Mad Magazine, the irreverent and highly influential satirical magazine that gave the world Alfred E. Neuman, will effectively cease publication some time later this year after 67 years, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Sources tell THR that after issue 9, Mad will no longer be sold on newsstands and will only be available through comic book shops as well as mailed to subscribers. After issue 10, there will no longer be new content save for the end-of-year specials. Beginning with issue 11, the magazine will only feature previously published content — classic and best-of nostalgic fare — from its massive vault of material from the past 67 years. DC, however, will continue to publish Mad books and special collections.
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On Wednesday night, Mad cartoonists David DeGrand and Evan Dorkin took to social media to confirm and lament the closure of the magazine. The news follows writer Dan Telfer’s tweet earlier this week about being laid off as a senior editor.
DC Entertainment, the publishers of Mad, declined to comment.
“Today won’t end. Goodbye, Mad Magazine. As a youngster I was a huge fan of the 70’s era, as a young adult I rediscovered the 50’s comics, as an old nerd I somehow became a contributor (often working w/@colorkitten) for the last decade +. Getting the e-mail today was crushing,” Dorkin wrote in a tweet thread, confirming his own departure and a staff-wide email about the closure. Dorkin ended his thread with “for all intents and purposes, Mad is folding.”
Responding to social media speculation that Mad was shuttering, DeGrand tweeted “can confirm.”
The venerable humor magazine was founded in 1952 by a group of editors led by Harvey Kurtzman. Although it began as a comic book, bimonthly issues were published and became the norm for the satirical content. Mad, with it’s always memorable covers featuring the gap-toothed Alfred E. Neuman, has been highly influential for successive generations of comedians, artists, writers and performers.
The news of the magazine’s closure has already led to reaction on social media, with a host of comedy heavyweights sharing their sorrow, how Mad influenced them and their favorite bits over the years.
Weird Al Yankovic tweeted: “I am profoundly sad to hear that after 67 years, Mad Magazine is ceasing publication. I can’t begin to describe the impact it had on me as a young kid – it’s pretty much the reason I turned out weird. Goodbye to one of the all-time greatest American institutions. #ThanksMAD.”
The Lego Movie director Chris Miller tweeted: “I was an intern at Mad Magazine in 1994. I had no apt in NY so I kept my belongings in the archives & took a daypack & crashed on couches for 3 months. In the writers room they had a drum kit to do rim shots on bad jokes. Great memories. I’ll miss it.”
I am profoundly sad to hear that after 67 years, MAD Magazine is ceasing publication. I can’t begin to describe the impact it had on me as a young kid – it’s pretty much the reason I turned out weird. Goodbye to one of the all-time greatest American institutions. #ThanksMAD pic.twitter.com/01Ya4htdSR
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 4, 2019
So sad. My kids still love @MADmagazine. And I know everything I know about the Towering Inferno from it aka #thetoweringsterno. https://t.co/fBeN4O4UnD
— David Mandel (@DavidHMandel) July 4, 2019
I was an intern at MAD Magazine in 1994. I had no apt in NY so I kept my belongings in the archives & took a daypack & crashed on couches for 3 months.
In the writers room they had a drum kit to do rim shots on bad jokes. Great memories. I’ll miss it https://t.co/xGjrTeefXI— Chris Miller (@chrizmillr) July 4, 2019
Probably my single favorite part of MAD Magazine was the words Don Martin would come up with for sound effects. A full list of them here: https://t.co/TIZ5d05aWw
In Chicago my friend @yourpaldoug and I adopted two kittens and named them Fweep and Sproing. – RS pic.twitter.com/Maobg3Lahd— Triumph® ??? ??s??? ????? ???™ Headquarters (@TriumphICDHQ) July 4, 2019
Lesley Goldberg contributed to this report.
