Mad #436

Mad takes aim at The Matrix in this December 2003 issue, and the cover by Mark Fredrickson sets the satirical tone perfectly — a Neo caricature strikes a signature slow-motion pose in his flowing black coat while Alfred E. Neuman, decked out in a sharp suit and red sneakers, strikes his own cocky stance beside him. Behind the pair, an army of sunglasses-wearing Agent Smith clones multiplies into the rain-soaked distance, promising the magazine's trademark gleeful demolition of a cultural phenomenon. Also promised inside: a Lemony Snicket spoof, making this a particularly packed issue for fans of literary and cinematic ribbing alike.