Mad #75

Mad #75 from December 1962 is the self-proclaimed "Special Cutting Classes Issue," and Norman Mingo's cover delivers the gag with deadpan perfection: Alfred E. Neuman, dunce cap on his head and small scissors in hand, sits cheerfully on a stool snipping paper snowflakes while a towering pair of chrome scissors looms beside him, scraps littering the floor at his feet. It's a beautifully absurd visual that captures everything Mad does best — finding the comedy in the completely mundane. Inside, Al Jaffee and Bob Clarke contribute their sharp wit to the mix, making this a satisfying package of 1962-era satire.