Sunday Comic Section We'd Like to See (Albert Feldstein) - 1961 - 8 pages

Perhaps the most complete (and rarest) of comic strip parodies is the full-color, full-size, eight-page parody that appeared as an internal attachment to The Fourth Annual Worst From Mad reprint collection.  The comic section consists of 15 original comic parodies plus Wally Wood's "Believe It or Don't!" that are reprints of his classic parodies.  No writing or drawing credit [see Mike Slaubaugh comments below in last paragraph] is given for the original work but there are the initials "GW" on page eight which seem to indicate that some of the drawings were done George Woodbridge.  Wally Wood may or may not have contributed to the original work.  The comic section is so rare because it had to be detached from the magazine and it was printed on newspaper pulp.  Most of the used magazines available are missing the insert.

The theme of the comic parodies (except Believe It Or Don't") is bringing comic characters into modern times with some realistic behavior.  Digwood (Dagwood) gets recruited by the CIA to improve manliness of fictional men. Mammy Yokel (Yokum) buys a television set to see what her creator is doing.  Muck (Mark) Trail reveals the most dangerous animal in the wild (man).  Mary Worthless gets chased out of town.  Miss Peachy needs a second job.  Prince Violent (Valiant) discovers his wife with another man.  Beagle Bagle (Beetle Bailey) and company gets court-martialed for their destructive behavior.  An adult visits the comic strip of Charlie Brawn (Brown).  Smokey Stogie's (Stover) firehouse can't put out their own fire.  The Do-Little King gets deposed by Kastro.  Pogum (Pogo) and his swamp friend get integrated by actual people.  Flush Gordon gets grounded for failing his EKG.  And, several characted including Scramtom (Phantom), Tarscram (Tarzan), and the Krautzarscrammin Kids pack up there look and take the first boat out of town.

The editors of Mad obviously loved their work and they have created almost 60 years worth of the best parody and satire available.  [JAM 12/24/2009]

Comments by Mike Slaubaugh (in Doug Gilford's Mad Cover Site): "According to Von Bernewitz: Marie Severin was the colorist.  Wally Wood did Blondey, L'il Abneh, Mary Worthless, Prince Violent, Believe It Or Don't and Pogum.  Joe Orlando did Muck Trail and Flush Gorden.  Bob Clarke did Miss Peachy, Beagle Bagel, Peanutz, Smokey Stogie and The Do-Little King.  George Woodbridge did The Scramtom, Tarscram and Krautzarsscrammin (Kids? that word is missing in VB.)"