Award winning cartoonist Al Jaffee died April 10 in Manhattan at the age of 102. Jaffee’s granddaughter reported that the cause of death was multiple organ failure.
Retiring a few years ago at the age of 99, Jaffee delighted millions of fans with his creations in “MAD” magazine.
The satiric magazine was a staple in every household of baby boomers when they were in their teens; and for decades those magazines were filled with Jaffee’s work as one of the “Usual Gang of Idiots”.
In 2011 “MAD” published a four volume set of Jaffee’s “Fold-Ins”. One of the most popular features of the magazine started out as a one time gag in 1964.
Jaffee also created the segment “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions”
“Star Trek” wasn’t the only thing that helped spawn inventions of the future; Jaffee created “advertisements” that featured a phone with auto redial, a spell-checker for a computer, a graffiti free surface, peelable stamps, multiblade razors, and cigarettes that extinguish themselves.
His achievements include membership in the Will Eisner Hall of Fame.
He was born Abraham Jaffee on March 13, 1921 in Savannah, Georgia to an American father and a Lithuanian Jewish mother. Living on both countries, art was young Abraham’s saving grace. His talents earned him a spot at the School of Music and Art in high school.
Along with his long and successful career at “MAD” Magazine, Jaffee worked for Timely Comics (now Marvel Comics), and authored the “Tall Tales” at the New York Herald Tribune.
Even as the world turned digital, Jaffee continued to create his works by hand.
Jaffee is predeceased by his second wife Joyce. Other than his granddaughter mentioned in the article, there is no list of survivors.
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