It all started in 1971 when I was just a kid digging around inside a box of comics at a local garage sale.   "10 cents each" was written on the box which seemed like a small fortune to a 5 year old kid.  But in that moment I found a comic that stood out to me Mad #1.  With my dime I proudly marched to a small folding table where an elderly lady held out her hand and asked "did you find something?" Proudly I responded "yes!" grinning from ear to ear. 

From that moment on I eagerly awaited the new issues of mad to arrive at the thrifty drug store down the street.  I was hooked.  I had the nay sayers tell me I was too young to read such filth and even had clerks deny the sale, but I pressed on and maybe in a way enjoyed the controversy.  At the time Mad was cutting edge.

Fast forward to my late teens/early 20's I joined the US Navy and was stationed in San Diego, California.  In 1990 I read that Harvey Kurtzman (creator and early artist of Mad) would be attending the SDCC and immediately called my Mom to have her dig through the boxes in the attic and Send me my Mad #1 to have signed. 

With my Mad in hand I went to the SDCC and located his booth where he was promoting such works as playboy's Annie Fanny, humbug and other titles.

Looking back I probably acted like an insufficiently_thoughtful_person, but I couldn't contain my excitement I said "is it really you!" He smiled and said "it's me"  and signed my Mad with the caption "it's me!"

Many years passed since that day and unfortunately during that period as a young man I fell into financial struggles and sold my Mad #1 to a pawn shop for $30/probably less.

Now comes the reuniting.  I seen a Listing online for a Mad #1 CGC 5.0 with a signature and the caption "It's me!" I figured what's the odds and bought it.  I recently confirmed it was the issue I purchased as a child.

CGC went above and beyond when I submitted it for reholder and asked that they confirm specific discrepancies inside the book that weren't disclosed in detail in the grader's notes before they reholder.

Sure enough my Mad was crying out "it's me!"