A Mad Mag Birthday Card and A Lovely Review. How nice.

It’s time for more happy stuff around here, to counter the lousy news of the world.  First off, a couple of days ago, I mentioned it was Al Jaffee’s 90th Birthday, and the gang at Mad was tasked to make Genius Jaffee some gifts and cards.  Here’s mine…

And now…folded in…

Okay, okay…it’s corny, I admit.  But until you’ve tried one, you have NO idea how difficult it is to create a fold-in.  I used to think Jaffee was merely a talented guy, but after trying to walk into his shoes, I cannot conceive of how his brain works —  to be able to come up with these fold-in images month in, month out, for fifty years and every one of them, much cleverer than anything I could do — AHH!

Again Happy Birthday Mr. Jaffee.  Clearly I believe you look like some blinged-out moron’s hairy ears.

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click the image to read a gushing review!

And now, one of the nicer reviews that Northern Guard #2 has gotten this week.  We’ve had a couple of good ones, and some “okay” reviews, (and nary a bad one…yet!).  This one from Ain’t It Cool News, however, went full out drooling happy, and that puts a little whistle in my tune and a spring in my step.

Go HERE to read it.  And when you’re done, stomp down to your retailer and DEMAND he order more copies of the first two issues…(and a TON of the third…) we need a little support for this book…who knew Golden Age Canadian Super-heroes didn’t set the American imagination on fire?  If you like snow, radioactive Russian scientists, fur bikinis, and explosions, we’re your one stop shopping experience.  All that and Johnny Canuck?  Grab your maple syrup and run!

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Al Jaffee Fold-In Moment:

Tom Toles, one of the best political cartoonists of our time, did this wonderful tribute to Mr. Jaffe, May 2008.

If you’re not following the great Tom Toles at the Washington Post, you’re missing out! Oh, and here’s what the ‘toon looks like folded in.

(kts–You can check out more of Tole’s work at the link–the archive links don’t seem to be working at the moment to link to the original cartoon posting).

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY AL JAFFEE!

Mr. Jaffee demonstrating how a Reuben Award can be weaponized.

Yesterday was the official 90th birthday of one of the great, great cartoonists of the 20th (and 21st) century.  Mr. Fold-in, Mr. Snappy-Answers-to-Stupid-Questions, and Mr. Inventions-We-Need is still at work, still supplying art for Mad Magazine  every issue, after more than fifty years of doing so.  And like the genius he is, they’re still as beautiful as they’ve always been.

I always like Jaffee’s self portrait.  It’s as iconic as as Alfred E. himself.

Al Jaffee's SECOND fold-in ever shows the level of inventive clever required for each one of these...

The usual gang of idiots is celebrating the birthday of the master with a collection of amazing cards, gifts and b-day wishes for the Sensei today (at least it was today, the last I heard about it).  Though I can’t be there to see it happen,   I’ve contributed a card to this meshuga.  You guys will get to see it eventually, but I’m saving it to show off here until AFTER the party for the Master of Madness has finished off, and Mr. Jaffee has his fun.

In the meantime, here’s a Jaffee fact most of you don’t know:  He started his career at Marvel, editing and drawing MILLIE THE MODEL, PATSY WALKER and others in the “girl’s line” of Timely back in the 40s.

Al Jaffee edits and draws! Doesn't this character end up in the Avengers as a demon powered cat-lady?

Personally, I first encounter the genius of Jaffee with a Snappy Answer to a Stupid Question feature in a Mad from the late 60s.  The book pictured below is a treasure from my childhood that I have held onto since I was about ten years old…

I filled in every blank balloon in this book when I was young, marking the first time Al Jaffee and I worked together.

So happy 90th birthday, Al.  There’s no exaggeration in saying you are one of the bedrock DNA influences on my career, and I’ll never get over the idea that I sometimes get to contribute to the  magazine you helped make a household word and a national treasure.  I sincerely hope I’ll be seeing you in the pages of  Mad Magazine as long they still let us print it on trees.  It wouldn’t be the same without you.

With genuine love,

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your Al Jaffee comic book moment:

I'm not sure what's going on here with those guys on the right, but if you fold in this cover, Patsy is kissing the guy in the orange blazer...is this where it all began...?

The Top Five Bun Toons of 2010- plus the awful ones – part 2

My end of the year round-up of the last eight month’s worth of bun toons continues.  I’m an unstoppable juggernaut, and you’re in my sights, web surfers, so get up on the motherboards and RIDE!

Everett Mann seemed to be a hit with you readers.  From the reaction they got, I shall certainly be returning to this character.  Perhaps something in a adult themed dance-drama, or a weird science fiction opera.  One never knows…Until then, here are the first two appearances of…

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The LAST ROUND-UP series of webcomics were my first attempt at recurring characters in the opening few months of the Bun Toons series.  I did six of these in total, and might force them on the public again in 2011, but as there were no swear words, blasphemies, or nudity in these comics, they never caught fire with the good-natured pervs that essentially run the internet.  No matter how much I loved Space Cows…  Here’s one of my favorite chapters, if not yours.

They escaped in Chapter 5, by the way, but were sent adrift into space in Chapter 6.

See you tomorrow for more of the countdown!

Ty the Guy OUT!

Here now, your end of the year countdown moment of comic book zen:

This ultra-rare misprint of Mad #507 was discovered recently in a comic shop in New York City.  Every page was printed up-side-down, and the staples were inserted into the wrong side of the magazine!   Astounding, but true…and I’ve heard there are other misprints exactly like this one out there in stores RIGHT NOW.   You MUST hurry to buy this special mis-printed version of the year-end issue of MAD…or you’ll be covered in fanboy shame.

BREAKING MAD MAGAZINE NEWS

In a move that shocked both the world of publishing, and the world of child rearing, power couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have adopted a copy of Mad Magazine #503 as their seventeenth child. “I’ve never been happier” a visibly glowing Angelina has told insiders.   “Months ago,  Brad and I agreed to start adopting from the print and publishing world, and we wanted to start with an American magazine, just to show everyone we’re not so addicted to things from foreign countries, though a copy of Paris Match was very nearly our first choice.”

Ty Templeton, a cartoonist whose work appears in this now-famous issue said “Good for them.  I’ve always liked Brad and Angie, and now I feel like family.  I’m wondering if I have breastfeeding rights or something.”

For those who cannot afford to adopt a copy of MAD #503 (called by some critics “the funniest magazine printed in March of 2010”), you can BUY one at newsstands, comic shops,  grocery stores, and hotel gift kiosks all over the world RIGHT NOW!  And, if you’re too cheap to afford the six bucks a copy will cost you, it’s available to steal from your dentist’s office in about eight weeks.

We have provided a handy guide to what the cover looks like, immediately above.  You may tear out this copy and bring it with you when you go shopping, to ensure accuracy in purchasing your own copy.

Go now, you have been tasked.  Do not give up until you have found one.

Ty the Guy

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MAD MAG GAMES AND PUZZLES

Another mental puzzler for the gang at ART LAND.  Can you get the bunny from the world of sadness and suffering, towards the funniest issue of Mad Magazine for sale this month?  According to people in the know, #503 is “much funnier than anything every written by Herman Mellville”, which is impressive, I’d say.  I laughed my ass off for the last half of Moby Dick.  “From Hell’s heart I spit at thee…”  Funny stuff.

Solution below:

The solution is:  Do ANYTHING to get one.  Break down walls, run over the lines, I’m fine if you cause a complete breakdown of the social order, just GET ONE!!

And now, this:

This was a photograph taken at the recent GBLT Mardi Gras celebrations in Australia.  There’s something wonderful about the idea of a Mardi Gras that restricts itself to the only the most outrageous and flamboyant members of society.  And of course, you end up with a photo like the one above.  The gorgeous redhead in the center of the Wonder Women is my friend Elise, Queen of the Harley Quinn cosplayers for not just Australia, but perhaps the English speaking world.  She put this photo up on her website, and I just stole it without permission because it reminds me of dreams I had all through puberty.  ‘Ta, Elise.  (Note:  The Wonder Women, at least one of whom I suspect is a dude, are not my favorite part of this image.  Check out the Robin to the left, munching down on chips.  Live like you wanna live, brother!)

More Unseen Superman later today…

Ty the Guy

Mad Puzzles and Games

Today is a real challenge.  We’ve put up an image of SOMETHING (hard to tell with all those numbers and lines) and are asking for YOUR help to see what it is.  All you have to do, is get out some paints that correspond to the guide seen at the bottom of the image, color INSIDE the lines, and send is the finished version of your artwork.  I’m curious to see how this turns out.

UPDATE:

It’s been up online for less than an hour, and we’ve already had a fan send us their attempt at the image.  This one comes to us from a MARK FREDRICKSON of the UNITED STATES, who did a fairly good job, but clearly coloured a LITTLE outside the lines.  Not bad, Mark, and you’ll do better next time.   Meanwhile, we were SO happy with Mark’s colouring, we’re using it as the cover for MAD #503, on sale NOW.  The fact that it contains a page or two of artwork by Ty the Guy should NOT be the deciding factor in purchasing it.  Consider how your birdcage needs lining, or if there are flies in your area that need swatting with a rolled up magazine.

But by it NOW, or we shoot this dog.  Oh, wait, that’s the National Lampoon.

Ty the Guy.

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Mad Magazine Games and Puzzles

Hey Kids!  Everyone loves games and puzzles, so here’s a fun one to try.  Can you unscramble the confusing image up top and make it into something worth buying at your local comic store or newsstand?  Give it a minute, it’s kind of difficult.  Answer below:

That’s right!  It’s the cover for MAD (Yechh) MAGAZINE #503, the newest issue to hit the stands, and by far, the funniest issue since #501.   The fact that I have a couple of pages of my artwork inside has NOTHING to do with why this issue is so much funnier than the frankly embarrassing #502.  So pick up a copy, and find out why four out of five dentists recommend MAD to their patients who chew magazines.

Ty the Guy

The New Mad is Out…this Wednesday!!

Just a quick post here to let folks know the latest issue of MAD is out (503),  and I have a couple of pages in the issue (who cares?) that POSSIBLY make light of the marital problems of Tiger Woods.  I MIGHT be a smartass and post this cover each day, all week, until sales increase so dramatically, that newsstand magazines roar right back and kick the internet into oblivion.  Yeah, that’s going to happen.  Until then, that’s the cover, it’s on sale this Wednesday, seek it out, buy it, and go HA HA HA.

Ty the Guy

X-Men 2: The Last Stand

Okay, not really!  This is one of the spoof covers that Ty did for the Mad Magazine San Diego Special edition.  It’s been recently reprinted (page 23)  in the new Mad collection, MAD About Superheroes (on sale in fine stores everywhere!).

Mad Magazine pages for sale

Keiren

Old Mad

while Ty works on New Mad.

Keiren