Al Jaffee

Not to be confused with Allan Jaffe or Al Jaffe.

Al Jaffee
Al Jaffee smiling
Jaffee at the 2016 New York Comic Con
BornAbraham Jaffee
(1921-03-13)March 13, 1921
Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
DiedApril 10, 2023(2023-04-10) (aged 102)
New York City, U.S.
Area(s)Cartoonist
Notable works
Mad, Trump, Humbug, "Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions",[1] Tall Tales[2]
Awards
Signature

Allan Jaffee (born Abraham Jaffee;[3] March 13, 1921 – April 10, 2023) was an American cartoonist. He was notable for his work in the satirical magazine Mad, including his trademark feature, the Mad Fold-in. Jaffee was a regular contributor to the magazine for 65 years and is its longest-running contributor. In a 2010 interview, Jaffee said, "Serious people my age are dead."[4]

With a career running from 1942 until 2020, Jaffee holds the Guinness World Record for having the longest career as a comic artist.[5][6] In the half-century between April 1964 and April 2013, only one issue of Mad was published without containing new material by Jaffee.[7][8]

In 2008, Jaffee was honored by the Reuben Awards as the Cartoonist of the Year. Cartoonist Arnold Roth of The New Yorker said, "Al Jaffee is one of the great cartoonists of our time."[9] Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz wrote, "Al can cartoon anything."[10]

  1. ^ Mishkin, Budd (August 19, 2008). "One On 1: Cartoonist Al Jaffee Reveals What's Behind His Fold-Ins". NY1. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012.
  2. ^ Tall Tales, Jaffee, Al, and Colbert, Stephen (Introduction by) Edition: Illustrated. Binding: Hard cover Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers Date Published: 2008, ISBN 978-0-8109-7272-8 ISBN 0-8109-7272-7.
  3. ^ Weisman 2010, pp. 152–53.
  4. ^ Mechanic, Michael (September 24, 2010). "Cartoonist Al Jaffee, the Original Mad Man". Mother Jones. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference wapo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Longest career as a comics artist". Guinness World Records. June 6, 2020. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  7. ^ Mike Slaubaugh,"Mad Magazine Streaks" Issues #1–506, Purdue University Fort Wayne, 2010.
  8. ^ "WonderCon Special Guests"; Comic-Con Magazine; Winter 2010; p. 18.
  9. ^ Fold This Book!, Warner Books, 1997, ISBN 0-446-91212-3.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference retire was invoked but never defined (see the help page).