Tom's Mad Blog
May 22nd, 2009 | Posted in General
The Lovely Anna and I are settling in here in Los Angeles for the Reuben Awards weekend, which officially gets started today. This year I have been elected to the NCS board as a vice president, so last evening we attended a dinner and get together for board members at the nearby home of cartooning legend Mell Lazarus (Momma and Miss Peach) Mell is an amazing guy, who not only created the two long running strips listed above, but authored two successful novels, writes television scripts and plays, and is a member of Mensa. At 81 he can still out-party me. Mell and his wife… READ MORE
May 21st, 2009 | Posted in News
The Lovely Anna and I are headed out to Los Angeles today to attend the annual National Cartoonists Society Reuben Awards Weekend. As hard as I tried I couldn’t completely finish this book job I am working on so, as usual, I will be spending some time in the hotel room working on a job while I am there. No inking this time, though. Actually I decided to just do one more total all nighter and finish the book, with the exception of the cover which is still in review, before I left… so it’s all party now, baby. I will release details about the… READ MORE
May 20th, 2009 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
Another quick one for the “Sketch o’the Week” in deference to my crazy schedule. This week I picked another actor’s face from an old entertainment magazine… a younger Benjamin Bratt. READ MORE
May 19th, 2009 | Posted in News
The National Doodle Day auctions are winding down and my doodle for Gillian Anderson‘s cause fighting neurofibromatosis ended up selling for $266.50! That is very cool and thanks to any readers that bid on the sketch. I’ve donated or done original art for auctions before where the art gets sold for next to nothing and that is always depressing. This time it got the charity at least a little bit of coin. National Doodle Day is an annual event where dozens of doodles are auctioned off to raise funds to benefit NF, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing support to individuals and families affected by… READ MORE
May 18th, 2009 | Posted in MAD Magazine
The art for the cover of the next issue of Stay Tooned! Magazine. Click image for a closer look… I have been singing the praises of John Read‘s fantastic publication Stay Tooned! for some time now, and was delighted when John asked me to illustrate the cover of the upcoming issue number four AKA the “MAD” issue. The issue won’t be in print until at least next month, but John gave me permission the other day to preview the art I did for the cover. The issue contains profiles of some of the Usual Gang of Idiots: Sergio Aragon?¬©s, Paul Coker Jr., Jack Davis, Don… READ MORE
May 17th, 2009 | Posted in Mailbag
Q: Do you ever think color MAD cartoons would’ve been funnier in B&W? A: No, I do not think that the color art in MAD would be funnier in black and white. Color is incidental technique and has little impact on the effectiveness of a cartoon. A cartoon is either funny or it is not. Most of that has to do with the concept/writing of the cartoon and in art terms with the drawing/communication. Funny drawings are funny drawings. The work of MAD artists like Jack Davis, Don Martin and Sergio Aragon?¬©s is visually funny. If they were to take their art from the black… READ MORE
May 16th, 2009 | Posted in MAD Magazine
Back in March I posted a bit of news about longtime MAD Magazine editor Al Feldstein having health difficulties and needing heart surgery. My friend Mark Evanier posted an update on his excellent News from ME blog about Al’s progress. Mark writes: Also getting better is the legendary Al Feldstein, who was the writer-editor of Tales from the Crypt and other classic EC Comics, and the editor of MAD magazine for 29 years. Al underwent double-bypass aortic valve replacement (i.e., heart surgery) on April 17 at the world famous Mayo Clinic. He’s home now and recovering, and we’re happy about that, too. Turns out Al… READ MORE
May 15th, 2009 | Posted in General
I see trouble… and in my road. READ MORE
