Mad #228 (Albert Feldstein) - Indiana Jones Issue - January 1982

Mad put two of their best writers, Frank Jacobs and Dick DeBartolo on the assignment to parody the Steven Spielberg blockbuster.  They did a great job with "Raiders of a Lost Art" but they forgot to use their best artist (Mort Drucker).  I like the work of Jack Davis but his caricature of Harrison Ford falls short as does the one Jack Rickard drew for the cover.  Ford has the classic facial expressions that require the pen of Drucker that Mad readers know and love.  The ancient "Golden Idol of the Incas" looks a lot like Alfred E. Neuman.  This could be the original version of the idiot kid that all of the Mad collectors are seeking.

Jacobs also gave us his second parody of The Night Before Christmas drawn by Harry North.  This one was updated for 1981.  See also Mad #132 for "The Month Before Christmas" (1969) with drawings by Don Martin.  The first Mad parody of the classic Clement Clarke Moore (1779-1863) poem (original title: A Visit From St. Nicholas) was a jazzy version that appeared in Mad #52 (1960) with drawings by the great Wally Wood (1927-1981).  The uncredited writer was Paul Laikin.  However, these three Mad parodies were predated by Al Feldstein's Panic #1 (1953) drawn by Will Elder (1921-2008), and Harvey Kurtzman's (1924-1993) Humbug #6 (1957) written by Larry Siegel (seven parodies without drawings).  Of them all, the Panic version is my favorite.  Elder took the original words and presented the entire parody with some really wacky drawings. 

I was very disappointed with Larry Siegel's article: "A Mad Look at Discrimination."  His attempt at humor falls short.  This is not the first time that Siegel has tried to find humor in a sensitive area regarding an important social or political issue.  Although the general tone of Mad magazine is progressive and liberal, we rarely get that from Siegel.  [JAM 11/29/2010]

"Where Your Christmas Dollar Goes" is on page 40 and not page 14 as shown on the index.

Dr. Laziness is playing Space Invaders in "Outlandish."

Departments:
A Turn of the Scrooge - "Starchie Bonker's Place" or "A Christmas Carol O'Conner"
A Little Bo Peek - Don Martin Looks at Tarzan's "Jane"
Strike Up the Bland - The Nice New Uncontroversial National Enquirer
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Midnight Mess - The 1981 Night Before Christmas
Nixed Pix - Family Snapshots They Never Put in the Album
High Moon - Outlandish
Another Turkey - Give Thanks
Panned Parenthood - The National Parents Test
Kill of Rights - A Mad Look at Discrimination
Zodiacs Murder - Your Mad Horoscope
Yule Be Sorry - Where Your Christmas Dollar Goes
The Empire Strikes It Rich Again - Raiders of a Lost Art

Fold-In - Idiot