Doug Gilford's Mad Cover Site

Brought on-line August 16, 1997.
Last update September 2, 2010.

Select-A-Mad

Revising individual regular issue contents pages to show more artist and writer information.
For those following along, #1 through #151, #504 and #505 are done.
Latest: #151 - (about 30% of the way there) only 352 issues to go.
Thanks to Fred von Bernewitz, Maria Reidelbach, Mike Slaubaugh, Totally Mad Cds,
lots of books, and the idiots over at MadMumblings.com for research assistance.

These may be what you're really after: Don Martin Dictionary / 43-Man Squamish / Christmas Carols

Sad to hear of the passing of Dick Hanchette,
big-time Mad collector and creator of collectmad.com/collectibles/ in 1997.
Some thoughts at Madmumblings.com

If you haven't seen what Bradford's been up to lately,
check out his page featuring 241 signatures on 111 Mads.
In honor of the 100th issue getting signed, Bradford can thank the staff of Mad for marking the occasion all over issue #100 from January 1966. Signatories for the issue: Sam Viviano - Art Director, Charlie Kadau - Senior Editor, John Ficarra - Editor, Joe Raiola - Senior Editor,
Dave Croatto - Associate Editor, Ryan Flanders - Assistant Art Director, Doug Thomson - production assistant,
Dick DeBartolo - Mad's Maddest Writer, and Doug Gilford - some schmuck with a website who snuck a signature in there somewhere when the rest of the guys weren't looking.

<-- Click for larger view

I twitter now and then.

If you're new to MAD or somehow missed it growing up,
take this 20 question basic knowledge quiz to learn some of the basics.
(Basically, it's basically basic...)

QUESTION OF THE MOMENT

What Mad Comic Book front cover became a future Mad Magazine back cover?

Hey Doug:
Holy cow, what an amazing site you have. Time, prepare to be wasted, is all I can say.
Back when I was in seventh grade, I guess I must have been 13 or 14, I sent a big envelope stuffed with cartoons to Mad Magazine A friend of mine and I wrote them and I drew them, since at the time my style was a blatant rip-off of Sergio Aragones. In fact our pitch was that Mad Magazine was more than welcome to utilize our brilliant, lethally funny cartoons in any way they would like, but that they were specifically tooled to be used by Mr. Aragones himself. Visions of fame and fortune danced in our hollow little heads. We were headed for the big time, no doubt about it.
About a month later I got a large envelope in the mail from the MADison Avenue offices. Apparently they needed the large envelope to contain all of the cash and accolades the MAD editorial department had showered upon us. On opening the package, however, I found all of my original cartoons and a personal letter on MAD stationery from Nick Meglin, complete with Alfred E. Neuman watermark. I wish I still had it but it's long gone...but I can paraphrase:
"Dear Marc: Thanks so much for the cartoons submission. I'm afraid we cannot use them at this time. Sergio Aragones is quite a talented artist and has no need for cartoon ideas. Keep working on your cartoons and give the magazine business another try after you've finished with college."
So that deflated our plans a bit but what the hell? We treated that letter as a hallowed shrine. I really wish I hadn't lost it during my Dazed and Confused years.
Marc

See other Odd and Not So Odd Questions and Observations

Hello Doug,
I've always found it hard to choose a favourite. All of the covers have a special place in my heart. I've been collecting MAD for the past couple of years and I've been gradually getting into them. I really love Norman Mingo's MAD Covers from Issue #30-#37, and my eyes widen up when I see Kelly Freas' art. Like I said it's really, really hard to choose but I'd have to say that the artists whose work I look at the most is Jack Rickard. I like how his art is kind of a combination of Norman Mingo and Richard Williams. Some examples of his best work are: #127 #186 #187 #188 #193 #196 #200 #203 #208 #220 and #226.
Declan

See other Favorite (favourite) Covers

Doug, greetings from New Yawk ...
...and thanks for the dedication to this great material! The depth and presentation make it easy for MAD fans to keep the madness alive, and for many first-time visitors, reviving the ol' brain cells which had been subjected to these wonderful writings and artwork they had viewed in their earlier years.
Best wishes for continued success,
Michael
Read other Fanmail

Doug recommends you further your Mad education. Buy this fine MAD junk.
Click on an image to get pricing information from AMAZON.COM.

Going to Amazon through links on this site and buying Mad stuff (OR ANYTHING ELSE) puts a very small credit into an Amazon account for me, Doug Gilford. It's not cash. It's credit. I use the credit to get Mad stuff, the annual Overstreet price guide, computer books, etc. Any time you're considering buying anything through Amazon, come here first and click through a link to the Amazon site. It's like a donation without money changing hands. Thanks!

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If you're new to MAD or somehow missed it growing up, take this 20 question basic knowledge quiz to learn some of the basics.

If you're new to MAD or somehow missed it growing up,
take this 20 question basic knowledge quiz to learn some of the basics.