"The Usual Gang of Idiots,"
The Mad Bathroom Companion: the Gushing Fourth Edition. New York: Mad Books, 2004. ISBN: 1-4012-0326-4.
Genre: graphic novels and comics
Subgenre: humor, parody, pop culture
Format: trade paperback
Source: Berea branch of the Madison County (KY) Public Library
This book is a compilation of material from
Mad Magazine. The volume has its pluses and minuses. On the positive, you get fan favorites like strips by Sergio Aragones, Don Martin, and Dave Berg. Many of those strips remain amusing and fairly timeless. On the minus, some of the other comics, especially some of the parodies, are ageing quite quickly, going out of date. Yet I find those interesting because they give a glimpse into the past. For example, one comic looks at Donald Trump, mostly as the conceited land developer. Back in the 1980s or so, who could even guess today's events and his rise in power? Stuff like that keeps the book interesting.
Overall, the book is much like the magazine; some parts are better than others. This is a book to browse and read your favorite parts. It certainly does make for good bathroom reading material, but you can read it anywhere. The book still offers enough to fans to keep them interested, and for new readers, it offers a good sampling from the magazine. I liked it as a light, amusing read that is no big deal. It was nice, light, silly at times entertainment.
3 out of 5 stars.
This book qualifies for the following 2017 Reading Challenges:
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