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Brought on-line August 16, 1997.
Last update June 8, 2009. Added Sellers.
Added issue #500.
Mad values haven't changed much from last year,
but I've updated the Price Guide anyway.
I twitter now and then,
but I'm trying to see the value in it...
If you're new to MAD or somehow missed it growing up,
take this 20 question basic knowledge quiz to learn some of the basics.
Doug
I had the recent good fortune of spending a few hours with Col. Joe Kittinger who still holds the world's
record for the highest parachute jump (102,800 ft.) in August 1960.
In my conversation with him I asked  if he had ever seen the parody in Mad magazine depicting his famous
leap of faith. The enclosed picture (which I believe appeared on the cover of Life magazine) shows Col. Joe just as he exited
the gondola and was taken by a remote camera upon his exit.
The MAD parody shows a poor photographer huddled in the gondola without a pressure suit with icicles hanging
from his nose!
This is truly a shot in the dark since it has been almost 50 years since I've seen this.
My memory could be all wrong
and I am not absolutely positive about my recollection. I think it appeared somewhere inside the MAD magazine
around late 1960 or 1961.
Col. Joe is in his 80's now and still possesses a fantastic sense of humor.
I would love to find a copy of
this and present it to him. I would be eternally in your debt if we could pull this off. Joe Kittinger is one of the most down to earth (no pun intended), humble people you will ever meet.
He has had a truly remarkable life.
Thank you for your help and interest.
Joe D.
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Joe,
I'd say your memory is pretty good, with the exception of the nose-cicle. From the March 1961 issue #61 comes the article Mad Salutes an Unsung Hero: Lice Photographer Macomber Bombey. The premise was that Macomber was the one responsible for getting photos of all these amazing achievements of the time, including Captain Wayne Fudd's (Joe Kittinger) record-breaking jump.
Here's the section of that article pertaining to Kittinger (click the article for larger view).
Special thanks goes to David Robinson for finding this!
Doug |
Read other Odd Mail
QUESTION OF THE MOMENT
How many regular issue Mad covers illustrate an example of recursion and,
in particular, the Droste effect?
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Hello, Doug.
Just wanted to let you know that I use your site regularly. I began reading Mad in 1975 at the age of seven with my older brother and have been a fan since. I now have great appreciation and respect for this incredible magazine and its history. I own about 150 issues and continue collecting with the regular help of your site.
Best,
Brad
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Doug recommends you further your Mad education. Buy this fine MAD junk.
Click on an image to get pricing information from AMAZON.COM.
Eric from Sweden recently contributed one whole dollar to our cause (cheap %&#@!).
I know it's hard to believe, but over 1500 of you frequent this site each day.
If you all gave us a buck, we'd cover our costs for almost two years!
What do you spend a dollar on each day?
Not quite a half gallon of gas, seven sips of a Caramel Latte Macchiato, 2.5 regular U.S. stamps,
a download of a Barry Manilow's Copacabana, a few minutes of The Love Guru on pay-per-view,
one day of high-speed internet, the first eleven pages of the newest MAD -- you get the point.
Waste your extra dollar on us one time.
After the feeling of self-loathing passes you may even consider giving us another dollar...
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