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.