Mad #129 (Albert Feldstein) - Generation Gap Issue - September 1969

The theme of the issue was that gorge twixt teen and forty.  Earl Doud, Larry Siegel and Dave Berg wrote about it.  Norman Mingo, Paul Coker Jr., Bob Clarke and Berg provided the drawings.  The eternal gap has been a common and expected subject for Mad as trends and emotions drive stakes between parents and the attitudes of the future-of-civilization.  There was nothing new or unusual about the "gap" and it remains as wide 40 years later.  Somehow, the planet continues to spin.

The best article of the issue was "The Mad Primer of Bigots, Extremists and Other Loose Ends."  The primer as parody form has been the staple of Mad since 1958 ("My First Reader").  Since then, primer subjects have been Horror, Madison Avenue, Mythology, Celebrity, Suburbia, Hypocrisy, Air Travel, Psychoanalysis, Fads, Getting Married and Ice Hockey.  The primer on extremists may have been the best to date.  Frank Jacobs and Stan Hart collaborated to expose the crazies among us and Jack Davis drew them in his classic style.  Right-wingers (including Lester Maddox 1915-2003) and WASPs are easy to identify by their unusual body parts and looters (page 16) can see themselves on the television sets they steal.  This article is as true today as it was in 1969.  This is why we like Mad so much - Mad tells the truth. [JAM 12/13/2009]

The best drawing of the issue is George Woodbridge's view of the Mad Zeppelin flying above a rush hour traffic jam on page 34.  His drawings of "The State of Our Cities" are excellent.

Look for the rabbit ears on Jewelia's television set (page 43).

Departments:
Don Martin - Don Martin Takes a Look at a Fairy Tale; Don Martin Takes Another Look at the Same Fairy Tale; Don Martin Takes a Last Look                           at the Same Fairy Tale
Ecchology - The Mad Origami Zoo of Cliche Creatures
Kissy-Kissy, Bang-Bang - The Brother Hoods
It Must've Been Something They Hate - The Mad Primer of Bigots, Extremists and Other Loose Ends
Chide Psychology - The Mad Approach Toward Bridging the Generation Gap
Screenploy - The Anatomy of a Movie Ad Campaign
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side of Status Seeking
Joke and Dagger - Spy Vs. Spy
Mutt and Jest - A Mad Look at Dogs
Putting Down Town - A Mad Gray Paper: "The State of Our Cities"
Bringing Up Fodder - Dr. Spock's "Teenager Care"
Filly of Soul - Jewelia
Put Up Your "Dukes" - A Dove's-Eye View of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Fold-In - Goat