Mad #298 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Max Korn Issue - October 1990

Artist Mort Drucker introduced Maxwell (Max) Korn in Mad #282.  I have no idea whether this person is real or imagined.  After Drucker, other Mad artists have occasionally mentioned Mr. (?) Korn.  However, there were five sightings in Mad #298.  Mr. Drucker placed two reels of Max Korn movies on page 5.  Angelo Torres has Isaiah Thomas using a "Max Korn Model" basketball on page 27.  Duck Edwing put a "Max Korn Model" tennis racket in the hand of Editor Nick Meglin.  Future Art Director Sam Viviano found two places for Max: 1. A "Not Max Korn" button for Churchy LaFemme on page 36 and 2. An album of "Max Korn Sings" on page 42.  The Korn is out of the bag.

There were two excellent articles in this issue.  Thirteen Mad artists (Drucker, Porges, Viviano, Aragones, Davis, Caldwell, Jaffee, Tulka, Edwing, Berg, Coker, Torres and Clarke) drew jokes for one of only two Mad articles by John S Marshall ("Endangered Species of the Music World").  The second excellent article was "Villains Awaiting Batman's Return to TV" written by Associate Editors Charlie Kadau & Joe Raiola and drawn by Rick Tulka.  This anchor article of the issue is one of the most creative concepts to appear in Mad in many years.  I can really see Jackie Mason, Bob Guccione (1930-2010), Boy George and Joe Piscopo as campy Batvillains.  [JAM 12/29/2011]

The severed head of Robocrap is drinking oil from a can with a straw (page 27); Footsy Clan boy is using Pinocchio as a pool cue (page 35).

Mad staff sightings:  pages 22, 28, 37 and 43.

Departments:
The Pest Is Yet to Come - Grimlins Ptu! The New Botch
Corn Loser - Drama on Page 9
Hard Attack - Really Difficult Is
Boor And Order - The Obnoxious Sports Fan's Supply Catalogue
Blight Unseen - Hey - Look Behind You!
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Metal Detective - Robocrap 2
Bewitched, Bothered And Beheaded - Duck Edwing Axe Up!
Decibill of Goods - Brand Name Sound Effects
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Cowa-Bunglers! - Teen-Rage Moolah Nitwit Turtles
A Heavy Cough to Bear - Drama on Page 37
The Scene of the Grind - The Lambada in Everyday Life
Bang the Dumb Slowly - Early Warning Signs of Stupidity
The Vanish Inquisition - Endangered Species of the Music World
Fiends Like Old Times - Villains Awaiting Batman's Return to TV
Hex-Rated - Mad Curses!!!

Fold-In - Bull