Even hut-dwellers in the city of Guelengdeng, Chad (whose claim to fame is being the largest land-locked country in all of Africa — doesn't the whole world aspire to be that?) have seen the vapid, grinning rictus of Alfred E. Neuman at one point in time or another. MAD Magazine was a major force in the humor periodical landscape from its inception in 1952 throughout much of the remainder of the century. At its peak, its circulation reached 2.1 million readers. However, competition for discretionary dollars, the rise of cable television and, ultimately, the internet steadily eroded the readership base. By the end of the first decade of the 21st century, circulation was a mere 10% of the figure it achieved during its 70's heyday. Still, for the majority of its existence, it remained the preeminent humor magazine of its type in the industry, even inspiring a television skit show entitled MADtv, which ran from 1995 until 2009.
MAD Imitators
Success spawns imitation, and as a result, a string of competitors hit the newsstands after MAD took the industry by storm in its early years. The three longest-lasting competitors were Cracked (1958-2007), Sick (1960-1980) and Crazy (1973-1983). Other short-lived efforts included Nuts, Get Lost, Whack, Riot, Flip, Eh, From Here to Insanity, and Madhouse.
Cracked Magazine
The most successful of the coterie of imitators was Cracked. At its peak, it approached about half of MAD's level of popularity, with a circulation of just over one million in 1975. Its fingerprints on pop culture were far less noticeable, but occasional sightings appeared here and there, including George Costanza reading an issue of Cracked in the "Summer of George" episode, a reference or two on The Simpsons, and several other brief glimpses.
Cracked suffered readership declines similar to MAD's during the 80's and 90's, and sputtered badly in the early-to-mid 2000's. After a glossy relaunch crashed and burned in 2007, the print version finally closed down for good. Although appearing to signify the long-expected coup de grâce by MAD in their rivalry, it ironically served as the catalyst to a turnaround in the relationship between the two entities.
Cracked.com
Cracked.com had just been established at the time of the print magazine's demise, but was sharpened considerably into a daily visitation site, replacing the previous promotional iteration. The most noteworthy evolution was in developing literally hundreds of bitingly satirical "top" lists. Featured prominently on the front page are articles such as "5 Famous Ad Campaigns That Actually Hurt Sales", "6 Pro-Gay Marriage Arguments for Fighting With Crazy People", and "The Seven Sleaziest Mating Rituals in the Animal Kingdom". Interspersed throughout the site are various humor pieces, random columnists, videos, charts and graphs, and general miscellany. There is even an ancillary web series "CrackedTV", an amalgamation of The Soup and The Onion News Network. The target audience throughout is very adult, another striking difference from the juvenile-focused print edition.
Successful Reincarnation
After over fifty years of riding MAD's coattails, the plan worked beyond ownership's wildest imagination. Cracked.com rocketed up the charts of popular web destinations, and as of today is 653rd in the world per data collected and compiled by Alexa.com. By comparison, just a few slots ahead is venerable giant BusinessWeek.com at 650th, and household name Newsweek.com is dusted in the distance at 5,237th. MAD's relatively static web site? A barely pulse-starting 15,977th.
MAD 2.0
Sucess spawns imitation, and as a result, MAD recently announced its own foray into the humor blogosphere. The irony in this maneuver is patently obvious: to quote Darth Vader (minus the creeper heavy breathing), "I am your father." Oh wait, not that one — try this: "He will join us or die, my Master." Actually, come to think of it, a better quote altogether is Darth's proclamation to Obi-Wan Kenobi, "The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner; now I am the Master." In any event, MAD's precipitous descent necessitates a dramatic need for reinvention, and given the striking success of Cracked.com, the road map has been laid. This time it is the stepsister leading the way.
Sources:
About MAD: The Untold Story of MAD, Desmond Devlin, DCComics.com
5 Famous Ad Campaigns That Actually Hurt Sales, Matt Culkin, 7/10/11, Cracked.com
6 Pro-Gay Marriage Arguments for Fighting With Crazy People, Brendan McGinley, 7/9/11, Cracked.com.
The Seven Sleaziest Mating Rituals in the Animal Kingdom, Jonathan Wojcik, 7/7/11, Cracked.com
MAD Magazine Announces Their Own Official "Blog", 6/16/11, Crunchgear.com
Walter McLaughlin - I am a 47-year old commercial banker living in the Seattle area. I am an avid sports fan, but also greatly enjoy writing satirical, ...
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