MAD Magazine

MAD Magazine is an American-based humour magazine published by DC Comics. Since its establishment in 1952, the magazine has become known for its parodies of film and television, and it has published a number of parody articles relating to the Harry Potter novels and film series since 2000.

(The following lists major parodies only; Potter was also spoofed in various issues in smaller features such as the magazine's traditional "Fold-In".)

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone parodies
MAD first parodied Harry Potter in issue #391, cover-dated March 2000 (and therefore on newsstands around January 2000), more than 18 months before the first film. The issue's cover spoofed the cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, with Harry riding a broomstick alongside MAD mascot Alfred E. Neuman, who is shown using a barf bag. Inside the issue is a parody of the novel entitled Harry Plodder and the Kidney Stone. Unlike most recent MAD parodies, which are artistic or comic strip in nature, this was actually several text pages spoofing the format of Rowling's work. This is the only time MAD directly parodies one of the novels, rather than one of the films. Although MAD often spoofed novels in the 1950s and 1960s, this had become exceedingly rare by the 2000s.

Issue #412, cover-dated December 2001, was dubbed a "Special Harry Potter Issue" and again featured Potter on the cover. This time Harry is shown sitting in a compartment on Hogwart's Express pulling back his hair to reveal his scar - which is a dollar sign. Across from him sits Ron Weasley - who looks like Alfred E. Neuman. Features inside the issue include a spoof of the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone film, retitled Harry Plodder and the Sorry-Ass Story. In the parody, one character makes the prediction that the film will be followed by six sequels, by which time Harry will be 23 years old. Issue 412 also features "A Mad Look at Harry Potter", a series of short comic strip gags by Sergio Aragones.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets parody
Issue #424 (December 2002) features Harry Potter on the cover (with the headline "MAD casts a spell on Harry Potter". The art shows Potter entering a room to see Dobby - who looks like Alfred E. Neuman - standing on his bed. The Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets film parody therein is retitled Harry Plodder and the Lamest of Sequels and like most Potter film parodies by MAD, continuity is maintained by using the same parody names (i.e. Harry Plodder, Runt Quesey and Herwhiny Grungy). Between Issue 412 and 424, MAD had switched to full-colour publication so this was the first Potter parody to be in colour. JK Rowling appears at the end of the parody, as "Albus Doubledork" explains that she's suffering writer's block which is preventing her from completing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban parody
Issue #443 (July 2004) was published with two variant Harry Potter covers. On one, Harry is shown trying to catch a snitch with the face of Alfred E. Neuman. The other shows Harry, Ron and Hermionie - rendered in the style of Claymation animation - standing by a poster of Sirius Black, only the poster reads "Have You Seen This Idiot?" and Sirius resembles Alfred. The parody of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is titled Harry Plodder and the Pre-Teen Nerds Are Actin' Bad. This parody is notable for its particularly ugly and often surreal artwork, with Harry more often resembling the character "Bubbles" from the sitcom Trailer Park Boys than Daniel Radcliffe.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire parody
Issue #460 (December 2005) features Alfred E. Neuman as Harry Potter on the cover, his face covered in soot after apparently being scorched by flames coming out of the Goblet of Fire. The parody of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is titled Harry Plodder Has Gotta Retire. The artwork continues the surreal, stylized form of the Azkaban parody (Harry still looks like Bubbles in several panels), but Hermione is drawn in several panels in an exaggerated sexualized way to spoof the growing maturity of the actors (in a similar vein, Harry is at one point shown bearded and lighting a cigarette with his wand).

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix parody
Issue #480 (August 2007) features Alfred E. Neuman as Voldemort on the cover, with the headline "BUY THIS ISSUE, MUGGLE!". The parody of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, titled Harry Plodder and the Torture of the Fanbase returns to the more traditional style of artwork last seen in the Chamber of Secrets parody. MAD parodies, having to be produced months in advance of a film's release, are often created using "best guesses" from source material; the fact the creators of this parody used the novel for source material is made evident as one of the gags involves Hermione and Ron being named prefects - an event not featured in the film. The writers end the spoof by spoiling the ending of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by revealing that Dumbledore dies at the end of that story.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince parody
Issue #501 (October 2009) was the first MAD issue parodying a Potter film not to have a Harry Potter-based cover. Inside, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is parodied as Harry Potter is a Hot-Blooded Putz and sees a return to the stylized, ugly type of parody art used for the Azkaban and Goblet of Fire parodies.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows parodies
By Issue #507 (February 2011), MAD had become a quarterly publication. Harry Potter once again did not feature on the cover. Inside, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is parodied as Harry Plodder and it's Dreadful What Follows. The art style of Order of the Phoenix returns. Once again, the novel appears to have been used as source material for some of the storyline as scenes such as Hermione and Ron tied up are included that aren't in the film, plus a reference is made to the film being in 3-D, which it was not. Frodo from the Lord of the Rings films makes a cameo appearance to complain about how the quest element of the storyline was stolen from his story. For some reason, trouble British singer Amy Winehouse also appears in one of the panels.

In July 2011, MAD Presents Harry Potter, a special collection of the magazine's Potter parodies, was released to comic book stores and newsstands (with a September 2011 cover date). Its cover depicts Alfred E. Neuman once again as Harry, holding up his wand, which is tied in a knot. Aside from including the above parodies (plus other material), the magazine concludes with an exclusive parody of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, entitled Harry Plodder is Definitely Halted - Adieu!