MAD Kids

(E.C., 2005-Present)
™ and © 2005 E.C. Publications

After 50 years of publishing Mad as a humor magazine for adults, someone hit upon the bright idea of creating a companion magazine just for kids. While some may argue that Mad was always for kids, the focus here is more on puzzles and games rather than humor (in a jugular vein). There are some new regular features such as “Spy vs. Spy Jr.” and “Alfred’s Brain Drool”, and some reworked articles from the past. In time, Mad Kids will probably achieve its own identity and become a worthy companion to its source material.

— Mark Arnold

From the Comics Buyer’s Guide:

With its colorful and amusing covers (usually depicting a send-up of a recent film), Mad does appeal to some children. However, many parents will find its biting satirical content to be less than appropriate for the playground set. Enter Mad Kids, a junior-league version of the long-running publication.

This first issue is a disappointment. The cover depicts “Wallace & Vomit,” but, instead of a parody of stop-motion animation duo Wallace & Gromit, readers are given a “create your own flip book.” The flip book is OK but it should have been a mere supplemental feature. Also, the “Mad Kids Mini Mag” is pure filler, and the “10 Worst Things about Christmas” routine contains many of the same jokes found in the concurrent issue of the regular Mad.

On the plus side, the talents of Peter Bagge, Don Martin (a Mad veteran from way back), and John Caldwell are on display in this inaugural issue, with Caldwell’s “Games That Make Really Bad Video Games” being especially clever.

“Spy vs. Spy Jr.,” anyone?

— Brett Weiss

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Notes

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#4 Variation A

August, 2006
Cover Price: $4.99
1 copy available for $4.99

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