Mad #368 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Entertain Me Weakly Issue - April 1998

Number 368 contains the classic magazine parody that reminds me of a Harvard Lampoon production.  Newcomer Scott Brooks made a big impression with his 12-page effort.  How can he top that one?

The issue devoted several pages to aliens and screamers, but the best movie parody was "Mad Look at Titanic" by Sergio Aragones.  Sergio's article belongs in issue 369 but the fastest pen in the west just could not wait.

The best cover of the three [Nos. 368-370] was the reprint of the "Poseidon" (Mad #161) cover by Mick McGinty, featuring the red tennis shoes of Alfred E. Neuman.  I liked Sam Viviano's lifeboat scenes in number 369's feature article but the parody was not as good as Sergio's.

The most clever offering was the "Body Modification Trends of the Future" by first-time writers Brian and Sean Farrelly.  The issue also provided excellent drawings by new artist Lennie Mace and (as always) by Rick Tulka.

Gotsilly has a tattoo.  Al Gore is Dr. Frankenstein's monster.  There are some Barney jokes, tic-tac-toe as art, and a soccer bomb.  Issue 370, with five different artists' views of a bad movie, was not one of the best efforts by the usual gang of idiots.

The "Mad Pop Off Video" feature can die an early death as far as I am concerned.  Any page that does not use the talent of a Mad artist gets very little of my attention.

The best drawing of the three issues was Rick Tulka's Al Gore as Frankenstein's monster.  [MADlog #11 - July 1998]

Departments:
Slime After Slime - Alien Resuscitated
Weary of Relativity - 10 Warning Signs Your Family is Beyond Dysfunctional
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Angster's Paradise - Monroe & ... The School Play
Entertain me Weakly
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Earn Baby, Earn - Potential Off-Season Jobs for Dick Vitale
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Titanic
The Fright Stuff - Screech 2
Head And Buried - One Sunny Morning on Easter Island
Grieving Las Vegas - Mad's Celebrity Cause-of-Death Betting Odds

Fold-In - President Gore