It's a MAD MAD MAD MAD Galaxy

[bonniegrrl]

Known as Mad magazine's "Maddest Writer" Dick DeBartolo's writing has been published in over 350 back-to-back issues since 1966. He's got plenty to say about the long history the magazine has in spoofing the Star Wars saga since it debuted in 1977. For starwars.com, I caught up with DeBartolo to talk about his favorite Star Wars moments from the very beginning as well as the new book MAD about Star Wars.

How did it feel to have George Lucas write a fan letter to MAD magazine calling you the "George Bernard Shaw of comic satire?"

I was so thrilled with that letter I have it framed and hanging on the wall in my apartment. And I have a copy in my wallet! Would you like to see it? And it came at the most incredible time. It arrived just before MAD received a letter from the attorneys for George Lucas. They said they were suing MAD because of copyright infringement concerning the Star Wars satire. So Bill Gaines, the publisher of MAD at the time, simply wrote on the bottom of the lawyer's letter something like: "Gee, George liked it!" And he attached a copy of the letter George had sent to MAD complimenting myself and Mort Drucker, the artist of the satire. Needless to say we never heard from Lucas' attorneys ever again! And we've done all sorts of Star Wars-related satires since then. I was thrilled again when in his foreword to the new book MAD about Star Wars, George writes: "Perhaps most importantly, I have always defended MAD from my lawyers!"

Read the full interview here:
It's a MAD MAD MAD MAD Galaxy