Mad #37

In "I Don't Want To Be A King," a standout story from EC's Mad #37 (1958), a young man’s reluctant rise to power takes a satirical turn, exploring the absurdity of leadership through a series of sharp, self-aware vignettes. Written by Albert B. Feldstein, Bob Thompson, Walt Disney, John Olson, and Leon Harvey, the issue delivers its signature wit with a mix of irony and charm, all rendered in the bold, expressive style that defined the era. The cover, penciled and inked by Norman Mingo, captures the story’s playful tension with a striking, exaggerated portrait of the protagonist’s inner turmoil.