Mad #352 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Star Blecch Worst Contact Issue - December 1996

Artist Paul Coker was given another shot at a movie parody and he did a great job on the latest Star Trek spoof written by Dick DeBartolo.  Our heroes are battling the "Bores" and must go back in time to save "Dr. Zipper Coldrain" who was slightly injured by the Bores missile.  The mission was accomplished but it seems that Captain Pickhard used the "vulcan virtual velcro vortex vibrations" without permission from Doc Borown and Marty McFly.

The front cover, back cover, one Frank Jacobs song parody ("Wacko Wonderland") and a three-page primer ("The Mad NBA Primer") were devoted to mostly unfunny basketball players except for Andrew Schwartzberg's side-panel jokes for the back-cover ad parody ("Just for Rodman").  Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal also made appearances on pages 22, 37 and 38. 

Artist Lisa Haney made a great first appearance with her double-splash-page for "The Real Reason Why Your Favorite Rock Band Just Split Up."  Rick Geary perfectly captured the cast of Friends on page 43 ("In the Mind of a TV Executive").  And, finally, Geary and writer Desmond Devlin brought back "43-Man Squamish" on the same page.  [JAM 4/20/2013]

Look for R. Crumb's Mr. Natural, Ernie Bushmiller's Nancy and Mad's tennis-playing editor, Nick Meglin in this issue.

Departments:
Kirk Out! - Star Blecch: Worst Contact
The Cobain of Our Existence - Generation X Job Resume
Jingle Bell Jock - Holiday Songs for Sports Fans
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Parties
Behind the Litigate Ball - The Victim's Newsletter
I'm in a New York State of Slime - A Typical Night in the City That Never Sleeps
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Geek Mythology - The Advantages of a Career in Carnival Work
When the Quit Hits the Fans - The Real Reasons Why Your Favorite Rock Band Just Split Up
Cel-ing Out - When Other Sports Figures Co-Star with Cartoon Characters in Movies
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Networking Stiffs - In the Mind of a TV Executive
An Embarrassment of Richard's - The Confidential Slamtrak Memo
The Backboard Jungle - The Mad NBA Primer
Tales From the Duck Side

Fold-In - Televiewer