Mad #426 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Corporate Fraud Task Force Issue - February 2003

I am a sucker for a comic book parody.  In the second year of its existence, the dysfunctional Bush administration had already provided ample fodder for a bevy of parodists.  While these were good times for humorists, those of us governed by this incompetent group suffered daily from this chaotic bunch of government executives.  Writer Desmond Devlin and Artist Amanda Conner perfectly applied the superhero parody ("Corporate Fraud Task Force") to the foxes who were elected to guard our henhouse.  Right-wing television (i.e. FOX News) also served as humor source as their highly-paid professional liars (see "Mad Deconstructs TV Talk Shows - This Month: The O'Reilly Factor") spewed filth and distortion on into the night.  Sadly, it continues to this day with sufficient cable ratings to carry the Murdoch message.  The other great parody in this issue is "[Schlubs]" by the incomparable team of Charlie Kadau and Tom Richmond.  There are doctor jokes in this one on every panel. [JAM 4/15/2014]

Color Pages: 30 of 52 pages (58%)
Humorous Content : 49 of 52 pages (94%)

Departments:
Bedpan Humor - Schlubs
Gloom with a View - Hey America, Cheer Up!
It's Paining Cats And Dogs - When Veterinarians Go Bad
Let the Games Be Grim - Heart-Stopping New Improvements Planned for the Next Grand Theft Auto
The Shady Bunch - Shocking, Uncensored Outtakes from Eminem's 8 Mile
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
An Embarrassment of Richard's - The Ab-Fabulizer
War of the Poses - Yoga Positions That Occur in Daily Life
Angster's Paradise - Monroe and ... The Super Bowl
You Don't Know Dictators - The Rejected Saddam Hussein Body Doubles
The Chat 'N the Stat - Mad Deconstructs TV talk Shows - This Month: The O'Reilly Factor
Squirrel, Interrupted - Mad's Rhyming Guide to Roadkill  [fake department]
Complain Nonsense - Who's Who in the Army of Protesters Against Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Title Wave - 2002: The Year in Film
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Birthdays
The Men of Steal - Corporate Fraud Task Force Comics
The Wizard of Odd - Duke Bissell's Tales of Undisputed Interest

Fold-In - Computer