MAD paperback boxed/gift sets are now all around 30 years old or more. They are very rare in most cases and especially rare in decent condition.

Some serious collectors don ‘t attempt to collect them, perhaps because of how hard they are to get and the expense, but I know some collector ‘s don ‘t see the point – since all the book titles already appear in their collection of the paperback books.

I see the gift-sets as being very interesting. The gift sets are much harder to find than any of the regular books, they look great, the books are often mint inside …and I see it as a great excuse to own more MAD paperbacks.

The 30 years or more of age, the reading of the books, the handling of the boxed sets etc, has led to a situation where it can be hard to know what original PRINTING of each book title belongs in each gift set, as the sets often seem to have had books substituted for one reason or another, by owners. Sometimes one or more books are missing.

I am not sure if anywhere there is an accurate list of MAD gift-box titles, WITH the original printing numbers they were issued with. – But I would like to know. I think it ‘s essential to hopefully have the original books, but at worst, the correct, identical printing as a substitute.

We are presenting a list of gift set titles & variations here – plus a work-in-progress list or tally, of what PRINTINGS collectors have in their gift sets. Obviously if the majority have a particular printing, then it ‘s more than likely that printing is the original one. – SO, hopefully collectors can compare and contribute to this list – please…even if it means undoing the plastic preservation covers and opening up 20 fragile boxes, friends.
Thanks for your help and hopefully the list can help you. – We also want to know every name and every variation of boxed sets, the list does not have them all yet. Please help if you can ?

Contact us here!

 

Now it’s also possible to download an Excel file containing all known MAD paperback sets including known printings:

MAD Paperback Gift Set List

 

Content List

• Classically MAD
• Totally MAD (with number on box)
• Totally MAD (without number on box)
• An Insanely MAD Collection
• It’s a MAD World (Red Backgound)
• It’s a MAD World (Pink Background)
• The MAD Scene (Red Backgound)
• The MAD Scene (Red Background with Signet Books $4.80)
• The MAD Scene (Pink Background)
• The MAD Scene (White Background, Version 1)
• The MAD Scene (White Background, Version 2)
• Completely MAD (Green Background)
• Completely MAD (Green Background with Alfred heads)
• Completely MAD (Black Background)
• Completely MAD (Black Background Version 2)
• Completely MAD (Yellow Background)
• Completely MAD (Black Background with Orange Alfred (Misprint))
• Completely MAD (Yellow Background Version 2)
• Completely MAD (6 Book Set – Black Background)
• The World Is Going MAD
• The MAD Sampler
• The MAD Sampler #2 – A Collection of Wit, Man!
• MAD Paperback Gift Set
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Gold Box)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Orange Box)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Green Box)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Blue Box)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Gold Box – Plain Background)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Orange Box – Plain Background)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Green Box – Plain Background)
• A Certifiably MAD Collection (Blue Box – Plain Background)
• MAD’s Don Martin: The Whole ‘Don’ Set (Version 1)
• MAD’s Don Martin: The Whole ‘Don’ Set (Version 2)
• Don Martin Carries On
• A Certifiably MAD Prohias: Spy Vs. Spy
• Five MAD Books, Gold Book Ends by Warner
• Five MAD Books, Red Book Ends by Warner
• It’s A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD World by Signet
• The Cool, Calm, Collected Al Jaffee (5 Book Set)
• The Cool, Calm, Collected Al Jaffee (4 Book Set)

 

Classically MAD

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
The MAD Reader – #28190 – Mingo Cover	27th	26th	27th
MAD Strikes Back – #28191 – Mingo Cover	25th	24th	25th
Inside MAD – #28192 – Mingo Cover	23rd	22nd	23rd
Utterly MAD – #28254 – Mingo Cover	18th	11th-17REV	11th
The Brothers MAD	12th	11th	12th

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Totally MAD

(With #345-24093-6-625 on Box)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1*
The MAD Reader – #25333 – Mingo Cover	25th
MAD Strikes Back – #25339 – Mingo Cover	23rd
Inside MAD – #25338 – Mingo Cover	21st
Utterly MAD – #25340 – Mingo Cover	9th
The Brothers MAD – #25283 – Mingo Cover	9th

* = At least 2 sets with same printings are known to exist

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Totally MAD

(Without Number on Box)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
The MAD Reader – #25333 – Mingo Cover	25th	12th
MAD Strikes Back – #25339 – Mingo Cover	23rd	23rd
Inside MAD – #25338 – Mingo Cover	21st	21st
Utterly MAD – #25340 – Mingo Cover	Revised/9th	11th/9th Revised
The Brothers MAD – #25283 – Mingo Cover	10th	10th

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An Insanely MAD Collection

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
MAD’s Don Martin Comes on Strong – #Y6854	6th	7th
More MAD’s Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions – #Y6740	7th	9th
The Self-Made MAD – #Y6981	11th	11th
Sing Along With MAD – #Y6826	6th	7th

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It’s a MAD World

(Red Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
MAD Power – #Y6741	8th	9th	1st
Mad About MAD – #Y6744	9th	9th	1st
MADvertising – #Y6739	6th	6th	1st
MAD’s Dave Berg Looks at Our Sick World – #Y7014	7th	6th	1st

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It’s A MAD World

(Pink Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
MADvertising – #Y6739	5th	5th
More MAD’s Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions – #Y6740	7th	7th
MAD’s Dave Berg Looks at Our Sick World	?	4th
MAD’s Don Martin Comes on Strong – #Q6386	5th	5th
Sing Along With MAD – #Q6394	5th	5th
MAD Power – #Y6741	7th	7th
The Self-Made MAD – #Q6631	10th	10th
MAD About MAD! – #Y6744	9th	8th

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The MAD Scene

(Red Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
The Ides of MAD – #P3492	11th	13th	12th
Three Ring MAD – #P3493	6th	7th	7th
The Bedside MAD – #P3520	24th	23rd	23rd
Boiling MAD – #P3523	6th	6th	6th
The All New MAD Secret File on Spy vs. Spy – #P3701	10th	10th	10th
It’s a World, World, World, World, MAD – #P3720	7th	8th	7th
The Voodoo MAD – #P3521	7th	9th	7th
Greasy MAD Stuff – #P3522	7th	9th	7th

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The MAD Scene

(Red Background with Signet Books $4.80)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set3
Son of MAD – #P3713	16th	15th	15th
The Voodoo MAD – #P3521	9th	9th	9th
Good ‘n’ MAD – #P3824	3rd	3rd	3rd
The Questionable MAD – #P3719	6th	6th	6th
The Self-Made MAD – #P3716	8th	8th	?
Like, MAD – #P3491	16th	16th	?
Fighting Mad – #P3714	13th	13th	?
Raving MAD – #P3490	7th	7th	?

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The MAD Scene

(Pink Background / Purple Alfred)

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
The Portable MAD	3rd
Good ‘N’ MAD	4th
Dave Berg Looks at Things	5th
MAD for Better or Verse	6th
MAD in Orbit	12th
Don Martin Steps Out	16th
The Ides of MAD	15th
Howling MAD	6th

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The MAD Scene

(White Background Version 1)

 

 

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set2
The Voodoo MAD – #D2276	5th	5th
Son of MAD – #D2285	13th	13th
Fighting MAD – #D2385	10th	10th
The MAD Frontier – #D2499	9th	9th
MAD in Orbit – #D2617	7th	7th
It’s a World, World, World, World MAD	?	4th
Raving MAD – #D2864	3rd	3rd
The Questionable MAD – #D3158	1st	1st

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The MAD Scene

(White Background Version 2)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
The Ides of MAD	10th
Three Ring MAD	6th
The Bedside MAD	22nd
Boiling MAD	3rd
Spy vs Spy	7th
It’s a World, World, World, World MAD	7th
The Voodoo MAD	6th
Greasy MAD Stuff	6th

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Completely MAD

(Green Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
MAD’s Don Martin Cooks Up More Tales – #P3914	1st
MAD For Better or Verse – #P3657	3rd
The MAD Adventures of Captain Klutz – #P3496	7th
MAD in Orbit – #P3494	10th
Don Martin Steps Out – #P3488	14th
The Bedside MAD – #P3520	25th
The All New MAD Secret File on Spy vs. Spy – #P3701	11th
The MAD Sampler – #P3495	7th

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Completely MAD

(Green Background with Alfred Heads)

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
The MAD Sampler – #P3495	7th	7th
The MAD Adventures of Captain Klutz – #P3496	7th	7th
The Self-Made MAD – #P3716	6th	6th
Raving MAD – #P3490	7th	6th
Howling MAD – #P3613	5th	5th
Like, MAD – #P3491	16th	16th
MAD’s Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions – #P3555	8th	8th
Fighting Mad – #P3714	13th	13th

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Completely MAD

(Black Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
MAD About MAD! – #T4619	12th	12th
Three Ring MAD – #T4984	9th	9th
MAD’s Dave Berg Looks at Our Sick World – # T4816	2nd	2nd
MADvertising – #T5078	2nd	2nd
MAD’s Al Jaffee Spews Out More Snappy Answers…- #T4899	3rd	3rd
MAD Power – #T4952	5th	5th
MAD’s Dave Berg Looks at the U.S.A. – #T5043	9th	9th
Sing Along With MAD – #T5035	2nd	2nd

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Completely MAD

(Black Background Version 2)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
MAD About MAD! – #T4619	3rd	3rd
Viva MAD! – #T4708	6th	6th
Fighting MAD – #T4757	14th	15th?
Hopping MAD – #T4844	4th	4th
MAD’s Al Jaffee Spews Out More Snappy Answers…- #T4899	3rd	2nd
MAD Power – #T4952	2nd	3rd
A MAD Look at Old Movies – #T5036	7th	7th
Don Martin Bounces Back – #T5041	12th	12th

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Completely MAD

(Yellow Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4	Set 5
The MAD Sampler – #D2627	10th	1st	3rd	3rd	1st
The Organization MAD – #D2286	10th	10th	13th	13th	12th
Self-Made MAD – #D2561	1st	1st	4th	4th	1st
The Ides of MAD – #D2384	7th	7th	8th	8th	6th
Three Ring MAD – #D2439	1st	1st	5th	5th	1st
Like MAD – #D2347	11th	11th	12th	12th	10th
Greasy MAD Stuff – #D2343	1st	1st	5th	5th	1st
The Bedside MAD – #D2316	19th	19th	21th	21st	17th

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Completely MAD

(Black Background with orange Alfred(Misprint))

 

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
MAD’s Al Jaffee Spews Out More Snappy Answers…- #Q6292	5th
The Portable MAD – #Q6292	6th
Al Jaffee’s MAD Book of Magic – #Q6297	6th
The Voodoo MAD – #Q6245	13th
MAD’s Dave Berg Looks at the U.S.A. – #Q6119	11th
MADvertising – #Q6086	3rd
MAD Power – #Q6293	6th
Don Martin Cooks Up More Tales – #Q6295	6th

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Completely MAD

(Yellow Background Version 2)

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set3
Fighting MAD – #P3714	11th	10th	11th
MAD’s A.J. Spews Out Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions – #P3555	4th	4th	4th
Like, MAD – #P3491	13th	13th	12th
Howling MAD – #P3613	2nd	2nd	2nd
Raving MAD – #P3490	4th	4th	4th
The Self-Made MAD – #P3716	5th	5th	5th
The MAD Adventures of Captain Klutz – #P3496 – Gold Lettering on Spine	5th	5th	5th
The MAD Sampler – #P3495	4th	4th	4th

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Completely MAD

(6 Book Set – Black Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Self-Made MAD – #D2561	1st	1st	1st
Three Ring MAD – #D2439	1st	1st	1st
Like MAD – #D2347	11th ?	8th	9th
The Ides of MAD – #D2384	7th ?	5th	5th
Greasy MAD Stuff – #D2343	1st	1st	1st
The Bedside MAD – #D2316	19th ?	16th	15th

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The World Is Going MAD

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
Rip-Off MAD – #74-252 – Black/Red Lettering	2nd	2nd
The MAD Book of Word Power – #74-024 – Red/Black Lettering	1st	1st
The MAD Sampler – #74-111 – Red/Green Lettering	1st	2nd
MAD About Sports – #64-969 – Red/Red Lettering	1st	1st
The Non-Violent MAD – #64-946 – Red Lettering	4th	4th

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The MAD Sampler

(4 Book Set)

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
The MAD Sampler – #86-041 – Blue/Red Lettering	4th
The Pocket MAD – #86-045 – White book with Black/Red Lettering	4th
The Invisible MAD – #86-044 – Red Cover with Yellow/Blue Lettering	2nd
Dr. Jekyll & Mr. MAD – #86-046 – Green/Red Lettering	2nd

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The MAD Sampler #2 – A Collection of Wit, Man!

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
The Bedside MAD #6 – Blue/Red Lettering	2nd	2nd
The Organization MAD – Yellow/Red Lettering	1st	3rd
MAD’s Cradle to Grave Primer – Red/Black Lettering	1st	1st
The All New MAD Secret File on Spy vs. Spy –	3rd	3rd
It’s a World, World, World, World MAD – Black/Red Lettering	2nd	2nd

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MAD Paperback Gift Set

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
Polyunsaturated MAD – #64-702 – Black/Red Lettering	6th	2nd
The Dirty Old MAD – ##64-577 – Red/Red Lettering	6th	6th
The Recycled MAD – #64-836 – Red/Red Lettering	1st	1st
The Non-Violent MAD – #64-946	1st	1st
MAD-Ly Yours – #64-872 – Pink Lettering	1st	1st
The Third MAD Dossier of Spy vs Spy	2nd	2nd

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Gold Box)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
MAD as The Devil! – Pink/Red/Orange Lettering	5th	5th	5th
Don Martin Forges Ahead #9 – Red/Yellow/Blue Lettering	4th	4th	5th
MAD’s Spy vs. Spy Follow-Up File #2	5th	6th	6th
The Third MAD Dossier of Spy vs. Spy	11th	12th	12th
Don Martin Bounces Back #2 – Red/Black/Green/Pink Lettering	4th	5th	5th

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Orange Box)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
The Questionable MAD #22 – Green Cover with Yellow/Orange Lettering	6th	1st
Al Jaffee’s MAD Inventions #6 – White/Blue/Pink Lettering	3rd	1st
Don Martin Drops 13 Stories! – Blue/Black/Salmon/Pink Lettering	10th	2nd
The MAD Guide to Careers #2	2nd	1st
Sing Along With MAD #2 – Green/Pink/Blue Lettering	3rd	1st

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Green Box)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Good ‘n’ MAD – #26 – White/Blue Lettering	4th	4th	1st
Steaming MAD – #39 – Yellow/Baby Blue Lettering	5th	3rd	1st
The MAD Book of Magic and Other Dirty Tricks – #2 – Pink/Blue/Green Lettering	3rd	3rd	1st
Dave Berg Looks at Things – Blue/Pink/Black Lettering	5th	5th	1st
A MAD Guide to Leisure Time – Red/Black/Yellow Lettering	3rd	3rd	1st

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Blue Box)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3	Set 4
In MAD We Trust -Yellow Cover with Red Lettering	7th	7th	7th	1st
Don Martin Cooks Up More Tales – Red/Blue/Cranberry Lettering	4th	3rd	4th	1st
Looks Around – Blue & White Cover with Red/White Lettering	4th	4th	4th	1st
The All New MAD Secret File on Spy vs. Spy	9th	9th	8th	1st
MAD (Yecch!) Monstrosities – Yellow/Dark Orange Lettering	5th	5th	4th	1st

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Gold Box – Plain Background)

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Orange Box – Plain Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
A MAD Guide to Careers	?
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Green Box – Plain Background)

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?

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A Certifiably MAD Collection

(Blue Box – Plain Background)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
The MAD Guide to Self Improvement	?
More MAD about Sports	?
Invisible MAD	?
Dave Berg Loving Look	?
Son of MAD	?

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MAD’s Don Martin: The Whole ‘Don’ Set

(Green Suit Version)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
Don Martin Carries On – Blue/Cranberry Lettering	10th	11th	10th
Don Martin Drops 13 Stories! – Yellow/Black/Green Lettering	13th	12th	13th
Don Martin Cooks Up More Tales – #5 – Red/Green/Gold Lettering	6th	7th	7th
Don Martin Steps Further Out – #8 – Green/Blue/Aqua Lettering	7th	7th	7th
Don Martin Forges Ahead – #9 -Blue/Green/Light Green Lettering	7th	7th	7th

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MAD’s Don Martin: The Whole ‘Don’ Set

(Yellow Suit Version)

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
Don Martin Drops 13 Stories! – Yellow/Black/Blue/Lavender Lettering	14th
Don Martin Forges Ahead – #9 -White/Cranberry/Red Lettering	8th
Don Martin Steps Out! – #1 – Red/Green/Black/Pink Lettering	9th
Don Martin Digs Deeper – #10 – Blue/Peach/Red Lettering	6th
Don Martin Steps Further Out – Blue/Purple/Dark Purple Lettering	9th

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Don Martin Carries On

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
Don Martin Carries On – Red/Blue Lettering	4th
Don Martin Steps Out! – #1 – Red/Gold/Black/Red Lettering	2nd
Don Martin Steps Further Out – Red/Purple/Dark Purple Lettering	1st
Don Martin Drops 13 Stories! – Red/Red/Blue/Black Lettering	3rd

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A Certifiably MAD Prohias Spy vs. Spy

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2	Set 3
The All New MAD Secret File on Spy vs. Spy	13th	13th	1st
MAD’s Spy vs. Spy Follow-Up File #2	10th	9th	1st
The Third MAD Dossier of Spy vs. Spy	15th	15th	2nd
The Fourth MAD Declassified Papers on Spy vs. Spy	10th	10th	1st
The Fifth MAD Report on Spy vs. Spy	4th	4th	1st

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Five MAD Books, Gold Book-Ends by Warner

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
Spy vs. Spy Follow up file. $1.25	?
Incurably MAD $1.25	?
Don Martin Steps Out $1.25	?
Still More Snappy Answers #5 $1.25	?
Dave Berg Looks Around #7 $1.25	?

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Five MAD Books, Red Book-Ends by Warner

 

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
Don Martin Carries On $1.25	?
Don Martin Steps Out $1.25	?
Don Martin Drops 13 Stories $1.25	?
Don Martin Steps Further Out $1.25	?
The MAD Adventures of Captain Klutz $1.25	?

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It’s A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD World

For years there has been a rumored boxed-set titled ‘MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD World‘ – however, I don’t know anyone with first hand knowledge of it’s existence. I think there is a good chance it was recorded as a misidentified VHS video boxed-set of the famous movie with that title, especially as MAD’s Jack Davis did the art-work for the movie poster.

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?
?	?

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The Cool, Calm, Collected Al Jaffee

(5 Book Set – Non MAD)

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1
Al Jaffee Bombs Again – #Y7979	3rd
Al Jaffee Blows His Mind – #Y6759	4th
Al Jaffee Draws a Crowd – #Y8226	3rd
Al Jaffee Gags – #Y6856	4th
Al Jaffee’s Next Book – #Y7625	3rd

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The Cool, Calm, Collected Al Jaffee

(4 Book Set – Non MAD)

 

 

Paperback Title	Printings available
	Set 1	Set 2
Al Jaffee Blows His Mind – #Y6759	4th	4th
Al Jaffee Gags – #Y6856	3rd	4th
Al Jaffee Gags Again – #Y6652	4th	2nd
Al Jaffee’s Next Book – #Y7625	1st	1st

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