Monday, July 11, 2011

MOXIE COWZNOFSKI

MAD #44, a lovelorn
Alfred front cover
In late 1958, the editors of MAD Magazine decided that their idiot "What, Me worry?" mascot, Alfred E. Neuman, needed a girlfriend. Even grinning idiots can get lonely, the probable reasoning. So their then cover artist, the great Kelly Freas, created one "Moxie Cowznofski", an adorable companion for Alfred,  who looked suspiciously like Alfred, but minus a gap in her teeth. The name "Cowznofski" had popped up sporadically in MAD (and in Ernie Kovacs sketches) throughout the fifties, as did references to "Moxie" and images of it's logo, a little known, bitter soft drink that was reputedly invented by a doctor.

Moxie Cowznofski's memorable first MAD appearance was on the back cover of the Jan '59 Holiday issue, staring back at her beloved Alfred on the front cover, an idiot finds his idiot beauty...

Sweet, lovely Moxie's MAD debut 
                  
MAD #45 The grinning Valentine idiot love-birds
Moxie would appear on the cover of MAD only two more times, both in 1959 before she was officially retired. Perhaps the fact that she resembled Alfred's sister rather than his girlfriend proved slightly troubling to the editors.

MAD #51 Marching with Moxie!
                             Moxie's final MAD cover appearance... until...

Moxie's back, and Alfred's still got her!
TA DA!  Only 45 years later, Moxie returns!

In 2004 MAD Art Director Sam Viviano invited me to create an updated (B&W) version of Moxie for a one time return appearance for this cover of "MAD Color Classics", where I drew a sexy Moxie stimulating (her still idiot-boyfriend) Alfred E. Neuman to an orgasmic, multi-colored, champaign climax.

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