History Magazine / Mad

In July 1955, with issue 24, ''MAD'' became a black-and-white magazine (only to become color again in the 2000s). Contrary to popular belief, EC did not do this in order to escape UsefulNotes/TheComicsCode. Rather, Kurtzman had received an offer from the more lucrative magazine market, and so EC publisher Bill Gaines proposed the change in format in order to retain him. Nevertheless, the new medium benefitted from the lack of [[MoralGuardians censorship]], as well as the broader range of subject matter and media available (including prose and photo features). By late 1956, ''MAD'' had become EC's only surviving publication. As history shows, it was more than enough for the company to prosper with.

* IJustKnew: Parodied in the parody of ''Film/BillyJack'', when Billy Jock refuses to say how he knows Barnyard raped Blue Jean, so as to prevent the audience from finding out how he knew and telling everyone.
* ImADoctorNotAPlaceholder: Used in one article, in which MAD says they'd like to see "a perplexing problem that can't be solved in an hour.
-->'''Police Lieutenant''': I need the information on how the man died IMMEDIATELY, Queezy… or else the suspect will go free!
-->'''Queezy''': Forget it, Lieutenant! I'm a Doctor, not a Magician! [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome This is a complicated case! It'll take WEEKS before I can give you a definite answer]]!