Mad #58

Kelly Freas's cover for this October 1960 issue of Mad is a delight — Alfred E. Neuman hangs upside-down from a pair of gymnastic rings bolted to a tree branch, grinning that gap-toothed grin against a brilliant blue sky dotted with clouds and soaring birds. The painted detail is warm and surprisingly lovely, making the absurdity of the scene land all the more perfectly. Inside, Sy Reit and Bob Clarke take aim at "The 'Violence Trend' on TV," a target that was apparently fair game even back in 1960.