Mad #31
(February 1957)

EC, 1952 Series
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Volume
1
Price
0.25 USD
Pages
52
Indicia Frequency
?
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
E.C. Publications Inc.
Editing
Al Feldstein (credited as Albert B. Feldstein) (editor)

[Mt. Rushmore] (Table of Contents)

Alfred E. Neuman / cover / 1 page (report information)

Pencils
Norman Mingo (signed) (painting)
Inks
Norman Mingo (signed) (painting)
Colors
Norman Mingo (signed) (painting)
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Characters
Alfred E. Neuman
Reprints

The MAD Window Test (Table of Contents: 1) (Expand) /

Mad Magazine / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Departments (Table of Contents: 2)

foreword, introduction, preface, afterword / 1 page (report information)

Script
? [as Alf]
Pencils
various
Inks
various
Letters
typeset

Genre
non-fiction

Indexer Notes

Art is excerpts from this issue. Masthead quote is from TIME Magazine. There is a credit of Nick Megliola for ideas, but no indication of what articles.

The New Marilyn Marone (Table of Contents: 3)

Increase The Circulation Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Wally Wood (signed)
Inks
Wally Wood (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Characters
Marilyn Marone; Sir Lauwrence Olivier
Synopsis
A comparison of Marilyn's career before and after acting lessons.

Indexer Notes

Parody of Marilyn Monroe's career.

If You Like To Collect Records (Table of Contents: 4) (Expand) /

Leslie Creations / advertisement / 0.083 page (report information)

Are You MAD? (Table of Contents: 5) (Expand) /

Critics Panel / advertisement / 0.164 page (report information)

Now In Full Color! (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

Alfred E. Neuman / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.083 page (report information)

Random Samplings of Reader Mail (Table of Contents: 7)

Letters Dept. / letters page / 1.67 pages (report information)

Script
Al Feldstein (credited as Albert B. Feldstein)
Pencils
various
Inks
various
Letters
typeset

Synopsis
Letters of comment, mostly about issue #30.

Indexer Notes

Art is excerpts from issue #30. Reply to one letter states that all letters published are written by readers, even the gag letters.

The letters were written by Dotti Stavin, Jean Menti, Jan Baldwin, Gary DeLain, Elvis Presley Fan Club (Orland CA), Ronald Jones, Michael Mason, Don Galloway, Ronny Klugman, Robert Masonheimer, Harold Weiss, Mickey Rooney, Tom Player, Louis Callahan, Robert Monement, Free Fall Ferris; Chips Koehler, Jack Benny, Walt Dizzy, Tim Lachman, John Doe, Marty Karpen, Phil Duffey, Ken Mayer, Elmer Woggin, Bruce Furic, Jean Roy, N. Lenin, Jr., Hiram Dinkerpok, James Eveland, and Michael Wiesenberg

Field & Scream (Table of Contents: 8)

Call of The Wild Magazines Dept. / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Jack Davis (signed)
Inks
Jack Davis (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody
Characters
Lance Sturdley; Irv Blintz; Milton Forbisher; Lancelot Borscht-Bagel; Ozgood Z'Beard; Elmo Klunk; Walt Goober; Fenwick Furd
Synopsis
Excerpts from hunters' magazine, including some phony ads.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Parody of "Field & Stream" magazine.

Scenes We'd Like To See: One Against Four (Table of Contents: 9)

Hollywood Dept. / comic story / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Phil Interlandi (signed)
Inks
Phil Interlandi (signed)

Genre
satire-parody; humor
Synopsis
Man defeats 4 pirates one-at-a-time while rescuing a woman but is then surrounded by the next 4 pirates.
Reprints

Item (Table of Contents: 10)

Newspaper Dept. / text story / 3 pages (report information)

Script
G. Stang
Pencils
? (photo)
Inks
? (photo)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody; humor
Characters
Billy Poobah; Jim Poobah; Charles Bickford
Synopsis
Stories on the same news item as they might be done by different newspapers or magazines.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.

Why I Write Poetry (Table of Contents: 11)

Ernie Kovacs Dept. / text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script
Ernie Kovacs (credited as Percy Dovetonsils)
Pencils
Jack Davis (signed)
Inks
Jack Davis (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Characters
Stanley; Stanley's cat; Percy Dovetonsils
Synopsis
A short article on why he writes poetry followed by the poem "Ode To Stanley's Pussycat."

MAD Greeting Cards (Table of Contents: 12)

Pick-A-Card Dept. / comic story / 3 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Bob Clarke (signed)
Inks
Bob Clarke (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody
Synopsis
A collection of greeting cards for unusual events such as being evicted and losing your job.

Indexer Notes

Third page is separated and is on final page of issue.

What They're Saying Around The Solar System (Table of Contents: 13)

Ear To The Ether Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Basil Wolverton (signed)
Inks
Basil Wolverton (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Characters
Floyd Void; Boone Swoon; Groib Spoop; Harry S. Irium; Sullivan Ford; Gertie Grunch; Wyncha Gimeah; Stanley Groovik; Mandrill Gluten; Alfred E. Lumen
Synopsis
Opinions of earth culture by beings from other bodies in our solar system.

What's All This Jazz About Jazz (Table of Contents: 14)

Al "Jazzbo" Collins Dept. / text article / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Al "Jazzbo" Collins
Pencils
Wally Wood (signed)
Inks
Wally Wood (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
non-fiction
Characters
Al "Jazzbo" Collins
Synopsis
In an interview, Al tells something about the origins and meaning of jazz and introduces his jazz pets.

Future TV Ads (Table of Contents: 15)

Soft-Sell Advertising Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Don Martin (signed)
Pencils
Don Martin (signed)
Inks
Don Martin (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody; humor
Synopsis
Phony ad storyboard for Billie's Rope Mart.
Reprints

MAD's Ink Blot Test (Table of Contents: 16)

Psychology Dept. / text article / 2 pages (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Kelly Freas; Bill Elder (title figures)
Inks
Kelly Freas; Bill Elder (title figures)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody; humor
Synopsis
Fake Rorschach tests with explanations.
Reprints

Don Giovanni (Table of Contents: 17)

Culture Dept. / comic story / 4 pages (report information)

Script
Nick Meglin
Pencils
Wally Wood (signed)
Inks
Wally Wood (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody
Characters
Don Giovanni; Leporello; Donna Anna; Don Pedro; Zerlina; Don Ottavio; Emily Bravo; Elvis Presley (cameo)
Synopsis
The story of the comic opera Don Giovanni is told with special emphasis on what makes it funny.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.

Future TV Ads (Table of Contents: 18)

Soft-Sell Advertising Dept. / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Script
Don Martin (signed)
Pencils
Don Martin (signed)
Inks
Don Martin (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
satire-parody; humor
Characters
George; Harriet
Synopsis
Phony ad storyboard for Ringwort's Rat Poison Pills.
Reprints

Why the Precision Engineered, Highly Perfected 35mm Camera Replaced The Simple, Unpretentious, Primitive Box Camera (Table of Contents: 19)

Negative Thinking Dept. / text article / 3 pages (report information)

Script
Arnie Rosen (credited as A. Rosen)
Pencils
Bob Clarke (signed)
Inks
Bob Clarke (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Synopsis
Humorous look at the relative problems of both types of cameras, ending in the question still unanswered.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Writer credit from "Totally MAD" CD collection.

Orson Bean Opens His Family Album (Table of Contents: 20)

Orson Bean Dept. / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script
Orson Bean (credited)
Pencils
Jack Davis (signed)
Inks
Jack Davis (signed)
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Characters
Orson Bean; Orson's father; Uncle Ordway; cousin Gerald; Matthew Brady Bean; Orson's grandmother; unnamed gypsy; Hesitation Bean; Ezekial Bean; King George III; Cornwallis; Hope Bean
Synopsis
Vignettes of Orson's family from Revolutionary times to present.

Indexer Notes

Intended to be the first of several articles. Notes that "special material by Alan Robin" but does not note what material.

A New Kind of Bargain Offer To Mystery Readers (Table of Contents: 21) (Expand) /

The Dollar Mystery Guild / advertisement / 1 page (report information)

Purloined Proverbs Ascribed to Popular People (Table of Contents: 22)

Misdirected Quotes Dept. / text article / 0 pages (report information)

Script
various
Letters
typeset

Genre
humor
Synopsis
Old cliches misattributed to famous people.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Appear in margins on 20 different pages of the issue.

MAD Travel Stickers (Table of Contents: 23)

illustration / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
Bob Clarke
Inks
Bob Clarke
Colors
?

Genre
humor
Synopsis
Phony travel destination stickers.
Reprints

Indexer Notes

Back cover.

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. [Mt. Rushmore]
    Alfred E. Neuman
  2. 1. The MAD Window Test
    Mad Magazine
  3. 2. Departments
  4. 3. The New Marilyn Marone
    Increase The Circulation Dept.
  5. 4. If You Like To Collect Records
    Leslie Creations
  6. 5. Are You MAD?
    Critics Panel
  7. 6. Now In Full Color!
    Alfred E. Neuman
  8. 7. Random Samplings of Reader Mail
    Letters Dept.
  9. 8. Field & Scream
    Call of The Wild Magazines Dept.
  10. 9. Scenes We'd Like To See: One Against Four
    Hollywood Dept.
  11. 10. Item
    Newspaper Dept.
  12. 11. Why I Write Poetry
    Ernie Kovacs Dept.
  13. 12. MAD Greeting Cards
    Pick-A-Card Dept.
  14. 13. What They're Saying Around The Solar System
    Ear To The Ether Dept.
  15. 14. What's All This Jazz About Jazz
    Al "Jazzbo" Collins Dept.
  16. 15. Future TV Ads
    Soft-Sell Advertising Dept.
  17. 16. MAD's Ink Blot Test
    Psychology Dept.
  18. 17. Don Giovanni
    Culture Dept.
  19. 18. Future TV Ads
    Soft-Sell Advertising Dept.
  20. 19. Why the Precision Engineered, Highly Perfected 35mm Camera Replaced The Simple, Unpretentious, Primitive Box Camera
    Negative Thinking Dept.
  21. 20. Orson Bean Opens His Family Album
    Orson Bean Dept.
  22. 21. A New Kind of Bargain Offer To Mystery Readers
    The Dollar Mystery Guild
  23. 22. Purloined Proverbs Ascribed to Popular People
    Misdirected Quotes Dept.
  24. 23. MAD Travel Stickers
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Katie
  • mcomics
  • Hector G. DueƱas G.
  • Gregory Fischer
  • Katy Hayhurst
  • Donald Dale Milne
  • Mike Nielsen