Yes—but the closest matches depend on which part of MAD you mean. Cracked and National Lampoon are useful historical comparisons, not established current print equivalents. For a current print satire option, The Onion offers a monthly newspaper membership, though its format and style differ from MAD. If you want more of the original, look for MAD reprint compilations and paperbacks.
What makes a magazine “like MAD”?
MAD combined entertainment parody, satire about everyday life, comics, and recurring visual humor. A useful comparison depends on what you want most: cartoons, film and television parodies, broader social satire, an irreverent tone, or simply something physical to browse.
That mix has a particular history. TIME reports that Harvey Kurtzman created MAD as a comic book in 1952; it became a magazine three years later. That shift helps explain why a text-led satire publication or a newspaper may overlap with MAD in tone without being a close match in format or cartoon style.
How the main alternatives compare
| Title | Status and format | What overlaps with MAD | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cracked | Historical magazine comparison; a current regular print run is not established here. | Magazine parody and comics. | Do not treat it as a current print substitute. |
| National Lampoon | Historical American humor and satire magazine; TIME gives its run as 1970–1998. | Parody, satire, and irreverent humor. | Its broader satire makes it a distinct title, not simply another MAD. |
| The Onion | Current print satire option: the publisher describes a newspaper membership. | Satirical humor in a physical publication. | It is a newspaper, not a MAD-style magazine or a direct match for its cartoon-parody tradition. |
| Spy and The Realist | Historical publications, not established here as current periodicals. | American satire and humor. | Useful archival comparisons rather than present-day subscription choices. |
Cracked: a close historical comparison
Cracked is commonly described as the most durable MAD imitator, making it a natural archival choice if you want magazine parody and comics. That historical connection does not establish that Cracked remains in regular print. If you seek physical copies, approach back issues and collections as secondhand or archival items: edition, condition, and availability depend on the specific listing.
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National Lampoon, Spy, and The Realist: broader satire
National Lampoon is a prominent but distinct American humor and satire magazine. TIME’s account of American print satire places the broader flourishing of the form in the 1950s through the 1970s and dates National Lampoon’s publication run from 1970 to 1998 (TIME). It is worth considering for broad parody and irreverent satire, but it is not a one-for-one replacement for MAD’s recurring visual humor and pop-culture parodies.
Spy and The Realist are other historical titles readers may encounter when exploring American satire. TIME includes The Realist in its discussion of mid-century print satire; neither title should be presented as a current periodical on that basis.
Rank #2
- 60 year retrospective of the art and wit of MAD magazine
The Onion: a current print option, with a format difference
The Onion’s publisher describes a print membership that includes 12 monthly newspaper issues delivered by mail at the $99-and-up annual contribution level. That is a publisher-stated membership offer, not an independent circulation figure, and membership terms can change. Check the official membership page for current contribution levels and benefits.
The Onion is the clearest current print option established here, but call it a partial match: it is a satirical newspaper rather than a magazine built around MAD’s comic features and entertainment parodies.
If you want more MAD itself
MAD has reprint compilations and paperbacks containing reprinted or original material, so collected editions are a practical route if the goal is to read more MAD rather than find a substitute. The specific contents, edition, and availability vary; check the details of the particular book or collection before buying. A search for MAD Magazine anthology book is a useful starting phrase, but no particular retailer listing or edition is verified here. MAD’s history also includes other humor titles with comics and text, including Harvey Kurtzman’s Trump, Humbug, and Help! (TIME).
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which should you choose?
- For magazine parody and comics: Explore Cracked as a historical comparison and look for archival issues or collections.
- For broader irreverent print satire: Consider National Lampoon as a historical title; it is not a current periodical established here.
- For regular print satire now: Check The Onion’s current newspaper membership terms, keeping the newspaper-versus-magazine difference in mind.
- For the closest experience to reading MAD: Seek a specific MAD reprint compilation or paperback and verify its contents and availability.
There is no single established substitute that reproduces MAD’s combination of cartoons, entertainment parody, and satire. The best fit comes down to which of those elements matters most to you.
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