Data courtesy of the Grand Comics Database under Creative Commons license.

Issue Details

Issue #497
Published January 2009
Cover Price 4.99 USD
Pages 56
Editing John Ficarra
Notes ISSN 024 9319

Cover Details - "Why So Stupid?"

Characters Alfred E. Neuman [as The Joker]
Genre satire
Pencils Mark Fredrickson
Inks Mark Fredrickson
Letters typeset
Notes ISSN 024 9319

1 page You're In The Movies advertisement "untitled"

Characters Burt Reynolds
Synopsis Ad for game from The Codemasters Software Company, Ltd.
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Colors ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Inside front cover.

1 page Table of Contents foreword, introduction, preface, afterword "Departments"

Characters Alfred E. Neuman; Sarah Palin; Jesse Jackson; George Bush; Dick Cheney; Brett Favre; Gene Simmons; Barack Obama; Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Pencils various
Inks various
Letters typeset
Notes Art is from various places in the magazine. The feature "Porky Jig Department" is phony and does not actually appear in the issue.

2 page Letters And Tomatoes Department letters page "Random Samplings of Reader Mail"

Characters Barack Obama; Loie Plautz; Joe Biden; Rune Kisch; Todd Palin; Shepard Fairey; Black Spy; White Spy; Alfred E. Neuman
Synopsis Letters, photos and fan art.
Script John Ficarra; Matthew Priestly; Loie Plautz; Ryne Kisch; Shepard Fairey
Pencils Richard Thomas (photo); Erik Schefler (photo); Andy Wicks (photo); Laurie Couture (photo); Dixie Hood (photo); Logan Smith (photo); Nadina Simon (photo); Michael Clark (photo); Ernesto Yerena (photo)
Inks Richard Thomas (photo); Erik Schefler (photo); Andy Wicks (photo); Laurie Couture (photo); Dixie Hood (photo); Logan Smith (photo); Nadina Simon (photo); Michael Clark (photo); Ernesto Yerena (photo)
Colors Richard Thomas (photo); Erik Schefler (photo); Andy Wicks (photo); Laurie Couture (photo); Dixie Hood (photo); Logan Smith (photo); Nadina Simon (photo); Michael Clark (photo); Ernesto Yerena (photo)
Letters typeset

1 page Wrecking Balm advertisement "Tattoo Regret?"

Characters Adam
Synopsis Ad for a tattoo fading gel.
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Colors ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 1-2 of Letters column.

1 page Mirror's Edge advertisement "There's No Looking Back"

Synopsis Ad for game from EA Digital.
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 3-4 of Letters column.

Half page text article "Statement of Ownership"

Synopsis For September 12, 2008.
Genre fact
Script Paul Levitz
Letters typeset
Notes Publisher = Paul Levitz; Editor = Jophn Ficarra; Owner = E.C. Publications, Inc., wholly owned by Time Warner; Average copies per issue Preceding 12 months = 371,269.

Half page credits

Letters typeset

1 page The Spirit advertisement "Face My Power"

Characters Samuel L. Jackson [as The Octopus]
Synopsis Ad for movie from Oddlot Entertainment.
Letters typeset

3 page Random Acts of Mindless Dept.; Celebrity Cause-of-Death Betting Odds; Practical Uses For Your Gas-Guzzling SUVs; Food Myths You Just Shoudn't Believe; Bitterman; Vey To Go!; Where The $750 Billion Government Bailout Funds Are Going; Signs Your Bank Is In story "The Fundalini Pages"

Characters Joe Bitterman; Jessica Alba
Synopsis Various short satires of pop culture.
Genre satire
Script various
Pencils various
Inks various
Letters typeset
Notes Contributors (roles unknown) include: Scott Bricher; Tom Bunk; Pete Coratto; Dick DeBartolo; Garth Gerhart; Jeff Kruse; Kevin Pope; Adam Rust; P. C. Vey.

24 page The MAD 20 story "The MAD 20"

Characters Sarah Palin; Todd Palin; Joe (the plumber); O. J. Simpson; Hillary Clinton; Billy Ray Cyrus; Miley Cyrus; Britney Spears; Sharon Stone; Dina Lohan; John McCain; John Hagee; Ben Bernacke; Barney Frank; Nancy Pelosi; Dick Cheney; Henry Paulson; Wesley Snipes; Richard Hatch; Amy Winehouse; Barbie; Barack Obama; Jeremiah Wright; Brett Favre; Jesse Jackson; Rachael Ray; Bigfoot; Eliot Spitzer; Vito Fossella; Peter Cook; John Edwards; David Duchovny; Gene Simmons; Kwame Kilpatrick; David Blaine; George Bush
Synopsis A salute to the 20 dumbest people and things of 2008, with a special award for the Hall of Fame for multiple wins.
Genre satire
Script Desmond Devlin; Jacob Lambert; John Caldwell; Nate Fakes; Frank Santopadre; Scott Maiko; Justin Tyler; Josh Eiserike; Dick DeBartolo ?
Pencils Richard Williams; Scott Bricher; Irving Schild (photo); Charles Akins; Teresa Burns Parkhurst; Hermann Mejia; Mark Stutzman; Gary Hallgren; Tom Richmond; AP/World Wide (photo); Dave Croatto; Drew Friedman; Liz Lomax; Ty Templeton; Glenn Fabry; James Warhola; Mark Fredrickson
Inks Richard Williams; Scott Bricher; Irving Schild (photo); Charles Akins; Teresa Burns Parkhurst; Hermann Mejia; Mark Stutzman; Gary Hallgren; Tom Richmond; AP/World Wide (photo); Dave Croatto; Drew Friedman; Liz Lomax; Ty Templeton; Glenn Fabry; James Warhola; Mark Fredrickson
Colors Richard Williams; Scott Bricher; Irving Schild (photo); Charles Akins; Teresa Burns Parkhurst; Hermann Mejia; Mark Stutzman; Gary Hallgren; Tom Richmond; AP/World Wide (photo); Dave Croatto; Drew Friedman; Liz Lomax; Ty Templeton; Glenn Fabry; James Warhola; Mark Fredrickson; ?
Letters typeset; Gary Hallgren
Notes 11th Annual awards.

2 page PSP-3000 advertisement "Everywhere Just Got Better"

Synopsis Ad for game player from Sony.
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Colors ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 5-6 of "The MAD 20."

1 page Mad Magazine Poster Book advertisement "Special Giveaway And Contest!"

Characters Alfred E. Neuman
Synopsis House ad for book of posters from Chronicle Books.
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Colors ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 8-9 of "The MAD 20."

4 page Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe advertisement "Which Side Will You Choose?"

Characters Batman; The Joker; Superman; Catwoman; Flash
Synopsis Ad for game from Midway Amusement Games.
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 11-12 of "The MAD 20."

1 page The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon And Graphic Art, Inc. advertisement "The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon And Graphic Art, Inc."

Synopsis Ad for art school courses.
Pencils Joe Kubert ?
Inks Joe Kubert ?
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 17-18 of "The MAD 20."

1 page MAD books promo (ad from the publisher) "This Holiday It's Better To Give Than To Receive..."

Characters Alfred E. Neuman; George Bush; Black Spy; White Spy
Synopsis House ad for various MAD books.
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Colors ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Appears between pages 20-21 of "The MAD 20."

2 page Bettor Days Are Ahead Dept. story "Signs You'll Grow Up To Be A Degenerate Gambler"

Synopsis Things you can notice about children that may foretell their desire to gamble.
Genre humor
Script John Caldwell
Pencils John Caldwell
Inks John Caldwell
Letters John Caldwell

3 page Serge-In General Dept. story "A MAD Look At Hard Times"

Synopsis Problems you may experience when economic times are tough; and a few solutions.
Genre humor
Script Sergio Aragones
Pencils Sergio Aragones
Inks Sergio Aragones
Colors David Rodriguez (of Wildstorm FX)

1 page Joke And Dagger Dept. story "Spy Vs. Spy"

Characters Black Spy; White Spy
Synopsis The Black Spy loses his secret plans due to a plot by the White Spy involving a pie.
Genre humor
Script Peter Kuper
Pencils Peter Kuper
Inks Peter Kuper

2 page A New Malign Of Products Dept. story "It's A Good Brand Name...And A Bad Brand Name..."

Characters Michael Vick ?; Popeye
Synopsis Shows how brand names are not transferable to other products.
Genre satire
Script Jeff Kruse
Pencils Paul Coker
Inks Paul Coker
Letters typeset
Notes Brands mentioned: Roach Motel; Soft & Dri; Monster.com; I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!; Piggly Wiggly; Head & Shoulders; Vicks; Bluetooth; Green Giant; Campbell's Chunky Soup; Popeye Spinach; Garden Weasel; Rent A Wreck; 2000 Flushes; Bengay

1 page Dungeons & Dragons advertisement "When There's A Fight With A Dragon, It's More Fun To Be On His Side"

Synopsis Ad for games from Wizards of The Coast, Inc.
Letters typeset

1 page Mad Fold-In activity "What Important Inhabitant From The North Was In Over Their Head This Year?"

Characters Sarah Palin; Katie Couric; Charlie Gibson
Synopsis Answer is: polar bears.
Genre humor
Script Al Jaffee (signed)
Pencils Al Jaffee (signed)
Inks Al Jaffee (signed)
Letters typeset
Notes Inside back cover.

Marginal Thinking Dept. filler "Drawn-Out Dramas"

Genre humor
Script Sergio Aragones
Pencils Sergio Aragones
Inks Sergio Aragones
Notes Gags appear on 4 different pages.

1 page Batman: The Dark Knight advertisement "There's No Going Back. We've Changed Things Forever."

Characters Batman; The Joker
Synopsis Ad for movie from Warner Bros. Entertainment.
Genre Superhero
Pencils ? (photo)
Inks ? (photo)
Colors ? (photo)
Letters typeset
Notes Back cover.