National Lampoon Magazine — January 1977 (Wm. Randolph Hearst Issue)

The January 1977 issue of National Lampoon opens with one of the most conceptually perfect covers in the magazine's history. The quote at the bottom sets it up: "Give me a magazine cover with a beautiful girl, a dog, or a baby on it, and I'll give you a magazine that sells." — Wm. Randolph Hearst.

The photo delivers all three simultaneously: a beautiful blonde woman in a frilly apron, beaming, presenting a roasted dog on a serving platter to a toddler in a high chair — 1970s kitchen wallpaper, avocado appliances, the whole domestic tableau. The girl. The dog. The baby. On a platter. The Lampoon found the one image that satisfies all three conditions at once and committed to it completely.

It's a masterclass in setup and payoff — one of those covers where the longer you look, the funnier it gets. Bagged and boarded, solid condition. A genuine standout in any collection. Sold as-is.

• National Lampoon, January 1977
• "The Humor Magazine" — $1.00 cover price
• Bagged and boarded
• Vintage collectible magazine, sold as-is