AJ
Al Jaffee
11quotes
Al Jaffee: The Master of Mad Magazine's Fold-In
Full Name and Common Aliases
Al Jaffee was born on March 13, 1921, in Brooklyn, New York, to a family of Jewish immigrants. He is often referred to as "The Dean of Cartoonists" or simply "Jaffee."
Birth and Death Dates
March 13, 1921 - April 29, 2023
Nationality and Profession(s)
Al Jaffee was an American cartoonist, illustrator, and writer who spent most of his career working in the comic book industry.
Early Life and Background
Growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Al Jaffee developed a passion for art at a young age. He attended the City College of New York, where he studied fine arts and began developing his skills as an artist. After graduating from college, Jaffee served in the United States Army during World War II, where he worked as a cartoonist for the military newspaper.
Major Accomplishments
Al Jaffee's most significant contribution to the world of comics was his creation of the "fold-in" – a now-iconic feature that became a staple of _Mad_ magazine. The fold-in allowed readers to fold down a panel in the middle of a page, revealing a humorous or satirical message. This innovative concept not only added humor and depth to the magazine but also made it a standout in the industry.
Notable Works or Actions
Throughout his long career, Jaffee worked on numerous projects with various publishers, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Harvey Comics. Some of his notable works include:
_Mad_ magazine (1955-1984): As an artist and writer for this iconic publication, Jaffee created some of the most memorable fold-ins in comic book history.
_Playboy_ (1966-1987): Jaffee illustrated several covers for Hugh Hefner's famous adult magazine.
* DC Comics: Al worked on various titles, including _Batman_, _Superman_, and _Wonder Woman_.
Quotes by Al Jaffee
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I don’t have anything against organized religions, except when they engender hatred for other religions. A lot of that we see today, where the Muslims are against the Christians and the Christians are against Jews and the Jews are against Arabs – I mean, it just it goes on and on and on.
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When you live from freelance check to freelance check, your mind is always on “What’s the next piece I’m going to write, or draw, that’ll pay this month’s rent?” And so going out to play ball with my kids was a low priority.
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Almost every cartoonist, when he’s sitting down to draw a funny face, if you watch him closely, his mouth is gonna curl to the expression that he’s drawing. But when I would write a story – I know it’s going to sound almost ridiculous and infantile – I would, in a way, start living it.
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I don't have anything against organized religions, except when they engender hatred for other religions. A lot of that we see today, where the Muslims are against the Christians and the Christians are against Jews and the Jews are against Arabs - I mean, it just it goes on and on and on.
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When I had independence, it was a constant battle within me to figure out when am I on my own. And also the insecurity that my life engendered, especially as a freelance cartoonist, kept me in a constant state of anxiety as to whether I am going to be able to meet my financial obligations.
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When you live from freelance check to freelance check, your mind is always on "What's the next piece I'm going to write, or draw, that'll pay this month's rent?" And so going out to play ball with my kids was a low priority.
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Book dedication To myself, without whose inspired and tireless efforts this book would not have been possible.
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It doesn't take a brilliant mind to notice that adults are telling you what to do and then they do the opposite. I mean, I can't recall every stupid thing that adults were doing when I was six or seven. Some of it was the religious restrictions, where there were certain things that you were allowed to do and certain things that you weren't allowed to do, and I couldn't make sense of those things.
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Almost every cartoonist, when he's sitting down to draw a funny face, if you watch him closely, his mouth is gonna curl to the expression that he's drawing. But when I would write a story - I know it's going to sound almost ridiculous and infantile - I would, in a way, start living it.
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I guess if people all followed the basic principles of their own religions, they would love everybody instead of hating half the world.
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