Mad #441

Mad Magazine takes aim at the hit spy series Alias in this May 2004 issue, with cover artist Mark Fredrickson delivering a hilariously wide-eyed, panic-stricken take on the show's action-heroine — gun leveled, smoke curling into a ghostly face from the barrel — that perfectly captures Mad's blend of dead-on parody and genuine artistic craft. Inside, Peter Kuper handles writing, art, inking, and coloring duties for "Ailing-Us," promising a full creative vision from one hand. Rounding out the issue are send-ups of Everwood, David Letterman, and Howard Stern, plus a bonus video game poster — solid value for any fan of sharp pop-culture satire in 2004.