Mad #103 (Albert Feldstein) - Putnam's Bird Issue - June 1966

Although that bird first appeared in art director, John Putnam's book ad in Mad #102, the bird did not become a running joke until issue 103.  Putnam's bird appeared eight times in various places throughout the issue.  The bird also became a Mad mascot like Arthur, the Mad zeppelin and of course, Alfred E. Neuman.  The bird did not get it's name ("Flip") until the May 1995 issue (#335) after the editors initiated a reader contest.  Losing names were "Buzby", "Derfla", "Weird Bird Yankovic", "Cornelius", "Perdue", "Melvin", "Stupid Pet", "Cat Food", "Egbert", "Scrimshaw", "Lil' Ed" and "Pencil Neck Geek".  It seems that the editors did not have much from which to choose.  Issue 103 also featured the first "Horrifying Cliches" that were similar to "Mad Beastlies". [JAM 9/9/2009]

The judge is using his gavel to crack walnuts. (page 33)

Look for Robert McNamara, Sean Connery, Auric Goldfinger, Abe Lincoln, Peter Sellers and running jokes "Syosset" & "The Seven Santini Brothers" in "Honey Waste".  Reader Neil Wahlert notes that The Seven Santini Brother contain at least five members (Gaines, Feldstein, Brenner, Meglin & Putnam) of the Mad editorial staff.  Associate Editor Jerry DeFuccio is identified in the article.

Reader Anthony Perodeau has identified the actors on the back cover as Al Feldstein, John Putnam, Jerry DeFuccio and Nick Meglin.

Departments:
Ceiling Zero - The Agony and the Agony
Bottled Pop - Fathers Are Two-Time Losers
Don Martin - The Haircut; One Morning in the Chicken Coop; A Boy and His Chemistry Set
Ten-Forty or Fight - Mad's Share the Wealth Income Tax Form
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side of Junior High
Guaran-Teed-Off - Purchase Tags Few People Ever Get to See
Motor-Psycho - The Face on the Town Square Walk
Kent Satisfies Best? - A "Comics" Scene We'd Like to See
About Face - The Mad Hypocrite Primer
High-Heel Gumshoe - Honey Waste
Pledgerism - Rho Rho Rho Quarterly

Fold-In - Uncle Sam