Customer Reviews

MAD - Cover to Cover: 48 Years, 6 Months, & 3 Days of MAD Magazine Covers

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Ooh.. the FIRST customer review. Well as Alfred said on the cover of issue #100.. "Big Deal!" This wonderful book, beautifully depicts the cover of every issue of MAD since its 1952 inception as a comic right up to the December, 2000 (400th!) issue and is an absolute gem. Another gotta have it for MAD collectors and lovers everywhere. Very high quality glossy printing, high quality wraps with inner leafs featuring an hilarious family history of the lineage of the idiot gap-toothed boy, some covers are printed full page, some smaller, each documented as to the artist and the writer/designer, all in chronological order. Many with alternative designs that were rejected for one stupid reason or another, preliminary pencil sketches, and even a surprise on the bottom corner of each page that I won't reveal but you'll get a kick out of it if you buy the book. MAD is not just a cultural icon and the best satire magazine ever created, but also a nearly fifty year history of idiotic stuff that America and the world has produced. This book is a beautiful time capsule of all of it.

The photomosaic cover by Robert Silvers is a masterpiece (see his site ... to see how he does it).

Twelve thumbs up! If you feel like wasting even more money, get the seven CD set "Totally MAD" which has not only all the covers but every page of every issue up to 1998.

"Mad: Cover to Cover" is a glorious full-color collection of the cover art of "Mad" magazine, from its founding as a comic book in 1952 to 2000. The outrageous covers are accompanied by witty and insightful commentary by Frank Jacobs. Since "Mad" has satirized so many aspects of American popular culture throughout its existence, this book also serves as an ironic look at five decades of United States history.

Most of the covers feature Alfred E. Neuman, the goofy red-haired kid who, as the symbol of "Mad" magazine, has become an instantly recognizable (and, dare I say, beloved?) cultural icon in his own right. We see, over the years, the many crazy incarnations of Alfred: on Mount Rushmore, as Baby New Year, as Batman's Robin, as Uncle Sam, as Michael Jackson, as a Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle, etc.

The running commentary offers fascinating glimpses behind the scenes of "Mad." Particularly interesting is the story of the long-suppressed cover depicting the first President Bush burning a flag; with the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War, the "Mad" team decided that the incendiary cover was inappropriate for the time.

This is truly a marvelous book, full of color, laughs, and memories. Even if you're not a regular reader of "Mad," you may find this book to be a fascinating mirror on American fads and foibles.

The first copy of Mad I saw was issue 29 in September 1956 (still got it too) and I was hooked. How could a magazine be so funny and be so spot-on with its satire? Easy, just employ the `usual gang of idiots' that's how. I kind of grew out of it when I discovered the National Lampoon, how could a magazine be so funny etc, etc. But I have always had a soft spot for Mad and this book of covers is a super addition to my back issues and other Mad books.

All 399 (up to November 2000) covers are in this well designed and printed book Mostly one or two covers to a page sometimes with Frank Jacobs' commentary and with a lot of the latter covers you get to see the preliminary cover roughs. As the years go by you can see how the covers changed from simple visual gags into ones that are much more graphic and busy because they have to work harder on the newsstand. The ideas are still very funny after all these years though. My favorite is issue 35 (October 1957) a wraparound that celebrated the fifth anniversary with a great painting from Norman Mingo showing a few dozen very famous American merchandising characters seated round a dining table, Alfred's at one end grinning. I would love this as a poster.

I think it is worth mentioning for Mad fans the seven CD-ROM `Totally Mad' set, every page from the issue one thru to December 1998, the interface is very user friendly and the discs have a lot of additional aural and visual surprises.

BTW, Robert Silver's photmosaic book cover, made up from the magazines covers, is stunning.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

This is exactly the type of book I was hoping MAD would comeout with. It is excellent as a reference tool for the collector whodoesn't have every issue number matched with the cover in their head!

Along with the cover art, the issue number and date are listed.Also the more interesting issues have a brief history! ...

If there are better sight gags than those on the cover of Mad magazine, then I have yet to see them. This book is a collection of the first 400 covers and some of them had me hysterical with laughter. My favorite was the one where Alfred is holding a hard taco shell behind a Mexican dog that is straining mightily. Others were just as funny, although some did require explanation. The producers of the magazine were not above applying a little duplicity when creating the covers.
The only drawback for younger readers will be that knowledge of the current events of the time is a precondition if you are to get the joke. For example, some covers feature political figures, and if you don't know anything about them, the joke is lost. Other covers are spoofs of hit movies of the time, so the explanatory captions are a welcome addition. Having lived through those times, I understood most of them, but there were a few times when I didn't understand the joke until I read the caption.
This book is very funny and you cannot help but be impressed by the quality of the artwork and the zany intelligence that went into the covers of Mad. The producers of Mad constantly lampooned themselves as idiots, but they were without question geniuses.

this book is well designd and gives all the information about the covers over the years, including notes about the spacial covers.
i highly recomand this book to any mad reader.

Anyone who grew up with MAD Magazine would appreciate this book. It highlights memorable issues that reflect on MAD's irrevrent view of the world. The illustrations speak for themselves but the text adds a wonderful sense of history and value to the work. Makes a terrific gift for those of us who refuse to grow up!

A very enjoyable book. Just the high quality reproduction of the covers would make this a great book.
A richly savory festival of imagination, creativity, insight (cultural, sociological, philosophical, etc.) and, of course, delightful humor and splendiferous transcendental artwork. Lots of charming tidbits including photos, extra art reproductions, etc.
Thanks Frank and The Usual Gang for this inundation of funshine and good cheer!

(After you've seen the covers you'd probably like to peek inside). Check out: Absolutely MAD Magazine - 50+ Years

As a kid,I grew up reading Mad magazine-I'm glad this book came out-I always enjoyed the cover art,most of all-It's good to know that future generations will appreciate the fine artwork of the late Norman Mingo,Kelly Freas,Jack Davis,& Mort Drucker-This will make a great gift for that Mad fanatic on your Xmas list.

I loved this book , mostly because Im a mad magazine FAN!!! BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!! GREAT BOOK