Mad #437

Mad #437 kicks off 2004 with Alfred E. Neuman decked out in a military flight suit, badge reading "Idiot-in-Chief," clutching a pilot's helmet and a "Mission Accomplished!" banner while military jets and a warship fill the background — a pointed send-up of 2003's biggest headlines. Mark Fredrickson's cover painting is rendered with striking realism, making Alfred's gap-toothed grin all the more absurd against the martial backdrop. Inside, Mad promises its "20 Dumbest People, Events & Things of 2003," plus riffs on Lord of the Rings and TV's The Shield — plenty of sharp, gleeful irreverence to ring in the new year.