Mad #360

Mad's summer 1997 "Hot Summer Issue" puts Alfred E. Neuman front and center in the most gloriously carefree way imaginable — plummeting upside-down from a bridge on a bungee cord, his gap-toothed grin completely unbothered, sporting a yellow "Road Rules Bungee Club" shirt while onlookers cheer from the railing above. James Bennett's cover painting captures that perfect mix of chaos and bliss that Mad does so well, framed by the magazine's signature yellow border packed with tiny gag cartoons. Inside, the issue promises satire targeting AOL, Rosie O'Donnell, drugs, and a parody of Con Air — plenty of summer reading to match Alfred's death-defying enthusiasm.