A Mad Whirl of `Mad' Up for Auction

NEW YORK The Park Avenue auction, where the elite vie forclassics by Picasso and Van Gogh, is going lowbrow.

Alfred E. Neuman, the gap-toothed poster boy of passivity, goeson the block today.

The "What, me worry?" kid - along with archival material from40 years of Mad magazine - is up for bidding at Christie's, whichusually deals in upper-crust collectibles.

"This is an area unto itself. Compared to the Van Goghs, thisis certainly not in the normal scheme of fine art auctions," saidJoshua Arfer, head of Christie's Collectibles Department. "But it'slots of fun."

In a pre-sale show, hard-core Mad fans mingled with folks fromMadison Avenue and Wall Street in checking out the items, expected tofetch nearly $500,000 for the magazine's coffers.

There was quite a bit to take in because Mad has never had suchan auction. Since the death of Mad founder William "Bill" Gainesearlier this year, there have been a number of inquiries about thematerial, though there is no financial urgency.

You've got your movie parodies: "Star Blecch," "The Odd Father,""201 Min. of a Space Idiocy," and the ultimate Barbra Streisandflick, "On a Clear Day You Can See a Funny Girl Singing `Hello Dolly'Forever." (Some celebrity parody victims inquired about the sale,Arfer said.)

You've got your television parody: "Loused Up in Space,""Mission: Ridiculous," "The Flying Nut." You've got your cheaplaughs: the bumbling bandit who robs the eye bank with predictableresults.

And there's all the featured artists from the "usual gang ofidiots": Don Martin, Sergio Aragones, Dave Berg, Al Jaffe, AntonioProhias. Most of the items date back to Mad's vintage 1966-75 era,when the magazine's circulation was more than 2 1/2 million. Today,its circulation is about 1 million.

All of the artwork is in excellent condition, and most of itruns twice the size it appeared in the magazine.

What are the big-ticket items here?

First off, there's Alfred E. in assorted incarnations: with PaulNewman and Robert Redford in a "Butch Cassidy" parody, with MiaFarrow in a "Rosemary's Baby" shot, as Batman, with Madonna, as"Bad"-era Michael Jackson, with "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" (yes, inthe same bed).

Most of these are original cover art, expected to sell from$2,500 to $5,500.

Some other features: Pieces from Martin's "One Day In . . ." series are expected to sellfor up to $850. Prohias' acclaimed "Spy Vs. Spy" series are estimated at $550. Jaffe's "Mad Fold-Ins" are priced as high as $850. Berg's "The Lighter Side Of . . ." cartoons, about $400.