Mad Magazine Artist Al Jaffee Dies at Age 102.

[JimInks]

Al Jaffee spent the the 1940s and early 1950s as a writer, artists and editor for Timely Comics, later known as Marvel. A Mad magazine contributor since the 1950s, he started creating the back cover fold-ins in 1964 and continued to do them until the age of 99. Al's work appeared in 500 of the magazine's first 550 issues, a total unmatched by any other writer or artist. He did many other projects during his career that are too numerous to mention here. I interviewed him in Alter Ego #35, and got him to draw a satire cover of the Timely characters of the 1940s. He was a great man and a great friend, and he will always be missed by those who knew him. RIP, Al.

 

[Zero]

Rest in peace, Al...

 

[canucklehead]

RIP, I enjoyed his work in Mad.

 

[AJL67]

May his memory be a blessing.

There is one fold in i remember, I'm 55 and we are talking almost 50 yrs ago, it was political and the fold in was "the almighty dollar" and politician looking guys with bags of cash. I remembered that one earlier when I heard he passed, funny how the mind works.

 

[snagstangl]

Ah man the fold in. If it is still published I might have to sign back up.

 

[Elric]

Absolute. Legend.

 

[renfield]

I always loved trying to guess what the fold-in said before I folded it. R.I.P. Al.

 

[anotherbob]

certainly one of the men who shaped the weirdo I turned out to be. Mad Magazine was precisely what I needed when I was a five year old until puberty took over.

 

[kcghost]

RIP. This guy was amazing!!

 

[Zero]

One of my favorites...The-MAD-Non-Smokets-Hate-Book- Artist & Writer: Al Jaffee The-MAD-Non-Smokers-Hate-Book ... https://csts.ua.edu/files/2021/03/The-MAD-Non-Smokers-Hate-Book-Cartoon-MAD-Magazine-July-1971.pdf

 

[augiebd]

Sorry for your loss, Jim. That is an incredible legacy.

 

[bullet08]

When I came to America, I fell in love with MAD magazine. Spent endless hours going through old copies. Rest in peace.

 

[brian64]

RIP Al.

Loved MAD as a kid...the fold-ins were great. His and Don Martin's styles of drawing and humor are the two that I primarily think of when I think of MAD. Don left us 23 years ago.

I'm so glad there was no internet when I was a kid.

 

[mortonbriar]

I associate all childhood Christmas's with the Mad magazine collection at my grandparents, collected by my dad and uncles in the 60s-70s...

RIP!!

 

[jaytex1969]

I, too, was partially shaped by his work. RIP.

 

[mso489]

Hurrah for longevity! 102 is very cool. Mad Magazine was one of the great treats of my childhood and young adulthood. My cousin John and I read it avidly. Many days it was the most fun we had.

The satire aged well. It was as funny when we were 17 as it had been when we were ten. Probably we got more of the satire, so it was even funnier.

I still remember various of the issues and stories. My younger (by eight years) sister and I got a big kick out of the tale of "the heap," a heap of trash that went about having adventures and had a sort of tragic persona, which of course made it funnier. We still joke about it.

Nothing was out of reach. Chinese restaurants, movies, politicians. It was a whole world perspective, endlessly enjoyable.

A learned person pointed out to me that in Jewish religion exuding happiness and humor is a mitzvah, a good deed, so Mad Magazine was always that.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I still wind up talking to HR at work, having been influenced as a child by his work in MAD.
Sad day…

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I was a huge Mad Magazine fan as a kid, Mr. Jaffee was a legend, he will be missed.

 

[BriarBrook]

Wow, what a life... RIP.

 

[Kobold]

One of the all time greats. Rest in peace Mr.Jaffee. Your artwork was a huge part of my childhood.