Mad #289 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Battyman Issue - September 1989

Bob Kane (1915-1998) created Batman for Detective Comics (#27) in 1939 and it was an instant hit in the comic book world.  Mad artist Mort Drucker paid tribute to Kane with his caricature of him holding a copy of Batman #3 on page 8 ("Battyman").  Drucker then asked about Batman's missing sidekick, Robin with a background poster ("Missing - Have you seen this boy?").  Finally, Dick Tracy makes an appearance during a fist fight and Drucker asks "What happened to K-Pow!, Sock! and Wam?").  It is true that the Batman movie of 1989 omitted some of the aspects of the character that comic book readers had known for years.  A great parody of the Batman comic book ("Bat Boy and Rubin!") appeared in Mad #8 with drawings by Wally Wood.  Subsequently, the Batman television show was parodied in Mad #105 ("Bats-Man" drawn by Drucker).  Batman is the superhero without a super power.  In the comics he was just a smart, acrobatic guy with lots of gadgets.  [JAM 11/4/2011]

Look for Lucy van Pelt ("Battyman"), Snoopy ("A Mad Guide to Social Behavior") and Mickey Mouse ("The Rookstone");  Alfred E. Neuman is one of the students in "A Mad Look at Driver's Ed").

Departments:
The Dynamic Uno - Battyman
Tales From the Duck Side - The Haunting Hunting Hullabaloo; The Excruciating Escape Extravaganza; The Silly Solitary Scenario
Faux Pas for the Course - A Mad Guide to Social Behavior
All Jaffee - The Rookstone Catalogue
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Better Legislate Than Never - More New Laws That Congress Should Pass Right Now
Frank on a Roll - When Rap Music Spreads into Everyday Life
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Hartburn - Video Reviews
The Bore of the Crowd - Selected Highlights from the BOTB Sports Cable Network
Bergen's-Eye View - Murky Brown
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Driver's Ed
Gag Reflects - If Different Comedians Told the Same Joke
Speaking with a List - Mad Charts

Fold-In - Garbage