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Don Martin complete collection now available

Alan Gardner92 mins

The Washington Post has an excellent review of The Completely Mad Don Martin a newly published collection of Mad Magazine cartoons by Don Martin. If the words “Mad Magazine” wasn’t enough incentive for you to learn more about Don’s cartoons, go read Rick Kirkman’s Cartoonist’s Cartoonists profile. He lists Don Martin as one of those individuals who he admires.

From the WP review:

Back in the early 1960s, any young boulevardier between the ages of 10 and 15 knew that the greatest publication in all the world was Mad magazine. Oh, Sick and Cracked might have their aficionados, but for the true connoisseur of humor and satire these Mad wannabes functioned largely as backups, temporary palliatives to tide one over until next month’s Mad appeared at the corner drugstore. In those days an issue cost 25 cents (cheap!) and featured not only the smiling freckled face of Alfred E. Neuman, but also the double-crossing antics of Sergio Aragones’ Spy vs. Spy, parodies in verse by the ingenious Frank Jacobs, and the ever-popular send-ups of current television shows and popular films. Best of all, the 1960s were also the heyday of Don Martin, the comedic draftsman celebrated in these two weighty and essential volumes.

9 thoughts on “Don Martin complete collection now available”

  1. Antonio Prohias drew Spy vs. Spy; Aragones drew Mad Marginals. Seems like someone at the Post would know that, but maybe they were concentrating on Martin. At any rate, all three were geniuses.

  2. Not one mention of Captain Klutz? Martin’s greatest creation gets snubbed…

    …how fitting.

    The MAD artists like my fav Don Martin, Al Jaffe and Sergio Aragones have always been my main inspiration in cartooning, more so than Schulz, Watterson or Meddick(a modern day MAD-type).I love when any of these greats get some much deserved public props.

    Few have done satire as well as MAD in it’s prime…

  3. Glad that many comics lately has been getting these big complete collection sets. Judging by the picture, the format will be similar to the complete “Far Side” and “Calvin and Hobbes.”

    Don Martin also had a short-lived attempt at daily comics with a strip called “Nutheads,” which ran in the late-’80s to early ’90s. Don’t know who syndicated it, though (some sources say it was self-syndicated while others say it was distributed by Universal Press.)

  4. I know what just rocketed to the top of my Christmas list. I’ll never forget his “sound effect of several cockroaches being stepped on underneath a wooden floorboard” : Sqeee-bee-dee-bee-dap!

  5. Don Martin to me embodies my youth. Drinkin Hawaiian Punch on my bed, reading Mad my older brother punching me in the ribs so he could get it. Me crying to our Mom. Ah, good times. I still get a pain in my side when I read his work.

  6. Hi Sir!……………..I wanna ask if what are the requirements in becoming or having a job of cartoonist??…..Pls….help me with my problem…………can you send me some courses that i need to get this kind of job…………….I’m good in making arts and in drawing………….I have some experience in making a cartoon……….but my question is, how am i going to get this job??

  8. Don Martin – what a Master!
    The MAD magazine and the cartoons of Don Martin played a significant part of my early teens and will always be part of my life.
    How can anyone with a keen sense of humour ever forget his cartoons;
    The great cake making machine
    At ebb tide
    and the fabulous characters Fester Bestertester and Carbuncle plus the inimitable Captain Klutz!
    I will definately be purchasing the combined collection.
    Martin Young
    Dover
    Great Britain

  9. I’ve been looking for an episode of Fester & Carbuncle titled THE SAFE MOVERS………anybody know where I can find thisone or will I have to buy a book???

    Thanks,

    Walt Smith

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