show a peek at both of my pieces in the issue on the panel, so I suppose sharing it here would be fine. I did the art on a Movie and a TV parody in #1: “Star Wars-The Last Jedi” and “Riverdale”
Tom, your fans (and MAD fans in general) are going to be blown away when they see your tribute to the great Will Elder in the “Riverdale” satire!
I dunno, maybe its asking for too much, but I’m hoping Betty and Veronica might have at least a few blemishes. That earthiness kind of worked for me the first time around. – desperate in Mpls.
I for one am not happy that it won’t be in comic sans.
Bill, do current MAD subscribers also get one of those sweet limited Tiki Mugs? Or just NEW subscribers? Should I cancel my subscription and resubscribe so i can get one of those?
Hi Joshua! Yes, you can extend your subscription to get the mug by resubscribing for 2-3 years. You don’t have to wait until you subscription is up for renewal.
Bill: What if you are already a three-year subscriber (and reader and fan since 1960)? Can I get one?
Yes Paul, you just need to extend your current subscription.
Will MAD still be taking comics submissions now that “the strip club” has gone?
We’ll still run strips and panel cartoons in “Shorts & Briefs” (Formerly “Fundalini”)
Would a new subscriber receive the June Issue #1 in the mail?
This news is all a relief for me. I’m feeling much better about things now and looking forward to the new issue hitting my mailbox soon.
I feel compelled to follow up my last comment with a few more personal observations. Look, I’m still not happy about them moving MAD Magazine from New York to the West Coast. But, there have been other things that have happened along the way that I was not crazy about either. Truth be told, I loved MAD best in black & white on crappy paper with zero advertising – but, that’s not the way things work. Time marches on and changes have to…NEED to happen for something to remain relevant and or profitable, it is a business after all.
Seeing what these changes truly have turned out to be with this upcoming issue have me hopeful. I like the new logo. I like the cover ( and I remember the original “finger”cover it pays tribute too – as well as the minor furor when that one came out). Nicer paper has got to be a plus. And the format has changed from when I used to read it in the 1970’s to what has been coming out since it went color a number of years ago, so what the hell – I’m keeping an open mind and giving this a shot. They’re still running TV and movie parodies. They’re still using guys like Sergio, and Jaffee, and some guy named Richmond. So I wish ’em the best.
Sounds like we both have the same MAD sweet spot, Lunzerland!
May I be the first UK subscriber to congratulate you Tom for your continuing contributions to MAD and wish all the best to Bill M in his new position. I was very disappointed to see that MAD was leaving the Big Apple after all these years, especially after my visit to the MAD offices at 1700 Broadway in 1997, but perhaps they thought the warmer weather on the West Coast may have a beneficial effect.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Cautiously optimistic about the change. I feel like MAD lost its edge somewhere around 15 years ago (and others would debate even longer ago), and it has actually taken a re-branding to take my interest again after kind of ignoring MAD for about a decade. I hope this means MAD will no longer be the kids book it has been for the past couple of years. I want the controversial MAD back and I think changes are needed. I hope “issue 1” is the start of another glory years.
More jabs. More controversy. But still being funny. With all of this gun violence in the schools it’d be nice to bring back the ‘Hawks and Doves’ feature. MAD are you listening????