Four Color Comics

When I was a boy, I loved MAD Magazine. I loved it for the parodies of movies and TV shows. I loved it for Sergio Aragonés. I loved it for Spy vs. Spy. But most of all, I loved it for Don Martin.

I thought Martin’s illustrations were hilarious. I loved the big goofy heads, the dangling tongues, the round eyes, the limp wrists, and, especially, the spittle flying everywhere.

I used to buy the MAD paperbacks at the local used book store, often seeking out the Martin-only books. Now comes word that The Completely MAD Don Martin will be published this October.

Running Press Book Publishers, an imprint of the Perseus Books Group, has joined MAD Magazine in announcing the October 2007 publication of The Completely MAD Don Martin, the first title in Running Press’s MAD’s Greatest Artists series. Weighing in at seventeen pounds with more than 1,000 pages and a foreword by Gary Larson, this oversized tribute to one of MAD Magazine’s most recognized and best-loved artists will be beautifully formatted as a deluxe two-volume slip-cased special edition and will include every single work Martin created for the magazine over the course of his 30-year affiliation.

John Ficarra, Editor of MAD Magazine, states “This is a wonderful book celebrating the art of one of the greatest cartoonists of the twentieth century. Don Martin’s work is a cultural touchstone for generations of MAD Magazine readers. Old-time fans will rediscover his genius; new readers will pick up this hefty tome and be instantly hooked.”

Martin’s twisted approach, displaying a love of absurdity and anarchic mayhem, influenced generations of cartoonists and comedians. As proof of his revolutionary work’s affect, The Completely MAD Don Martin includes letters and notes from prominent cartoonists such as Gary Larson and Jim Davis, as well as commentary from many of Martin’s fellow MADmen including Jack Davis, Al Jaffee, Sergio Aragonés, Mort Drucker, and many more.

Count me in!

[Earthtimes.org: Running Press to publish debut title of their MAD's GREATEST ARTISTS series, in conjunction with MAD Magazine]