MAD Magazine will soon stop creating new content and transform into a reprint magazine, reportedly followed by the end of the magazine altogether…and fans are not happy. Ranging from sadness to anger, from blaming DC to demanding fans try to save it, readers and former readers of MAD magazine have taken to social media to process their feelings.
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The venerable humor magazine, which launched in 1952 at EC Comics, relaunched in 2018, going bimonthly in a move that many fans suspected spelled a short lifespan for the magazine. Like DC’s 2018 Vertigo relaunch, it seemingly did not bring in enough interest or revenue to revitalize the flagging brand. Two years ago today, to the day, MAD hired Bongo Comics co-founder Bill Morrison as its new editor-in-chief following the departure of veteran editor John Ficarra and other key members of his staff, who declined to make the cross-country trip from New York to Los Angeles with the rest of DC’s editorial team.
The 2017 reorganization and subsequent 2018 reboot both struggled with finding an identity for MAD in an increasingly satire-saturated world. Between websites that can deliver topical comedy in real time and a fiercely divided American populace who cannot agree on what comedy is because their preferences break down along party lines, MAD struggled to find an elusive niche. When political humor seemed to work, MAD doubled down on lampooning the Trump administration, which earned some critical praise but likely alienated conservative readers as well as putting the magazine in direct competitions with late night shows that were delivering content nightly rather than once every two months.
You can see a small sampling of the trending wave of sadness below…
Subversiveness
I remember that the subversiveness, though mild, was all my own. I didn’t need SNL or Carson to tell me what Carter and OPEC were doing, in MAD MAGAZINE Robin Williams in the Popeye satire was wearing JORDASS jeans, and nobody else knew about that, that rebellion was all me
— #1 Rick Jones fan (@tomthedog) July 4, 2019
Every journey has a beginning
Mad Magazine primed me for the daily show to by followed by a lifetime of sarcasm in my day to day interactions. you will be missed, but core values held true…if its funny, say it
— Cole (@Bmfyogi) July 4, 2019
Entertained millions
M.A.D. Magazine is shutting down. I used to read MAD Magazine when I was a kid and I couldn’t name a bad issue. Thank you to all the writers and staff at MAD Magazine for a wonderful magazine that entertained millions.
— Richard Acosta (@RichardJAcosta) July 4, 2019
Save MAD Magazine
for the love of god somebody please save @MADmagazine #SaveMadMagazine @DCComics
— roach (@earlofrumham) July 4, 2019
This is why…
I’m way more outraged over MAD Magazine ending than Disney’s latest cashgrab. This is why we can’t have nice things.
— Teh Dingo’s #qualitytweets (@tehdingo) July 4, 2019
A letter to the editor
let’s all pour one out for @MADmagazine. glad my shitty letter got to be published in it before the end. https://t.co/lxb6Xuxm6g
— lex ”CommieLamp” scobey (@106SnowLeopard) July 4, 2019
Culture-Based Humor
This was my very first attempt at reading culture-based humor.
— chpa (@4chpa) July 4, 2019
MAD Magazine taught me what satire was. Yes, it was broad, but it also hit the target.
Repeatedly😐
😑
😢
A fashion statement
Dang. I used to have (ok, ok I probably still have it) a Mad Magazine denim jacket, I loved it so much.
— savagemat (@SavageMat) July 4, 2019
Important to his development
I’m bummed to hear about Mad magazine shutting down. I wouldn’t be who I am without it. The usual gang of idiots fucked me up good as a kid.
— Peter Lynn (@Peter_Lynn) July 4, 2019
…Man, that’s some timing.
Just saw some notes from young @Lin_Manuel begging his parents to send him some copies of MAD Magazine at camp. Now I hear that MAD is shutting down.https://t.co/FkSV8mFOYt
— HaroldJ (@HaroldJ_NEPA) July 4, 2019
It made me Weird
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
