Mad #310 (Nick Meglin and John Ficarra) - Biblical Rap Issue - April 1992

Frank Jacobs wrote it and George Woodbridge (1930-2004) lushly illustrated the classic bible/music parody ("Mad Raps up the Bible").  The duo updates the Garden of Eden, Noah, Moses, Jonah and David vs. Goliath in an amazing five-page article.  A strange animal band plays while Adam & Eve dance in the garden.  Where would Adam be able to find a bunion pad for his right foot?  Charlie the Tuna and Edwing's duck are among the animals in Noah's floating zoo.  Woodbridge reminds us that excrement cleanup may have been a particular problem on this voyage.  The Moses rap finds the Mad staff witnessing the ten no-nos with Annie Gaines in her signature dancing pose.  The article concludes with Jonah's whale interior and the slingshot saga on parchment.  In my opinion, these five pages of detailed drawings are the best that George Woodbridge produced in nearly 47 years with Mad.

Mad editors also highlighted the tattoo trend that unfortunately continues to this date.  Tom Hachtman's cover tattoos shirtless singer Alf with 13 of the great inside Mad jokes - the lighter side of Dave Berg, an Al Jaffee fold-in, the poiuyt, Moxie, "Ecch," Arthur the avocado tree, the Mad Zeppelin, Edwing's duck, Sergio's marginals, Flip the bird, Spy vs. Spy, "potrzebie" and Alf's motto "What, me worry?"  Inside, Jacobs and Jaffee continue the discussion with "A Mad Commentary."  The conclusion by Jacobs says it all: "Unfortunately, most people who get a tattoo are nothing more than silly narcissistic egotistical exhibitionists."  I would add that many of the tattooees are just sheep being led into this self-mutilation by their egotistical peers.  [JAM 2/29/2012]

Fidel Castro is rowing a boat to Florida ("The New Benchmarks, Records and Barriers"); the nurses have too many aces in their poker game ("Mad's Video Reviews"); Alfred E. Neuman is in the television audience of "Love Corruption."

Departments:
Frank on a Roll - Mad Raps up the Bible
Coming Detractions - The New Benchmarks, Records and Barriers that Mankind is Rapidly Approaching (Part III)
Hart Burn - Mad's Video Reviews
Tales From the Duck Side - The Loopy Lavatory Lunacy; The Audacious Airport Accommodation; The Peculiar Polar Permutation
For Letter or Worse - The Three
Pulling the Woolery over Your Eyes - Love Corruption
Taking It on the Skin - A Mad Commentary: Tattoos
The Hype of Absurdity - If It Weren't for Entertainment Tonight
No Longer a Young Chic - If Blondie Entered the Real Work Place
Fools And Regulations - Why You Should
Joke And Dagger - Spy vs. Spy
Dullards And Scents - When More Celebrities Introduce Their Own Brands of Perfume
Berg's-Eye View - The Lighter Side
Writing a Wrong - "50/50" Reports on Sleaze Biographers (A Muckraking Mad Expose)
Serge-In General - A Mad Look at Recycling
Spoof of Purchase - The Mad Product Registration Form

Fold-In - PeeWee Herman