Publishers / EC / Mad (1952) / #203
203December 1978
$0.60

Mad #203

EC · December 1978

First appearance: Cookie MonsterFirst appearance: Big BirdFirst appearance: Oscar the Grouch1 variant
How to read this file
  • Every claim on this page traces to a public bibliographic record; the sources are listed at the bottom of the file.
  • A first-appearance badge means this is the earliest non-flashback appearance on record in this database.
  • Buy links are eBay affiliate links. They never change what the record says.

Identification plate

Series
Mad (EC, 1952 series)
Issue
#203
Publication date
December 1978
Key date
1978-12-00
Indicia publisher
E.C. Publications Inc.
Price
$0.60
Pages
52
Barcode
0709893323012

Match the book in your hand against this plate before paying an edition-specific price.

Why this issue matters

First appearance of Cookie Monster - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Big Bird - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Oscar the Grouch - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Bert - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Ernie - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

First appearance of Grover - the earliest non-flashback appearance on record for this character.

The evidence

Claims here come from the story records for this issue, listed under Sources at the bottom of the file. Character hubs with full evidence tables are coming to this site.

Contents

SeqStoryTypePagesCreditsCharacters
0The Mad "Star Wars" Musicalcover1pencils: Jack Rickard; inks: Jack Rickard; colors: Jack RickardC-3PO, Chewbacca, Alfred E. Neuman, R2-D2, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Vader
1Why Battle with Common, Vulgar Clods at the Newsstand for Your Copy of Mad... When You Can... Subscribepromo (ad from the publisher)1pencils: Harry North; inks: Harry North; colors: Harry North
2-table of contents1pencils: Mort Drucker, Paul Peter Porges, Bob Clarke, George Woodbridge, Jack Davis, Angelo Torres; inks: Mort Drucker, Paul Peter Porges, Bob Clarke, George Woodbridge, Jack Davis, Angelo Torres
3-letters page1pencils: ?, ? (photo); inks: ?, ? (photo); letters: typesetSusan Richardson (photo)
4E.C. Publications, Inc.promo (ad from the publisher)1letters: typeset
5The Force and I - The Mad "Star Wars" Musicalcomic story7script: Frank Jacobs; pencils: Mort Drucker; inks: Mort DruckerC-3PO, Chewbacca, Fred Flintstone, Obi-Wan Kenobi, James T. Kirk, Leia Organa, R2-D2, Anakin Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Spock, Darth Vader, Lucy Van Pelt
6One Morning at Max's Novelty Shopcomic story1script: Don Martin; pencils: Don Martin; inks: Don Martin
7More Candid Mad Snapshots of Historical Celebritiescomic story3script: Paul Peter Porges; pencils: Paul Peter Porges; inks: Paul Peter Porges
8If Freedom of the Press Applied to High School Paperstext story4script: Tom Koch; pencils: Bob Clarke; inks: Bob Clarke
9Easily-Computed Human Factorscomic story3script: Dennis Snee; pencils: Paul Coker Jr.; inks: Paul Coker Jr.
10The Lighter Side of Rip-offscomic story5script: David Berg; pencils: David Berg; inks: David Berg
11How to Read a New Car Adcomic story3script: Alen Robin; pencils: George Woodbridge; inks: George Woodbridge
12A Mad Look at the "Clorox" Commercialcomic story2script: Dick DeBartolo; pencils: Jack Rickard; inks: Jack Rickard
13The Mad Travel Agency's Specialized Tours for You and Your Neurosistext story2script: Stan Hart; pencils: Harry North; inks: Harry North
14If Sesame Street Branched out into Specialized Avenues of Educationcomic story6script: Frank Jacobs; pencils: Jack Davis; inks: Jack DavisBert First, Big Bird First, Ernie First, Grover First, Cookie Monster First, Oscar the Grouch First
15Amazing Facts About the Animal World vs Amazing Facts About the American Scenecomic story2script: Dennis Snee; pencils: Bob Jones; inks: Bob Jones
16One Afternoon at Rocky's Dinercomic story1script: Don Martin; pencils: Don Martin; inks: Don Martin
17Fantasy "Buy" Landcomic story5script: Lou Silverstone; pencils: Angelo Torres; inks: Angelo TorresRicardo Montalban [as Rook]; Herve Villechaize [as Ratchew]; Shorn Chastity; Fairer Faucet Minors; Fanny Forcer; Jimmy Carter (cameo)
18One Evening at the Bus Terminalcomic story1script: Don Martin; pencils: Don Martin; inks: Don Martin
19What Former World Champ Is Taking an Awful Licking Lately?activity1script: Al Jaffee; pencils: Al Jaffee; inks: Al Jaffee; colors: Al Jaffee
20One Day in Pariscomic story1script: Don Edwing; pencils: Don Martin; inks: Don MartinQuasimodo
21Drawn Out Dramascartoon0script: Sergio Aragonés; pencils: Sergio Aragonés; inks: Sergio Aragonés

Printings and variants

EditionHow to tell
Canadianprice 0.75 CAD

Where to read it

CollectionYear
Mad Star Wars Spectacular #19961996On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #501985On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #511985On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #531985On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #561986On eBay ›
Mad Special [Mad Super Special] #1021995On eBay ›
A Mad Big Book [Mad Zaps The Human Race!] #[nn]1984On eBay ›
Mad Star Wars Spectacular #[1999]1999On eBay ›
Mad About Star Wars #[nn]
ISBN 978-0-345-50164-6
2007On eBay ›

Reading the story costs a fraction of owning the issue. Both routes are on every file.

Before you buy

  • Check the price box: Marvel ran 30-cent and 35-cent test-market price variants in 1976-77.
  • Canadian and Whitman editions exist for many bronze books; match the barcode area to the plate.
  • Look for Mark Jewelers inserts and date stamps - they affect collector preference, not authenticity.

Series context

Sources

  • Grand Comics Database, issue record (CC BY-SA 4.0)
  • Wikidata, Q2914465 (Grover), first-appearance property (CC0)

Found an error in this file? corrections@comicrecord.com