Printing Error?

James, What you are seeing is supposed to be there. It's not a misprint or ink from another issue. Look at the covers side by side and you'll see that Alfred is standing outside his girlfriend's window. So why would the word "Mad" and the "25 cents" be printed backwards? If you look at the visual tricks Mad has employed over the years with its covers, you'll see a pattern emerging that makes sense, at least in the Mad world. The cover writing is printed on the window shade inside the girlfriend's house. Notice the wreath hanging from the window shade? If you're standing on the inside with her looking out at Alfred, you'll notice the word "MAD" is complete. But turn it over and look at the girlfriend through Alfred's eyes and you'll see the window frame blocking the backwards "MAD" barely perceptible through the shade. Now why she would have all that writing on her shade, only Mad can say... I'd like to know where I could buy a shade like that. It would also be nice to know if Alfred is being a Peeping Tom or if she just kicked him out of the house? Note that the cover artist Kelly Freas signed both covers the "right" way. Doug

Front Cover of #44	Back Cover of #44

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