Mad Scribe Magazine Issue #14

Well... here we are.

Issue #14 of Mad Scribe, and yeah, we knew this one was going to rattle a few cages.

If you've seen the cover, you already get the joke. It's our tongue-in-cheek nod to one of the most infamous covers ever published by National Lampoon, a reminder of a time when satire didn't ask the algorithm for permission. That spirit runs through this entire issue.

Inside, we dive deep into the chaotic genius of National Lampoon, a magazine that shaped my sense of humor and, in many ways, gave me the guts to publish this one. I've always admired that brand of irreverent comedy that pushed boundaries, risked backlash, and sometimes went too far. I've always admired satire that wasn't afraid to test limits.

Speaking of controversial voices, we've got an interview with comedian and writer Graham Linehan (of Father Ted and The I.T. Crowd), a creator who's no stranger to debate. Whether you agree with him or not, I believe in honest conversations. It's a thoughtful discussion about comedy, culture, and independent thought. The kind you won't find in mainstream media.

RJ from the Fourth Age YouTube Channel contributes a provocative essay examining how to walk the path of a hero. It's a strong perspective piece, the kind designed to make you pause and maybe reflect.

Of course, this is still Mad Scribe, so we've packed the issue with fuel for your hobby life. Jon Del Arroz delivers a sci-fi trench story with a twist. The team at Elven Tower provides maps and adventure hooks ready to drop into your next campaign. Mike Fairchild returns with another brilliant painting tutorial in Blood, Sweat, and Paint.

Vic Dorso of Dave Con shares practical wisdom on improvisational weapons. Charles Hernandez drops in with another interesting creature feature. Kyle Woods polishes his monocle and ranks his top five board games for this quarter. We have an exclusive battle report from my playthrough of Johnny Reb III.

Finally, professional prop maker and cosplayer Liancheng Wan (连城琬) shows us some amazing cosplay costumes from far-off China.

This issue might be a little controversial, but these are controversial times. I personally think it's a real banger of an issue, and I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed making it.

P.S. A Note to Our Readers

Some readers may have recently noticed that certain QR codes printed in previous issues of Mad Scribe Magazine are no longer functioning. These codes were generated through a third-party service that appears to have changed or discontinued its system without warning, which unfortunately caused many previously printed codes to stop working.

I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. We know many of you enjoy using the QR codes to explore music, videos, and other content connected to the magazine.

Going forward, Mad Scribe will use static QR codes that do not rely on external services to remain active. In addition, we will begin printing the full URL alongside each QR code so readers can still access the content even if scanning is not possible. Thank you for your understanding and for continuing to support independent publishing.

Chris Miller

Editor-in-Chief, Mad Scribe Magazine