We sort of take the ugly Universal Product Code for granted these days, but Mad complained about it
in a big way with their first issue to feature the unwelcome cover mutilation on #198, April 1978.
In true Mad style, many subsequent issues worked the thing into gags, layouts, and articles below.
| UPC SYMBOL GAG |
ISSUE / DATE |
first depiction on a Mad cover -  |
198 - Apr 1978 |
| When the "UPC" Symbol Takes Over Completely (article written and drawn by Henry Clark) |
198 - Apr 1978 |
| Exclusive: FBI releases bionic man's fingerprints |
199 - Jun 1978 |
| Can you draw me? If you can, you may have a great career ahead of you! |
200 - Jul 1978 |
| Swatch for Alfred's new pin stripe suit and tie |
201 - Sep 1978 |
| This is a photograph of The Invisible Man in his prison cell - With his dog! |
Special #25 -
Fall 1978 |
| Exclusive: New ballistic test proves Booth did not shoot Lincoln |
202 - Oct 1978 |
| Exclusive: Scientists release first computer-written joke |
203 - Dec 1978 |
| The answer to this puzzle will appear in next issue |
Special #26 -
Winter 1978 |
| Scientific breakthrough! Hitler's moustache - Cloned! |
204 - Jan 1979 |
| Sneak Preview: Extreme close-up of grooves in Bee-Gee's next hit record! |
205 - Mar 1979 |
| Exclusive: Extreme micro-photo close-up of George Gobel's hair |
206 - Apr 1979 |
| Free street map of your city - Next issue: Crosstown streets |
Special #27 -
Summer 1979 |
Question: Which line is longer?
A. The check-out line that uses the new "High Speed" electronic machine to read this UPC symbol |
207 - Jun 1979 |
| New postage stamp commemorating 50 years of polluted waterfalls |
208 - Jul 1979 |
| For Sale: World's smallest Zebra skin rug - With bath mat! |
Special #28 -
Fall 1979 |
| Satellite photo of Los Angeles' newest 30-lane freeway... with bike path |
209 - Sep 1979 |
Alfred mows UPCs - 
- (written and drawn by Sergio Aragones) |
210 - Oct 1979 |
| Exclusive: Spectrogram reveals no gasoline on mars, either! |
211 - Dec 1979 |
| Andy Warhol unveils new work entitled "Rainfall" |
Special #29 -
Winter 1979 |
| Hair on head of man watching "Alien"... With son |
212 - Jan 1980 |
| Exclusive! Scientists release microphoto of bacteria that causes fatal computer disease |
213 - Mar 1980 |
| Close ups of the sound tracks for "King Kong" - And "The Thin Man" |
Special #30 -
Spring 1980 |
| For Sale! Unused speed lines! Artist retiring! |
214 - Apr 1980 |
| Rare photo of Minnesota Fats' private pool cue collection |
Special #31 -
Summer 1980 |
Shocking statistics reveal:
Much more bacteria and dirt are concealed deep under household carpets - Than on the surface |
215 - Jun 1980 |
| Free automobile pinstriping - Cut out all the stripes, glue them end to end, and stick them on car! |
216 - Jul 1980 |
| Free blueprint - Build your own pocket comb! |
Special #32 -
Fall 1980 |
| Effect of recession on Italy's pasta production last year... And this year |
219 - Dec 1980 |
| Claw marks made by consumers trying to hold down rising cost of living |
220 - Jan 1981 |
| If you see this on your TV set, it's time to call the repairman! |
Special #34 -
Spring 1981 |
| With the Mad garbage compactor, the stupid useless UPC symbol... Becomes this! |
221 - Mar 1981 |
| Jackie Gleason's personal set of acupuncture needles... And Mickey Rooney's |
223 - Jun 1981 |
 | Within his cover's city scene, Al Jaffee draws a dog peeing on
the stilts of a human billboard advertising "Sam's Venetian Blinds" |
|
224 - Jul 1981 |
| Dagwood, your sandwich fell over on its side! |
Special #36 -
Fall 1981 |
| Official group portrait of Olive Oyl's entire family |
225 - Sep 1981 |
Optical illusion:
Stare at this pattern for 10 seconds! Now look away! You'll think you see it on everything! |
226 - Oct 1981 |
| Hair on head of a man seeing one of today's typical horror movies... And his son's |
227 - Dec 1981 |
| Snakes that died making "Raiders of the Lost Ark" |
228 - Jan 1982 |
| Play the Mad accordian - Lesson number 1: First pull it apart like this! Then... push it in! |
229 - Mar 1982 |
| For sale - Used baselines, yard lines, goal lines and artists' speed lines |
Special #38 -
Spring 1981 |
| Stack of quarters & slugs needed to play this cover |
230 - Apr 1982 |
| Unsold copies of Mad Laugh record... stacked sideways |
Special #39 -
Summer 1981 |
| Results of Mad Straw Poll - Reagan's popularity when he was elected... and now |
232 - Jul 1982 |
| Artist's rendering of the Laurel & Hardy mausoleums |
234 - Oct 1982 |
| Leftover sliced baloney from actual front cover |
235 - Dec 1982 |
| New status symbol for shirts to replace corny alligators |
236 - Jan 1983 |
Mad's new exclusive built-in microphone -
If you have any complaints about this issue, speak into the mike and we'll hear you! |
239 - Jun 1983 |
| Alfred E. Neuman's tooth brush (drawing included) |
240 - Jul 1983 |
| Projected sale of Special, if we used word "sex" on cover - Projected sale if we didn't |
Special #44 -
Fall 1983 |
Symbol caught in the wave with other garbage on George Woodbridge's cover -  |
241 - Sep 1983 |
| Cross section of Mr. T's mohawk haircut today... And as a baby |
242 - Oct 1983 |
Fits well within the monitor on Richard Williams' War Games computer console -  |
244 - Jan 1984 |
| If your windows look like this after you wash 'em, you need a new squeegee! |
246 - Mar 1984 |
| ...and Rich Little as the UPC symbol |
Special #46 -
Spring 1984 |
| John Glenn's Straw Poll before "The Right Stuff" - And after |
247 - Jun 1984 |
George Woodbridge's framed picture within the kid's garbage-covered room -  |
Special #49 -
Winter 1984 |
| You may already be a big winner! Scratch off these lines with a coin and see! |
253 - Mar 1985 |
| Free with this issue of Mad! This fine minature abstract painting ready for framing! |
256 - Jul 1985 |
| An apology: We hope this UPC symbol doesn't offend you! |
257 - Sep 1985 |
| With this issue: A free computer chip! |
258 - Oct 1985 |
| Stack of the worst UPC gags we ever wrote - And the best |
Special #53 -
Winter 1985 |
Never before revealed! A close-up photograph of Alfred E. Neuman's missing tooth -  |
263 - Jun 1986 |
| Close-up of The Fabulous Moolah's stretch marks! |
264 - Jul 1986 |
| We are experiencing technical difficulties - Please Stand By |
266 - Oct 1986 |
| Sneaky UPC Symbols (article written by Frank Jacobs / Bob Clarke art) |
271 - Jun 1987 |
Slanted for The Totally Crooked Super Special -  |
Special #60 -
Fall 1987 |
| Mad's UPC Symbol Explained (article written by Frank Jacobs) |
277 - Mar 1988 |
Sergio Aragones walks away with some symbol lines -  |
Special #62 -
Spring 1988 |
| Close-up of ice cube made with New Jersey water! |
286 - Apr 1989 |
UPC Crappo -  |
291 - Dec 1989 |
| Inspected by Number 0-70989-34080-0-93 |
Special #68 -
Fall 1989 |
| Magnetically aligned clippings of Alfred E. Neuman's hair |
302 - Apr 1991 |
Barely worth mentioning creative blending of code with promo text for Specials 76, 79, 81, 82, 88
and more in the future that really aren't worth mentioning... |
|
UPC as license plate -  |
313 - Sep 1992 |
| UPC symbol ruins another cover |
Special #86 -
Mar 1993 |
| Exclusive closeup of Ferengi fingerprint |
321 - Sep 1993 |
| This is not a tattoo idiot! |
Special #91 -
Jan 1994 |
| UPC symbols suck! HUH-HUH-HUH-HUH |
325 - Feb 1994 |
Printed on the side of a Jaffee-in-the-box -  |
Special #92 -
Mar 1994 |
Part of a movie ticket -  |
Special #99 -
Fall 1994 |
| Needles used in the making of this cover |
340 - Oct 1995 |
| "Jabba's toothpick collection" sign held by Salacious B. Crumb |
354 - Feb 1997 |
| Elvis' cholesterol count |
Special #120 -
Apr 1997 |
| "UPC Accident" is one of the ways to kill a Pokémon |
386 - Oct 1999 |
| Wolverine Alfred shreds edge of label box holding symbol |
399 - Nov 2000 |
| Doctor Octopus Alfred holds the symbol in one of his claws |
444 - Aug 2004 |
| Truck with symbol on it's side careens off freeway overpass. |
5 - Feb 2019 |
UPC detail from cover of #224 - July 1981
|
