Mad #276 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Another Jack Davis Issue - January 1988

When Harvey Kurtzman ended his brief return to Mad, Jack Davis became the last of the original Mad comic book artists to draw for the magazine.  The second fastest cartoonist in the world drew two excellent articles in this issue: "The Mad People Watcher's Guide to a Typical Football Game" by Mike Snider and "Predecessor," the movie parody of Predator by Dick DeBartolo.  While some readers may be paying attention to the foreground jokes of the football article, I am much more interested in the background crowd drawn by Davis.  Among other zanies, Napoleon Bonaparte and the bird-hat lady are part of the crowd.  Appearances by Napoleon are long-time Mad sight-gags that started with a Will Elder drawing in Mad #3.  The movie parody has several prisoners who bound by rope with a bowtie knot.  Davis also draws one character with snake on his hat and another who not only wears a bandage on his face from a razor cut, but also still has the shaver imbedded in the other side of his face.  Davis carries these jokes throughout the four-page parody.  As always, the panels drawn by Davis are alive with action. [JAM 8/16/2011]

Look for a tribute to Mort Drucker and the continuing attack on Jesse Helms (1921-2008) in Al Jaffee's "Fold-In."

Departments:
Deviled Ham And Scrambled Legs - The Wretches of Ecchflick
Don Martin - One Morning in Sherwood Forest; One Evening on Sherwood Drive
Sendak to the Future - Updated Children's Books
Tales From the Clark Side - Duck Edwing Looks at Superman
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Withholding Tacts - Nationwide Survey Results that Advertisers Never Tell Us About
Serg-In General - A Mad Look at Skiing
Great Balls of Ire - Mad's Commemorative Christmas Ornaments
Joke And Daggar [sic] - Spy vs. Spy
The Schlock Ness Monster - The Unwatchables
Leave No Throne Unturned - Recycling Toilet Seats
Clash of the Tie-Ins - Merchandising Spin-offs Hollywood Missed Out On
Our Bleacher Presentation - The Mad People-Watcher's Guide to a Typical Football Game
Fun-Raisers - Charity Drives We'd Like to See
May the "Schwarz" Be With You - Predecessor
Frank on a Roll - Two for the Road

Fold-In - David Letterman