Mad Magazine: Blast from the Past

Posted: August 21st, 2025 | Filed under: Culture, Ruminations | 3 Comments »

Impulsive compulsive consumerizer that I am, it doesn’t take much.

So, I was toast when the face stared out at me from the ‘zine rack by checkout at Jeff Bezos’ grocery store — purposely there to snare a dude with my predilection.

From the way back machine.

Someone I haven’t thought about for decades frankly.

Alfred E. Neuman.

The Mad Magazine “Golden Collection of Garbage” was in my cart with nary a second thought.

It was a significant part of my subteen years. Maybe a few more.

Have no recollection when I was mature? enough to move on?

9th grade? High school? Late 50s? Early 60s?

Long ago, far away.

There are a couple of shorter pieces in the compendium from the 60s. But most of it from the ’70s through the ’10s, long past the time when I paid attention.

My knee jerk appraisal after just a perusal of the articles was this: Aimed at adolescents on the cusp of pubescence. Boys. Poo poo kah kah stuff. Not as sophisticated as say, South Park, such as that is “sophisticated” or “Rocky & Bullwinkle.”

But then I actually read some of the stuff, illustration by Mort Drucker who has been a part of the endeavor since mid 50s. They were take offs of “Star Wars” and “2001 Space Odyssey.”

Relentlessly sarcastic. Yet pretty astute.

And funny.

Like the ongoing joke about a bad actor he who plays “Mannequin Skystalker” is.

His mother’s introduction to herself, while wearing a t-shirt reading, “Mothers Against Pod Drivers.” “I’m Shamu, Mannequin Skystalker’s mother. I know this sounds strange, but Mannequin doesn’t have a father. I guess you could call it an Immaculate Mis-conception. Oh, ok, so I did have a husband, but he made me promise I’d never tell anyone who fathered such a rotten little actor!”

And so on.

Some politically and culturally pithy satire.

“Words and Phrases That Left the English Language During the 90s”

“. . . privately owned bookstore . . .” with a cartoon of a wrecking ball about destroy Ma &  Pa Books next to a big sign reading, “Coming Soon Barnes and Ignoble.”

Or juxtaposed snark, “Only a Republican Democrat Could Possibly Believe.” Equally satirical of the foibles and beliefs on both sides.

Glad I bought it.

Makes me smile.

Reminds me where I first heard the Yiddish-derived made up word, furshlugginer. Essentially meaning, “old, battered, junk like”

At my stage of life, that feels familiar.

The ‘zine cost Fifteen Bucks Cheap.

What, me worry?

— c d kaplan

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