Minor mystery of an Annapolis midshipman apparently reading Mad in 1955

by Mike Rhode

A colleague was looking through the US Naval Academy yearbook, The Lucky Bag 1959 and I noticed that a midshipman was reading Mad as a first year student (which is internally dated as being 1955, logically enough for a four year college). So I scanned it thinking that it was just another example of someone reading comics in an earlier day.

But what's odd is that this cover, showing Alfred E. Neumann walking away from a trash can labelled 'What me worry?" doesn't actually seem to be a  1955 MAD cover, based on the Grand Comics Database's cover gallery.

What it actually is though is the first issue of More Trash from Mad from 1958 with art by Kelly Freas. So, shockingly, somebody mis-attributed the date of the photograph in the yearbook.

cover from Grand Comics Database

Another comics picture from the Library of Congress

• 
• Title: [Child lying on floor with comic books]
• Date Created/Published: [no date recorded on caption card]
• Medium: 1 photographic print.
• Reproduction Number: LC-USZ62-59651 (b&w film copy neg.)
• Rights Advisory: Rights status not evaluated. For general information see "Copyright and Other Restrictions..." (http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/print/195_copr.html).
• Call Number: SSF - Comic books, strips, etc. [item] [P&P]
• Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA
• Notes:
  • Photo by Acme Newspictures
  • This record contains unverified, old data from caption card.
  • Caption card tracings: Photog. Index; Comic strips...; Children Reading; Shelf.

Tip from Sara Duke. Peter Sattler identified the comics as Captain Marvel Adventures #69; Action Comics 106 (March 1947 cover); Wonder Woman 21 (Jan/Feb 1947); Crack Comics #47 (the BEEZY story); Funny Folks #6 (Feb/Mar 1947); Flash Comics #8; and Jo-Jo Comics #5.

Jack Black drawing in today's Express

There's a lovely drawing of a girl sitting on the statue of Lincoln's lap, reading, in today's Express. It's by Jack Black, and has a comics feel, although I don't know his work. I'll probably pick up some extras just to tearsheet this page. The man behind the Ephemerist collects art like this.