Mad #491

MAD #491 turns its satirical eye on The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, and Mark Fredrickson's cover painting makes the joke immediately clear — a grinning, big-eared caricature of a young warrior stands confidently in a lush forest while an enormous, snarling lion rears up behind him with claws spread wide, perfectly capturing MAD's gleeful promise to "pounce on" the summer blockbuster. The rendering of that lion is genuinely impressive, all golden fur and bared fangs, making the oblivious smile of the armored figure below even funnier by contrast. Inside, the likes of John Samony, Scott Maiko, and Tom Richmond keep the irreverence rolling, making this 2008 issue a fine snapshot of MAD doing what it does best.