Mad #530

Alfred E. Neuman grins his gap-toothed grin while holding a "World Peace Now" protest sign — which a green missile is busily blowing right through — and somehow he couldn't look more pleased about the whole situation. Mark Fredrickson's cover perfectly captures MAD's gift for weaponizing optimism against itself, pairing the magazine's eternally cheerful mascot with a punchline that lands before you even open the cover. Inside, the December 2014 issue also takes aim at Orange Is the New Black, TMZ, and a 2015 Hobbit Calendar, promising a full arsenal of satire for the holiday season.