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Issue: Mad #56
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Title:
Variant: unnamed
Rating:
Publisher: FlagEC
Brand: none
Indicia Publisher: E.C. Publications Inc.
On Sale Date: (not set)
Volume:
Pages: 52
ISBN: none
UPC/EAN: none
Price: $0.25 USD
Indicia Frequency:
Content Items: 26 (16 stories, 1 cover)
Editor(s): Albert B. Feldstein
Disclose Notes:  
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Publication Type: Comic Book
Color: color (#1-23, 400-550); color cover with black & white interior (#24-399)
Dimensions: standard Golden Age US (#1-23); magazine size (#24 onward)
Paper Stock: glossy cover
Binding: saddle-stitched
Publishing Format: Was Ongoing Series
Format Notes:  
Disclose Reprinted From0
There is currently no data for this Issue being reprinted from anywhere.
Disclose Images1
Cover, Front
Original Artwork
Digital Edition
Adult Image
Title Page
Indicia on this Page
 
 
Assets0
 
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Alfred E. Neuman For President

Illustration  on  Cover, Front
Credits
Kelly Freas (painted, signed)
Kelly Freas (painted, signed)
Kelly Freas (painted, signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Alfred E. Neuman bust
Alfred E. Neuman; Richard Nixon; Hubert Humphrey; John F. Kennedy; Harry S. Truman; Adlai Stevenson; Lyndon B. Johnson; Nelson Rockefeller; Harold Stassen ?
Politicians from both major parties endorse Alfred.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
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Weak Coffee Sales Gives Us Growers Java Jitters!

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Al Jaffee
Kelly Freas (signed)
Kelly Freas (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
League of Frightened Coffee Growers
Parody of ad for a coffee growers organization.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Inside front cover.
Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.
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Departments

Foreword, Introduction, Preface, Afterword  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
various (see Notes)
various (see Notes)
typeset
Subject Matter
Vital Features
table of contents
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Art is excerpts from various stories in this issue.
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Start Your Own Hall Of Fame

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Lester Krauss (photo) ?
Lester Krauss (photo) ?
typeset
Subject Matter
Alfred E. Neuman bust
House ad for china bust of Alfred.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.25
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Campaign For The MAD Vote

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
? (photo)
? (photo)
typeset
Subject Matter
Alfred E. Neuman For President Kit
House ad for kit containing poster, sticker, button, and hat.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.5
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Random Samplings of Reader Mail

Letters Page  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Albert B. Feldstein; Mike Cunningham; John Rogers; Robert Raymond; Gardner McKay; Linda Fertig; Sam Wohl; Gary Wolfersberger; Joyce Aldrich; Bob Rothstein; Joe Szymanski; Alan Silverman; Ronnie Perlman; Terry Bird; Terry Reed; Robert Higgins; Ives McCoy; Edna Thompson
? (photo)
? (photo)
typeset
Subject Matter
Letters Dept.
Tony Randall; Lyle Bettger
Letters of comment, many about issue #54, and a mention of the recent TV show "Four For Tonight" which featured a comedy sketch based on Don Martin's "Hair Tonic Commercial" cartoon.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Gardner McKay was the star of TV's "Adventures in Paradise."
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A Little Knowledge Is A Dangerous Thing

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
?
typeset
Subject Matter
MAD Magazine
House ad for subscriptions.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.2
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Put A Little Fun In Your Life!

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Norman Mingo (painted)
Norman Mingo (painted)
typeset
Subject Matter
Alfred E. Neuman
Alfred E. Neuman
House ad for pinups suitable for framing.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0.05
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Madison Avenue's Political Ad Campaigns

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Gary Belkin
George Woodbridge
George Woodbridge
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Hoke-Filled Room Dept.
Richard Nixon; Pat Nixon; John F. Kennedy; Adlai Stevenson; Lyndon B. Johnson; Hubert Humphrey [as Hubert Humphreys]; Stuart Symington; Norman Thomas; John J. Stickeyfingers
Parodies of consumer product ads used as political ads.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
6
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MAD's Modern Olympic Games

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Tom Koch
Mort Drucker
Mort Drucker
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Five-Ring Circus Dept.
Olympic style events based on the skills of living modern city life.
Reprinting
FlagThe Self-Made Mad #Y6981 published January 1971
as MAD's Modern Olympic Games [Story on Interior Page(s)]
 
Miscellaneous
3
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The Chiropractor

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Don Martin Dept.
A chiropractor loosens up his patient a little too much.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
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MAD Bubble Gum Cards

Text Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Tom Koch
Joe Orlando
Joe Orlando
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Chew's Who Dept.
Alfred E. Neuman; Ewald Wierhoffer; Clyde Reeber; Dr. Boris Acid; Dr. Herman Witheringpuss; Rosemary Winecoop; Walter Smitner; Carlyle Burnlash; Merrill Lynch Piercefenner; Dr. Neville Sternbrush; Enoch Saltzpritcher; Getyer Hanzoff; Seymour Verblanger; Rudy Gougewell; Omar Wintermutt; John Ward Heeler, Jr.
Explores what bubble gum card statistics might look like if the cards featured people from professions other than sports.
Reprinting
FlagThe Self-Made Mad #Y6981 published January 1971
as MAD Bubble Gum Cards [Text Story on Interior Page(s)]Alfred E. Neuman card omitted
 
Miscellaneous
4
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The Good Woman In Africa

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Don Martin Dept.
A woman who has been counseling cannibals gets unusual results.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
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How Publicity Works

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Frank Jacobs
Bob Clarke (credited); Joe Orlando (actual)
Bob Clarke (credited); Joe Orlando (actual)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Bilking It Dry Dept.
Senator Ardsley Stonehenge
Phoney newspaper clippings showing how a good publicity man can get mountains of press from a molehill of an event.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
3
Art credit in issue is wrong, as this is clearly Joe Orlando's work, matching that of the "MAD Bubble Gum Cards".
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The Garbage Explosion

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Sy Reit
Bob Clarke (signed)
Bob Clarke (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Letter-ly Speaking Dept.
A look at how the population explosion will lead to a garbage explosion and MAD's solution.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
3
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The MAD "Comic" Opera

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Frank Jacobs
Wallace Wood (signed)
Wallace Wood (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Song Of India Ink Dept.
Dick Tracy; Mickey; Tarzan; Dondi (cameo); Wimpy (cameo); Junior (cameo); Mandrake The Magician (cameo); Alley Oop (cameo); Phil; Little Orphan Annie; Rex Morgan M.D.; Dagwood Bumstead; The Little King (cameo); The Phantom (cameo); Henry (cameo); Jeff (cameo); Sandy; Flash Gordon (cameo); Superman [Clark Kent] (cameo); Steve Canyon (cameo); Daddy Warbucks (cameo); Smilin' Jack; Penny; Snuffy Smith; Lowizee Smith; Prince Valiant (cameo); Jiggs (cameo); Maggie (cameo); Pogo (cameo); Joe Palooka (cameo); Li'l Abner (cameo); Daisy Mae; (cameo); Shmoos (cameo); Mark Trail (cameo); Andy Gump (cameo); Archie Andrews (cameo); Veronica Lodge (cameo); Hans Katzenjammer (cameo); Fritz Katzenjammer (cameo); Moon Mullins (cameo); Linus Van Pelt (cameo); Popeye (cameo); Olive Oyl (cameo); Mary Worth (cameo); The Spirit (cameo); Pluto (cameo); The Jeep (cameo); Red Ryder (cameo); Mr. Dithers (cameo); Blondie (cameo); Dennis The Menace (cameo); Cheeta; Cicero's cat (cameo); Smokey Stover (cameo)
A parody of Broadway musicals using comic strip characters. Rex Morgan has kidnapped Annie and intends to remove her unique eyes, but Sandy leads Dick Tracy and Tarzan to a rescue, which is aided by Snuffy Smith.
Reprinting
FlagThe Self-Made Mad #Y6981 published January 1971
as The Mad "Comic" Opera [Story on Interior Page(s)]
FlagMad Special [Mad Super Special] #36 [$1.75 Cover Price] published January 1981
as The Mad "Comic" Opera [Story on Interior Page(s)]
 
Miscellaneous
6
Many other comic strip characters that I do not recognize appear in cameos, especially in the big finale song scene. There is also a mid-page decoration featuring head shots of probably every contemporary comic strip character.
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Scenes We'd Like To See: The Race Through The Jungle

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Mort Drucker
Mort Drucker
Subject Matter
humorous
Hollywood Dept.
A Tarzan-like man races through the jungle, swinging on vines, to an unusual destination.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
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Honest Ads

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Tom Koch
Bob Clarke (signed)
Bob Clarke (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
The Truth Blurts Dept.
Sammy Getzoff
A look at how advertisements might be if they told the truth.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
4
Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.
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Patty Play Dolls

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Dave Berg (signed)
Dave Berg (signed)
Dave Berg (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Berg's Eye View Dept.
Details the expenses of owning a doll as big as a child, and advises parents to ask Congress to declare such dolls as dependents so the parents can get a tax break.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
3
One character on the last page looks like a young version of Berg's Roger Kaputnick character.
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MAD's TV "Alfie" Awards

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Sy Reit
Mort Drucker (signed)
Mort Drucker (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Clumsy Category Dept.
Bert Parks; Jack Paar; Jose Melis; Dean Martin; Gale Storm; John Daly; Bennett Cerf (cameo); Dorothy Kilgallen (cameo); Desi Arnaz; Lucille Ball (cameo); Steve Allen; Gardner McKay
TV stars receive awards for categories of dubious merit, in a parody of the Emmy Awards show.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
3
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The Tourist And The Italian Urchins

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Don Martin Dept.
A tourist takes a photo of some kids, one of whom has a strange growth.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
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The U.S. Army Chicken Officer's Field Manual

Text Article  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Larry Siegel
Bob Clarke (signed)
Bob Clarke (signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
The Man In Command Dept.
A phoney instruction book for army officers, showing how they are trained in all the things that annoy enlisted men.
Reprinting
FlagThe Self-Made Mad #Y6981 published January 1971
as The U.S. Army Chicken Officer's Field Manual [Text Story on Interior Page(s)]
 
Miscellaneous
5
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The Chase

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
Don Martin (signed)
Subject Matter
humorous
Don Martin Dept.
A man on horseback escapes some Indians when the horse leaps a chasm...sort of.
Reprinting
FlagThe Self-Made Mad #Y6981 published January 1971
as The Chase [Story on Interior Page(s)]
 
Miscellaneous
1
Noted as a "Scene We'd Like To See", but not listed as that Feature in Department title.
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More MAD "Y'OX"

Filler  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
?
?
?
Subject Matter
humorous
Marginal Marvin Dept.
Marginal Marvin
Captions with arrangements of "X"s and "O"s as the art.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
0
Appears in the margins of 22 pages.
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Announcing...A Twin Launching From The MAD Pad

Promotional Material (from Publisher)  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Lester Krauss (photo)
Lester Krauss (photo)
typeset
Subject Matter
MAD books
House ad for "The Golden Trashery of MAD" and "The Organization MAD."
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
Inside back cover.
Props courtesy of Polk's Modelcraft Hobbies, Inc.
Disclose
Crocked

Story  on  Interior Page(s)
Credits
?
Kelly Freas (painted, signed)
Kelly Freas (painted, signed)
Kelly Freas (painted, signed)
typeset
Subject Matter
humorous
Rummie Walker
Frank Kelly Freas; Rummie Walker
Parody of a series of Johnny Walker liquor ads, featuring artists.
Reprinting
 
Miscellaneous
1
back cover

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