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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMad Magazine's School Shooting Cartoon is a Horrifying, Smart Gorey Update
Instead, the most affecting commentary on gun control youll see this month was just been published in Mad Magazine.
In the latest issue of Mad Magazine (which is out on newsstands and in Barnes and Noble bookstores right now), theres a brilliantly sad pastiche of the classic Edward Gorey childrens alphabet book, The Ghastlycrumb Tinies, retitled now as The GhastltyGun Tinies. Written by Matt Cohen with art by Marc Palm, the piece reimagines Goreys playfully macabre kids book as something truly terrifying. One might wonder, how do you out-macabre Edward Gorey? The answer: just add realism.
In the original book, Gorey presents a horrific alphabet in which A is for Amy who fell down the stairs and M is for Maud who was swept out to sea. But, in The GhastlyGun Tinies, its much scarier. Initially, most of the kids are just described by some charming thing theyre interested in. A is for Alice. A young science wiz. Or E is for Eve, who is idealistic. But then the gut punches start happening. G is for Greg who was caught unawares and J is for Julie who is too young to vote.
......................................................................................................
As you read through each entry, the point of the whole thing becomes clear: all these imagined children are dead. But, the brilliant inversion of the Gorey text is what makes this satire so chilling. In Goreys version, the kids have ghastly things happening to them. In the Mad Magazine spoof, theyre just going about their business, doing ordinary, innocent things. Whereas Gorey flirted with allowing children to learn about death, this poignant update drives home the most heartbreaking truth of all: The victims of school shootings are gone and, in there place, there is nothing.
The final entry drives this point home most painfully: Z is for Zoe, who wont be the last. Its enough to make you burst out into tears, and it would be easy to look away from these panels if they werent so thoughtfully drawn, and poignantly written.
In the latest issue of Mad Magazine (which is out on newsstands and in Barnes and Noble bookstores right now), theres a brilliantly sad pastiche of the classic Edward Gorey childrens alphabet book, The Ghastlycrumb Tinies, retitled now as The GhastltyGun Tinies. Written by Matt Cohen with art by Marc Palm, the piece reimagines Goreys playfully macabre kids book as something truly terrifying. One might wonder, how do you out-macabre Edward Gorey? The answer: just add realism.
In the original book, Gorey presents a horrific alphabet in which A is for Amy who fell down the stairs and M is for Maud who was swept out to sea. But, in The GhastlyGun Tinies, its much scarier. Initially, most of the kids are just described by some charming thing theyre interested in. A is for Alice. A young science wiz. Or E is for Eve, who is idealistic. But then the gut punches start happening. G is for Greg who was caught unawares and J is for Julie who is too young to vote.
......................................................................................................
As you read through each entry, the point of the whole thing becomes clear: all these imagined children are dead. But, the brilliant inversion of the Gorey text is what makes this satire so chilling. In Goreys version, the kids have ghastly things happening to them. In the Mad Magazine spoof, theyre just going about their business, doing ordinary, innocent things. Whereas Gorey flirted with allowing children to learn about death, this poignant update drives home the most heartbreaking truth of all: The victims of school shootings are gone and, in there place, there is nothing.
The final entry drives this point home most painfully: Z is for Zoe, who wont be the last. Its enough to make you burst out into tears, and it would be easy to look away from these panels if they werent so thoughtfully drawn, and poignantly written.
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https://www.fatherly.com/news/mad-magazines-school-shooting-cartoon-edward-gorey/
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Mad Magazine's School Shooting Cartoon is a Horrifying, Smart Gorey Update (Original Post)
ehrnst
Nov 2018
OP
Pacifist Patriot
(24,653 posts)1. I just tried to read the pages to my husband.
My voice couldn't make it to Zoe.
Harker
(14,012 posts)2. Damn. n/t
Paladin
(28,252 posts)3. I grew up on "Mad" magazine. Glad to see they still have some impact. (nt)
Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)4. It's been a pale shadow of its self for decades.
Bill Gaines died, the magazine was sold to Time Warner, and they began accepting advertising (something Gaines was insistent he'd never do, as he never wanted to have to tiptoe around sponsors). MAD's been pretty neutered ever since.
But this is undeniably brilliant. Heartbreaking.
Renew Deal
(81,855 posts)5. People need to see this
RainCaster
(10,866 posts)6. It's been a long time since they had this edge
I hope they can keep it
benld74
(9,904 posts)7. MAD always!!!
kimmylavin
(2,284 posts)8. That is a gut-punch.
Very well done; absolutely heartbreaking.
Danascot
(4,690 posts)9. That piece deserves a Pulitzer