IT'S A MAD, MAD WORLD... OR IS IT?

Copyright relevant owner.  Art by DON MARTIN

One day I'll maybe learn the reason why there's no longer a British edition of the long-running MAD MAGAZINE, but, up until its inexplicable and sudden disappearance, for quite a number of years it managed to hold its own amongst a myriad of other publications on newsagents' shelves and spinner-racks across the length and breadth of the country.  Let's now take a look at a couple of my personal favourites of this classic and iconic magazine.



Art by MORT DRUCKER



Back in the early '70s, "8 JAMES BOMB BOMB MOVIES" appeared in issue #146, affectionately ripping the p*ss out of DR. NO to LIVE And LET DIE.  I might be wrong, but I think this may've been the first time Mad had parodied the JAMES BOND movies, and with superb art from the magnificent MORT DRUCKER, they couldn't fail to strike comedy gold.

Art by NORMAN MINGO

Another ish of Mad I got in the early '70s was #59, though this comic was actually published in the '60s.  I only got my paws on it because one of my art teachers (Mr. BOB BELL) brought it into school one day amongst a box of other comics.  Good bloke that he was, he let me keep it when I mentioned how much I liked it.  This one features a parody of the ADAM WEST/BURT WARD BATMAN TV show, and once again features the superlative art of Mort Drucker.



Art by MORT DRUCKER



I can't remember the last time I saw a copy of the U.S. edition of Mad outside of a specialised comic shop, and I've certainly never seen one in years in my local W.H. SMITH's - which makes me wonder why this magazine isn't more readily available in Britain?  And why, after so many presumably successful years, did the U.K. edition cease to be published?

Anyone know the answers?

FOOTNOTE: Yup - the mighty DEZ SKINN knows the answers.  Read what he has to say in the comments section.

The first British edition, 1959.  Art by NORMAN MINGO

GASP! NAKED MAN WITH A HUGE...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

...SURFBOARD!  Well, almost naked.  Seems that MARVEL couldn't quite make up its mind about the bold NORRIN RADD.  When he first appeared (in FANTASTIC FOUR #48) he was trunkless, but shortly thereafter he started sporting a natty pair of swimming trunks to hide his - what exactly?  Couldn't have been his modesty because he'd nothing on display (thank goodness) and, apart from a barely discernible outline around his nether-regions, trunks made absolutely no difference to his appearance.  (And, when he did wear them, were they supposed to be over or under his cosmic coating?  We deserve to know.)

Anyway, here's three more cataclysmic covers from ol' Surfie's magnificent mag back in the '60s - enjoy!  Only another eleven SILVER SURFER covers to go for the full set - stay tuned.

(And for those of you who thought you were visiting some other kind of site - SHAME ON YOU!  What would your mother think?)