Mad

Mad is an American humor publication founded in 1952 by editor Harvey Kurtzman and publisher William Gaines, launched as a comic book satirizing other comics, advertising, film and popular culture before converting to a magazine format in 1955, a change made partly to place it outside the regulatory reach of the newly created Comics Code Authority. The publication became known for its mascot Alfred E. Neuman and his catchphrase What, Me Worry, and for a satirical house style built around parody, absurdist humor and skepticism of authority and advertising. Mad exerted a lasting influence on American comedy and satire, with numerous later comedians, cartoonists and satirists citing it as a formative influence on their own work.