National Lampoon Magazine — August 1977 (Cheap Thrills Issue)

The August 1977 "Cheap Thrills" issue of National Lampoon features one of the most technically accomplished covers in the magazine's run: a richly painted scene of a passed-out drunk slumped against a weathered alley wall, bottle still in hand, while two kids work the scene — one going through his pockets, the other checking his bag. A ballet poster peels off the wall behind them.

The illustration is painted with the warmth, detail, and compositional care of a Norman Rockwell — depicting something Rockwell never would. That gap between the style and the subject is the entire joke, and it's executed with complete commitment. It's one of those covers that rewards a long look.

Bagged and boarded, solid condition. A visually exceptional issue from the magazine's later run. Sold as-is.

• National Lampoon, August 1977
• "The Humor Magazine" — $1.25 cover price
• Bagged and boarded
• Vintage collectible magazine, sold as-is