(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mad magazine, the humorous publication that poked fun at entertainment and political figures for decades, is ceasing publication, according to published reports.
A report from
ComicBook.com late Wednesday followed several postings on the Internet that deduced
Mad -- owned by comic book publisher DC -- was preparing to shut down, perhaps after another issue or two. The
Mad website still had a template for would-be subscribers.
A senior editor for
Mad, writer and comedian Dan Telfer, announced on Twitter earlier this week he had been let go.
Hey there! I am a nerdy writer type looking to land somewhere after being laid off from my 2-year stint as Senior Editor of MAD Magazine. All leads and RTs are appreciated!Here's my rad resume:https://t.co/5MTBhcdplkHere's my rad portfolio:https://t.co/5sSGzRGjGK
— Dan Telfer (@dantelfer)
July 2, 2019 Mad dates back to the early-1950s under William Gaines, the publisher who was blasted for putting out graphic E.C. horror comics, which were considered a corrupting influence on youth. Gaines was able to run with Mad, which started out as a comic before morphing into a magazine.
At its height, Mad boasted a circulation of 2 million. It was famous for its profane humor and regular stable of cartoonists. Among its famous offerings was the recurring storyline "Spy Vs. Spy," which featured violent cartoon battles between two archetypal espionage agents, one wearing black and one wearing white. Probably the most famous creation was the freckled, gap-toothed persona, Alfred E. Neuman, who appeared on the magazine's covers. His motto, "What, me worry?" became part of American pop culture.
