reported by Brian Scott, FictionFanatic.com

For several generations of people, one face brings back immediate memories of adolescence, along with a chuckle, Alfred E. Neuman, the freckle-faced kid with the goofy smile.

Fifty years ago this month, his portrait, by artist Norman Mingo, appeared on the first of dozens of covers of "Mad" magazine, the favorite of kids who lapped up "Mad's" parodies of almost everything held sacred by mainstream society.

With his trademark slogan, "What, me worry?" he became a sort of reverse status symbol and even ran for president.

When Alfred E. Neuman first graced the cover of "Mad," advertisers spent nearly 800- million dollars on ads in the nation's magazines. Today, that figure exceeds 12-billion dollars.