Earlier this week, many people were shocked with the news that MAD Magazine was suffering some major changes that would drastically affect its publication, with early rumors indicating that the satire serial would be cancelled outright. And while ComicBook learned this isn’t the case, the setbacks have made it clear that its the end of an era for DC Comics’ long-running humor magazine.
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has long been the subject of parody on behalf of the magazine. Hamill took to social media to praise the legacy of MAD Magazine, hoping that it will endure beyond this major setback.
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Hard to imagine a world without @MADmagazine– My older brother’s collection helped me learn to read. It taught a generation how to question & mock the status-quo. An honor & a career highlight to be ridiculed mercilessly by that “usual gang of idiots” ❤️You Madly, Lube Skystalker pic.twitter.com/GvKpQszL7A
— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) July 4, 2019
Rumors started swirling earlier this week when cartoonist Ruben Bolling took to social media to report the magazine’s demise.
“I just heard from a friend of mine who is in a Facebook group with MAD writer Stan Stinberg that, after the next two issues, MAD will no longer be publishing original material,” Bolling wrote. “Instead, it’ll publish reprinted material until it’s subscription responsibilities are fulfilled and then the magazine will cease publication.”
ComicBook’s Russ Burlingame got in contact with someone with knowledge of the situation who confirmed that MAD Magazine was sticking around, but that it would be drastically cut back on new content.
“MAD will be leaving the newsstand after issue #9, which will land on newsstands in early August with all-new content,” our report reads. “MAD #10 will also contain new content, but will be available only via direct market comic book retailers and subscriptions. Rather than closing up shop, the plan at present is to continue publishing issues that will feature reprinted classic MAD pieces, wrapped with new covers art. Further, MAD will continue to publish its end of year specials, as well as books and special collections, capitalizing on the value of the MAD brand in spite of the loss of new content in the magazine.”
Hopefully we find out more about the future of MAD Magazine in the near future.
