Liberace

A satirical caricature of the real-life rhinestone-draped pianist and entertainer, this exaggerated version of Liberace appeared in Mad magazine's trademark parody style, lampooning the flamboyant showman's over-the-top stage persona alongside other celebrity caricatures.

Few real-world celebrities got the full EC treatment quite like Liberace, whose comics life began in the pages of Mad #24 in 1955 — a key issue, no less — dreamed up by the legendary Harvey Kurtzman and Bill Elder at the height of the Golden Age. Turning up across a surprisingly long span of six decades, this caricatured version of the rhinestone-draped showman found himself in gloriously eclectic company, sharing pages with the likes of Alfred E. Neuman, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and even Abraham Lincoln. His appearances stretch across Mad, All New Collectors' Edition, and the unlikely Archie's Sonshine, which tells you everything about how broadly American pop culture — and its satirists — loved to invoke his unmistakable persona. Nine appearances may be a modest count, but when your debut is a certified collector's key from EC's golden era, quality wins out over quantity every time.