Mad Magazine’s iconic mascot is Alfred E. Nueman. A mischievous looking face with great big ears and a toothy grin. He represents youth up to no good, and the voice of an uneducated everyman.

Most people recognize the character for Mad Magazine, which got its start from Entertainment Comics (EC), a part of what we know of now as DC Comics. What is virtually unknown is that he got his start in Action Comics.

Mad Magazine started using the character as a mascot in the 1950’s, but the Max Fleischer cartoons, a 1941 incarnation of superman, featured the face first.

In some episodes, the creators toyed with adding comic relief to the serious toned cartoons. Sometimes as a pet animal, and in 2 instances, as goofy looking Louis, inspired by Jimmy Olsen.

He never got a last name, but he embodied that mishevious grin that was already common in advertisements in the US. The character is only named when Clark Kent turns to Lois, and instead finds the goofball saying “It’s Louis, not Lois”, and then confusing his own name for “Louise.”

It’s quite fascinating how the cultural references affected both arms of the comics, but were lost to time, never colliding or being noticed by the culture. Much like the regular appearance of Commissioner Gordon’s likeness as different characters across the same cartoons, you have to wonder how many other references were based on the Mad Magazine mascot.

What I encourage others to take from this is how audiences can take quick liking towards archetypes instead of depth. All it takes is a smirk on Alfred E. Nueman’s face to imagine his personality and misadventures. All it took was one smart Alec remark from Louis in his first appearance to imagine life at the Daily Planet is oft petty and annoying.

In RPGs, players respond to this. One dimension to most characters is enough for great stories. Show them a picture of the obvious traitor with a crooked smile, and watch them make plans to expose him and orchestrate his comeuppance.

Use tools to show familiar concepts. They are not so much simple ideas, as building blocks with enough shared understanding to build it together.

And speaking of 1941, here is a 48 star American flag from the end of one of the superman cartoons. A powerful story telling piece showing some history of what’s changed, and what can be lost on modern viewers.