Contributors to MAD Magazine received an e-mail today telling them that after two more issues of mostly-new content, MAD will become a reprint title. It will have new covers but inside, there will be naught but old, recycled material. It will also no longer appear on regular newsstands but will be available only via the direct market, which means comic book shops and a few other kinds of outlets. The letter said that all subscriptions will be honored but didn't mention anything about new subscriptions.
So what do I think about this? I think it sucks and I think it's a huge mistake, especially for a company like Time-Warner that is so into the concept of branding and expanding everything they own into all possible forms — TV shows, movies, video games, dolls, t-shirts, etc. It ain't good for them to tell the world that the name of MAD is of such low value that it can't even sell MAD.
The letter to contributors blames low sales and I assume they are indeed poor…but just because the marketplace isn't buying the MAD they're currently being offered doesn't mean it wouldn't sustain a different MAD, one that is true to the working premise of the publication in different, more timely ways. I have to think that someone there is pondering what MAD 2.0 might be like. At least, I hope someone is.