Mad #293 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Sara Friedman Issue - March 1990.

Mad staffers are found in four of departments of this issue.  Artist Greg Theakston put initials of Art Director Leonard Brenner, Publisher William Gaines and editors Nick Meglin & John Ficarra on gravestones in "A Mad Peek Behind the Scenes at a Slasher Movie Studio."  Dave Berg used Brenner, Ficarra, Meglin, Gaines and Associate Editor Sara Friedman in four of his "lighter side" jokes.  Bob Clarke added Ficarra and Brenner to the angry crowd in "When Pressure Groups Really Take Over" along with his self-portrait, fellow artist George Woodbridge and Frankenstein's monster.  Rick Tulka put himself, Berg and Al Jaffee on a game show in "TV-Show Theme Weeks that Didn't Quite Work Out."  Gaines also appeared in "Mad's Video Reviews."  In addition to staffers, Mad running jokes made several appearances with sightings of Arthur (2), the Mad zeppelin, Flip, "Potrzebie" and the mysterious Mr. Maxwell Korn (twice).  The best article is the eight short movie reviews by Stan Hart and Sam Viviano with a token appearance by Woody Allen. [JAM 12/11/2011]

Look for Calvin & Hobbes in "Mad's Video Reviews."

Departments:
Sequel Opportunity Destroyers - Lethal Wreckin' Too
Tales from the Duck Side - The Extraordinary Eulogy Entrapment; The Chilling Chopper Chapter; The Astounding Aeronautic Adventure
Humor in a Vernacular Vein - Mad's Handy Foreign Phrase Guide
The United Hates - Mad's 12 Point Plan for Improving America
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Along the Snide Lines - The Mad Nasty File (Volume IV)
Hire Education - Apex Technical Schools for Other Occupations
An Embarrassment of Richard's - A Mad Peek Behind the Scenes at a Slasher Movie Studio
Frank on a Roll - The Prime of Their Lives
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Writing Wrongs - When Pressure Groups Really Take Over
Just Say Uno! - Party Games for One
Hart Burn - Mad's Video Reviews
A Rotten Pair - Mad Asks: Which is the Lesser of Two Evils?
Broken Premises - TV Theme Weeks that Didn't Quite Work Out
One Ron, No Hits, One Era - A Mad Look at the 80s

Fold-In - Charlie Brown