While MAD and its parent company DC Entertainment have not officially commented, the news was shared by numerous editors and contributors to the magazine, and confirmed via sources by The Hollywood Reporter.
After its August issue (which will be listed as issue No. 9 as per the recent rebrand of the magazine), MAD will reportedly stop printing new material and instead repackage content from its archives to fulfill subscription commitments.
MAD was founded in 1952 by Harvey Kurtzman. For its first 23 issues, the magazine was released in comic book form. It switched to the magazine format in 1955 to avoid the moral iron fist of the Comics Code Authority. The magazine's publisher William Gaines was a revered figure who set the tone of the magazine for 40 years, until his death in 1992.
A number of notable figures, including "Weird Al" Yankovic, have shared their own thoughts about the end of MAD. Read some of their tweets below.
I am profoundly sad to hear that after 67 years, MAD Magazine is ceasing publication. I can't begin to describe the impact it had on me as a young kid – it's pretty much the reason I turned out weird. Goodbye to one of the all-time greatest American institutions. #ThanksMAD pic.twitter.com/01Ya4htdSR
— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) July 4, 2019
So sad. My kids still love @MADmagazine. And I know everything I know about the Towering Inferno from it aka #thetoweringsterno. https://t.co/fBeN4O4UnD
— David Mandel (@DavidHMandel) July 4, 2019
Probably my single favorite part of MAD Magazine was the words Don Martin would come up with for sound effects. A full list of them here: https://t.co/TIZ5d05aWw
— Triumph® ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴsᴜʟᴛ ᴄᴏᴍɪᴄ ᴅᴏɢ™ Headquarters💩 (@TriumphICDHQ) July 4, 2019
In Chicago my friend @yourpaldoug and I adopted two kittens and named them Fweep and Sproing. - RS pic.twitter.com/Maobg3Lahd
RIP Mad Magazine. Truly a sad day. We need it now more than ever! pic.twitter.com/uh8i1Dttz2
— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) July 4, 2019
Anything that makes @alyankovic sad should be illegal. And specifically: canceling @MADmagazine is dumb. https://t.co/TJMJ7Dgukh
— John Hodgman (@hodgman) July 4, 2019
