42. “Buy This Magazine or We’ll Shoot This Dog!”

January 2, 1999

Q: Which issue had “Buy This Magazine or We’ll Shoot This Dog!” on the cover?

A: That was the January ’73 (Death) issue. In the following issue, they claimed they did shoot the dog, laying the blame on all those heartless people who didn’t buy the magazine.

Comments

where can i find a decent picture of the dog with the gun to his head, not from the dvd but from the magazine. i have searched internet and ebay to no luck. i want to use it for my american heart association campaign.. thanks

—jeff young

June 10, 2004 5:26 am

I think you need to contact someone at National Lampoon for something like that. The photo is definitely owned by them. It's not in the public domain. Try emailing them at feedback@nationallampoon.com.

—Mark

June 10, 2004 8:43 am

i have a copy of this cover framed and hanging in my house (sorry, i do not want to part w/ it).......am using it as part of an american history class project and trying to find out if my fried brain is remebering correctly or not ---- i seem to recall there was some public outrage regarding that cover....can anyone confirm that?

—ava everett

April 1, 2007 8:24 am

I don't remember there being any "public outrage." It did win a number of awards, though. Recently it was #7 on a list of the best American magazine covers of the last 40 years. (Link)

—Mark Simonson

April 14, 2007 9:13 pm

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