One boy’s attempt to collect every MAD paperback printing

For about 35 years, off and on, I have been reading and collecting MAD.

It hasn ‘t been easy to collect, certainly not in the early 1980‘s. Especially as I live in Australia.

Here in Australia, we have our own MAD Magazine. …much of it is the same as USA …but we often got our own front covers and a few pages of local content. …it ‘s kind of a nice idea to have our own magazine – however, the Australian articles were often un-funny and poorly drawn. So I didn ‘t really like them.

Because of the disappointing local material in the magazines…and with USA magazines very, very, hard to find, my attention turned to the MAD paperbacks. They WERE available, new, in book-shops here…and did turn up from time to time in second-hand book shops. To me, the paperbacks were special, because they are  authentic USA publications !!

I also liked the look and feel of paperbacks – and unlike the magazines, I had a good chance to collect them ALL. …and in the late 1980‘s, I did complete what I considered to be a set. Every title and Signet/ Warner cover variations. Hung on to them for years, but eventually lost interest and sold them.

THEN eBay came along and I looked the paperbacks up. …and there were these big lots of 50 or 100…for under $100 …and I couldn ‘t believe my eyes. …the most I ‘d seen for sale in the 1980‘s was about 5 at once ! I realised I could get a basic set again, for just a few hundred dollars. So I did that. …but because I was buying in bulk, I got cover variations such as different coloured titles etc. …and couldn ‘t bare to get rid of them. …so the collection started to grow and grow. Then I read about how Bill Gaines had kept all the MAD paperback titles in print and how that meant there were lots and lots of printings…it seemed like a challenge too good to resist…so I decided to try to get every single printing. I have been at it for about ten solid years now and now need only around 50. …but I have collected around 2000 different printings. …and collected paperback gift-sets too.

…anyone wanting to help me complete my collection (contact me here):

1. The MAD Reader: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th (Canada), 12th, 15th, 16th, 17^th  (Canada), 50^thAnniversary 2^nd
2. MAD Strikes: 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 16th + 50^th Anniversary 3^rd
3. Inside MAD: 2nd, 7th, 8th, 14th, 16^th,  50th Anniversary 2^nd
4. Utterly MAD: 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 3rd revised
5. Brothers MAD: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, 3rd revised
6. Bedside MAD: Signet 3^rd  ,7^th  (Canada), 13^th
7. Son of MAD: Signet 2^nd, 8^th
8. Organization MAD: Signet 2^nd, 8^th,    50^th Anniversary 2nd, 3rd
9. Like MAD: Signet 2nd, 5^th
10. MAD Ides: Signet 2nd, 4^th
11. Fighting MAD: Signet 3rd, 5^th
12. MAD Frontier: Signet 4^th, 6^th UK
13. MAD in Orbit: Signet 2nd, 1st (Canada),6^th
14. Voodoo MAD: Signet 2nd, 14^th
15. Greasy MAD: Signet 2^nd
16. Three Ring MAD: Signet 2nd
17. Self-Made MAD: Signet 2nd
18. The MAD Sampler: Signet 2nd
19. World, World MAD: Signet 1st (Canada), 2^nd, 6^th
20. Questionable MAD: Signet 4th
21. Indigestible MAD: Signet 2nd
22. Burning MAD: Signet 2nd
23. Dirty Old MAD: 1st(Canada)
24. Non- Violent MAD: 1st(Canada)
25. Recycled MAD: 1st(Canada),Warner: 11^th?
26. MAD at you: 6th
27. Vintage MAD: 3rd, 7th
28. Medicine MAD: 3rd

Sergio Aragones:

1. MAD-ly Yours: 1st Canada, 4th USA
2. MAD as the Devil: 6th
3. MAD Marginals: 4th

Dave Berg:

1. Dave Berg looks at the USA: Signet: 2nd, 6th
2. Dave Berg looks at Things: Signet 3^rd

Al Jaffee:

1. SNAPPY #1 Spews: Signet: 2nd, Warner: 10th
2. SNAPPY #2 Spews Out More: Signet: 1^st UK, 6^th, (Warner:1^st,UK?)

Al Jaffee: Signet Series.

1. Al Jaffee Gags: 2nd, 5th
2. Al Jaffee Gags Again: 3rd
3. Al Jaffee Blows his Mind: 2nd
4. Al Jaffee Next Book: 2^nd
5. Rotten Rhymes: 2^nd,  4^th?
6. Al Jaffee Draws a Crowd: 2nd
7. Al Jaffee Sinks To A New Low:  2nd, 3rd, 5th
8. Al Jaffee Meets His End: 2nd
9. Records: 2nd, $1.75 – need 2nd or 1st $1.95 perhaps, 5th
10. Dead or Alive: GOT 1st $1.75 – need 2nd or 1st $1.95 perhaps
11. Al Jaffee Blows a Fuse: 2nd ?
12. Willie Weirdie #3 Zaps:  1^st $2.50 ?, 2^nd

Don Martin:

1. Don Martin steps out: Signet: 3rd, 7th, 10^th, Warner: 11th
2. Don Martin bounces back Signet,4^th,5th,9^th UK? War:1st (Canada)
3. Don Martin carries on: 7th
4. Don Martin forges ahead: 10th

Nick Meglin:

1. Superfan: Signet 2^nd

Antonio Prohias:

1. Spy #1: Signet: 2nd, Warner: 2^nd
2. Spy #5: Warner: 6^th

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