Mad Magazine #545

Mad Magazine #545
June 2017

   The issue starts off with Alfred E Newman shoving a microphone in Trump's face... spit flying out. Next up, an ad for Goodnight Batcave. Followed with the table of contents before the Letters and Tomatoes featuring letters praising the magazine, a photo of a restrom in Brazil with Mad papering the walls, Donnie Wahlberg with a TBT on the New Kids On The Block cover from 1991, and a reader testing to see if the letters dept actually publishes real reader letters by sending in his own. Plus pictures of a reader's baby not being a fan, Ed Asner posing with some Mary Tyler Moore mockups, as well as editor John Ficarra's tribute to Mad illustrator Gerry Gersten. Interestingly the section goes on to say that this is the last issue that will award giveaways to readers who's letters are published before publishing the credits.
   The Fundalini Pages feature lampoons of Press Secretary Sean Spicer, things El Chapo learned while in New York and a Big Mac ad, new ways to die: 2017 edition, Rhonda Rousey's 30th birthday, Hanky Pankery, the Trumpalini Pages mocking La La Land, Trump candy hearts, a Trump travel ban at the White House gates, Mad redesigns of the Nordstrom logo, Beauty and the Beast, Melania's plans to fight online bullying, Kellyanne Conway's new fragrance Alternative Facts, a fight poster betweent he president and Meryl Streep, and fun facts about the Mexico US Border wall.
   The "Symbol Pleasures Department" mocks hidden messages in world flags, before a 7 page parody of of Rogue One - cleaverly mocked up as "Rough One, a Star Bores Snorer" by David Richards and Tom Richmond. We're then treated to 4 pages of Sergio Aragones' Youtube jokes. Next up, Kenney Keil, Sam Vivano, and Jim Campbell mock the Donald with a take on David Shannon's classic "No, David" children's book. Jokes about his tweeting, harassment claims, cabinet picks, and travel ban before he's served impeachment papers. Next up is a "Trums" ad before a 3 page Duck Ewing DOA throwback followed by Peter Kuper's classic Spy vs Spy. There's some brief single page sendups on office exercises, Dewey Derwin Destroy's The World by Kenny Kiel. This is followed by an all-star strip collection from several illustrators.
   The issue wraps with a 5 page mockup of ABC's Designated Survivor by Arnie Kogen and Tom Bunk. There's some subscription offers to coincide with graduations, a 2 page write up on Supreme Court cases waiting to be heard by Jeff Cruse. The Gap Toothed Gallery featuring Alfred E Newman as the meteor headed towards some hapless dinosaurs, and finally the Mad Fold-in by the ever beloved Al Jaffee.
   Overall it was a pretty good one. Mad Magazine still knows how to roast those in power just like always, and the issue is packed to the gills with digs at Trump. The juvenile jokes and laughs are about as rudimentary as ever. I didn't laugh out loud very often, but holding the book in print after so many years felt like not a day had passed. I give it a 9/10.

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Until next time, thanks so much for reading...