To Frank Phillips -

Yes, I recall reading Mad's illustrated version of the poem back about '53 or '54, when Mad was still in its comic book format.

The strip was illustrated by Basil Wolverton, a talented artist now in the Comic Book Illustrators' Hall of Fame (this is not a joke). Wolverton was quite versatile; however, when he drew for Mad, his specialty was to create the ugliest, most hideous female imaginable. Thus, after the suspenseful build-up of the lovely Madeleine, the poem ends with Wolverton's masterpiece. No wonder our artist dropped dead! Blechh!

-- Steve F.