Cartoonist Al Jaffee, pioneer and influential artist of Mad magazine, died this Monday (10/4) at the age of 102 in a New York hospital, due to multiple organ failure.
Jaffee was known for many of Mad’s iconic creations, including the “Silly Answers to Silly Questions”, outlandish inventions, and the “fold-out” design on the back cover of issues, which was revealed when readers folded the page.
Mad was launched in 1952, at the height of the anti-Communist wave, and Jaffee joined as a contributor three years later. When he retired in 2020 at the age of 99, he was the magazine’s longest-serving artist, although he has always freelanced and was never a staff member.
Jaffee got into comics after finishing high school in 1940 and, at the age of 20, sold his first Superman parody called Inferior Man to Will Eisner, future titan of the industry and creator of the Spirit. Later he worked for another legend: none other than Stan Lee at Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel Comics.
Abraham Jaffee was born in 1921 in Atlanta and spent part of his childhood in his parents’ hometown of Zarasai, Lithuania, where his mother took him when he was 6 years old. During these years, his father stayed in the United States and sent Jaffee American comics, sparking his interest in the media.
A Jew, Jaffee changed his name to Al during World War II to protect himself from anti-Semitism, and also because his military colleagues refused to call him Abe. It was while in the Army that his artistic talent caught the eye of a fellow soldier, whose brother-in-law was a senior officer, and he used his influence to get Jaffee assigned as an art instructor at a rehabilitation center in Coral. Gables, Florida. He later worked at the Pentagon, making flyers and posters for the war effort.
It was the boost for his career. But most ironically, years later, he became associated with anti-war militancy, doing several anti-Vietnam War cartoons in “Mad.”
Jaffee’s legacy in the comic book industry has been recognized by many, including Mad editor John Ficarra, who said in a statement, “Al Jaffee was a creative genius whose contributions to ‘Mad’ and the ‘ comics industry in general are invaluable. He was an incredibly talented cartoonist and a lovely man.”
His influence, however, went far beyond comics, influencing several US comedians. Host Conan O’Brien acknowledged the impact of his artistry, tweeting: “Al Jaffee was a true pioneer of comics and a hero to all of us who love comedy and art. He will be sorely missed. He rests in Peace, Al”.
Source: Terra
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