The phenomenon of MAD began as a comic book that poked fun at other comic books, but soon became a full-fledged magazine that poked fun at anything and everything. Although a product of the conservative, repressive 1950s, MAD was unique among contemporaneous periodicals—or any other media, for that matter—in its zeal to skewer sacred cows. Its satire, lampoons, put-ons and take-offs presented via phantasmagorically comical artwork, made MAD a particular success among younger readers. Between the MAD fans who came of age with a jaundiced view of the worlds of advertising, politics, and culture, and the MAD fans who grew up and actually joined those worlds, the magazine can be said to have become an enormous influence on contemporary American society. Moreover, MAD's influence on entertainment can be seen on everything from the television show Laugh-In to music videos on MTV. Unlike many...