© Cory Doctorow/Flickr (file photo)
The influential cult comic book and later magazine was launched in 1952, thrilling a generation with its sharp observations and ridiculing of US culture, politics and the media. In its heyday in the 70s, its circulation was 2 million as readers relished its jabs at advertising, hippies, and politicians, spearing both Republicans and Democrats in equal measure. It's credited with teaching young people how to be skeptical of government and the media, and its longtime fans mourned the end of an era on social media on Thursday, sharing their favorite covers.
Fans are pointing the finger of blame for the publication's demise on the current PC-obsessed culture which cries foul over dark comedy and alternative viewpoints, marking this moment as the "end of humor without political correctness" and noting that MAD was "too dark and smart for the Twitter era." Magazines like MAD just can't whip up the same instant frenzy as social media in this cancel-culture age, and as a result "parody is dead."
MAD's circulation steadily fell over the years as its popularity was upstaged by the likes of The Simpsons, The Onion, late night television and the endless alternative content online. Contributor Al Jaffee explained in 2010 that the people who grew up reading MAD were now working on late night shows like Saturday Night Live and Stephen Colbert, "So MAD is almost in a competition with itself."
In 2001, it began accepting advertising for the first time and relaunched in 2017 after moving from New York to California, without most of its veteran staff. It continued to make sharp observations, with a 2018 four-page comic strip, featuring children who were about to become victims of a school shooting, attracting attention.
MAD's ceasing of new content production comes as political cartoons experience a fall in popularity across the board, particularly in newspapers, said to be as a result of publications not wanting to offend their audiences. The New York Times announced in June it was cutting all political cartoons after an illustration sparked accusations of anti-Semitism, while Canadian cartoonist Michael de Adder claimed he was fired by Brunswick News Inc after he created a viral cartoon featuring Donald Trump and a dead migrant.
Reader Comments
FIFY
I would guess Mad mag has shut down because of a reduced popularity of print magazines since there's no need to purchase a magazine, take it home, and open the pages when we can so easily read The Onion or watch SNL online anywhere, anytime, on any device.
Also, there's a general preference for belief (in the country, MSM, etc.) over reality which may have weakened the interest in satire since belief prefers to be Serious.
RIP Alfred E. Neuman and Mad Magazine.
The trouble with MAD all along, IMO, was that most of its content was geared primarily to rather juvenile and/or low-brow readers. While the satire was frequently very good, one had to wade through a lot of chaff to find the occasional nuggets.
I don't buy this. Maybe because newspapers are dead. Look at Youtubes The United Spot. There is plenty to room to poke fun at these monsters.
So let the left cry! the more tears and screams the better it gets!
Canadian cartoonist Michael de Adder claimed he was fired by Brunswick News Inc after he created a viral cartoon featuring Donald Trump and a dead migrant.
No up and coming genius with any self respect is going to want to fill out a job application and occupy a warm seat. Genius doesn't work like that. Creative hot heads want to bust everything apart and create something new. It was inevitable that all MAD was ever going to manage to hire were a bunch of wishy washy wannabes who diligently worked hard but didn't have and never will have the Spark. All they can do is mill around the office looking for hand outs and pats on the head.
The only way MAD could ever be cool again would be if it dies, is left in a forgotten shambles, and then gets picked up by some piss and vinegar punk ten years from now who will defy all the cowering wannabes who wouldn't touch it with a stick, "show them all" and laugh in everybody's face while doing so. Now THAT's a magazine I'd pay to read!
heres a MAD parody. to the tune of the flinstones.
Clintons,
meet the Clintons,
They're America's first family.
From the town of Lil Rock,
The one in charge is Hillary.
Lets ride with the Clintons down the street,
while Bill says that those charges will be beat.
.............