Caricature Books

This book is required summer reading for AP Chemistry. Looks like a fun way to get an overview of the subject.

I have all of Gonick s great cartoon books and was really expecting more from this one... I am teaching chemistry and was disappointed. Just compare it with Genetics in cartoons...Chemistry is not as boring as shown here, Larry!

I am a high school chemistry teacher. I was totally disapointed with the book to the point of returning. It is factually correct, but lame. The only thing I gleaned from this book was the origin of the word alchemist. I would not by this book. William "Douey" Doucette

It is so basic in concepts and the presentation (materials and graphics)is not as good as I thought. It would be useful to show some pages of the book to the customers.

I used this book in conjunction with a textbook in my general chemistry course over the summer. This book helped illustrate things left unclear in my textbook and give a better intuitive feel for what I was doing. On its own its probably not spectacular since there are gaps to be filled but as a supplement it is amazing.

Caricature is my favorite book published by Dan Clowes. (Do you like to be called Dan?) His stuff strikes a chord with me and I love his stuff because it's funny, cynical, beautiful, crazy, weird, depressing, sad, lonely, quirky, optimistic, and a lot of other adjectives that I don't feel like listing. His artwork is genious, but the stories he tells and the characters he creates are equally brilliant. I could go on and on about how great he is, but I'll shut up and let you figure it out for yourself. This is a good place to start.

I hope to run into Dan at Comic Relief one day. It's my dream! I don't know how I'd react but...I want to shake this mans hand, or give him a high-five.

I'm not hugely into comics or alt-comics, or whatever the right term is, although I do like Adrian Tomine, try to get to SPX every year, and will at least browse through the latest from D&Q, Fantagraphics, etc. In any event, I'd never picked up anything by Clowes before, and spotting this at the library, figured it was time I did. The book is a collection of nine pieces that were originally published from 1994-98. They are billed as "stories" which implies that some kind of narrative is present, which isn't generally the case -- they're more like eight character sketches (one protagonist features in two separate pieces).

I generally find Clowes' artwork to be pretty compelling -- he's got his personal style and sticks to it, or better or worse. What I didn't find nearly as compelling are his characters, which generally strike me as almost pathological variations on the same theme. It's an almost endless parade of bitter, self-isolated, self-absorbed, and predictably depressed loners. Never has alienation been quite as unattractive as it is in this collection of first-person monologues that often go nowhere.

The stories can be roughly divided into five featuring adults, two featuring children, and two that are surreal. The latter are just that: In "The Gold Mommy" a man leaves a barbershop shoeless and travels into his past only to drown in it. "Black Nylon" is a kind of noirish glimpse at a sad sack, over-the-hill superhero who confronts his younger, more powerful competition. As examples of surrealism they are kind of interesting, they have the same tone as some of Jonathan Lethem's short stories, and like them, they are somewhat challenging and frustrating.

But not nearly as frustrating and annoying as the more realistic stories with adult protagonists. For example, "MCMLXVI" features an incredibly annoying hateful (and hate-filled) hipster who is obsessed with pop culture circa 1966 ("it represents the peak of American culture") and basically wanders through life sneering at everyone he meets because they don't get it. "Green Eyeliner" is about a pretty 20something woman who encounters a former classmate who is now a smalltime TV actor. "Blue Italian Sh*t" is the first time we meet Rodger Young, an annoying 20something hipster poseur in early '80s New York enduring a series of bizarre roommates and his own virginity."Gynecology" is a weird story about an emotionally dead hipster artist, the affair he's having with a gynecologist, and an unstable woman who threatens to reveal their secret. Probably the best of the lot is the titular "Caricature," which drops in on a middle-aged artist who makes a living on the festival/fair/circus circuit cranking out caricatures at a couple bucks a pop. The story follows him over the course of a weird weekend in which an unstable teenage hipster chick latches on to him.

More successful are the two stories about adolescents, which are a bit more straightforward and palatable. This may be because weirdness and obsession is more expected of teens, and somehow less desperate and annoying. Rodger Young reappears as a 13-year-old in "Like a Weed, Joe," which recounts a summer spent with in the country with his grandparents. It reads like a solid, well-crafted, coming of age short story. Similarly, "Immortal, Invisible" is an interesting story of a 14-year-old kid wandering around on his own on Halloween and getting into strange situations.

On the whole, I'm glad I finally sampled Clowes, but I can't say that I'll be returning any time soon. Too often, his pieces don't lead anywhere, and too often, his protagonists are simply too annoying to spend time with. I do like his style, both black and white, and color, so I may give him another whirl, especially if there's a more extended story available (maybe "Ghost World"?).

Like the above title says...if you are already into Clowes, you should definitely get this. If you don't know who he is, this book is a great place to start finding out.

The brilliance of Clowes comic strips can be found in his unique ability to capture that lonely, empty feeling of alienation that his characters so often convey drifting in and out of vapid 'Ghost Worlds.' Make no mistake about it, this book is brilliant and should be rated 5 stars if it weren't for the last 1/5 of it where we're offered 2 stories that suffer from a lack of narrative cohesion. The first 4/5's though, demonstrate Clowes at his finest by way of his beautiful artwork and razor-sharp writing filled with pathos, humour and cutting observation.

Not to be missed by fans of Clowes not to mention newcomers interested in getting a taste of his work.

To all the other reviewers: You can't expect all of Dan Clowes' work to be exactly like "Ghost World", I mean if you start out reading "Ghost World", and then expect all his comics to be exactly the same way, then it's not, and to say that something isn't as good because you keep comparing it to "Ghost World", then that's just stupid.

Like all of Dan Clowes' work, this comics is what it is, it's cynical and has stories that absorb you, such as the first one, and most of the female characters have something weird and strange about them, it's just an awesome book collection of his comics, and if you're a real fan of his, you'll get, but if you're just some person who keeps comparing everything to "Ghost world", you should still get it, but stop comparing!! geez

On the one hand, this book will give you every practical bit of information you'll need to, basically, critique your own inking and bring it up to an acceptable level. This book is appropriate for the novice artist.
Unfortunately, there is almost nothing inspiring about this book, including the art.
DC has had some tremendous inkers, which you'd expect from such a large company with such a long tenure. But you'd also expect that the bulk of the work from a large company would be average and unnotable. It is in the latter category into which this book falls.
It was written and the bulk of it illustrated by two stalwarts of the industry, who have done tremendous work in the past.
But the image on the cover - of two breasts charging at you - pretty much sends the worst, loudest message the comic book industry has: No depth, just something to grab your attention.
What certainly isn't shown or described, except for the 3 or 4 images by Berni Wrightson, are examples of careful, beautiful, meticulous artwork. Sadly, that IS the kind of work that is predominantly seen in comic books today. What disappoints me is that the best work is not what this book is about.

Read this and The Art of Inking, and you have probably read the best two sources of info regarding this subject available from a book. The two books are complementary in a way, covering different aspects. Klaus Johnson isn't my favorite author in readability/page-turning writing style, but the book is effective and helpful. I would look at both books and PRACTICE!!

This book is like sitting down with a veteran inker and picking his brain. Tips on technique and the theory behind why it works, and a good peek into the world of comic book production. I've been working with ink for a long time, and I wanted some fresh ideas to experiment with. This book is like talking shop with a master.

Klaus Janson has been working in the comic book profession for decades. He is a proficient inker, but not the best author of instructional books. There are some good tips in this book, but you have to slog through his wordy and preachy writing style to find them. I haven't read any other books that are devoted solely to comic book inking so I can't recommend a perfect alternative, but here is one suggestion. Andy Smith devotes nineteen pages to inking in his book Drawing Dynamic Comics, which is excellent. You can get almost as much out of those nineteen pages as you can out of Klaus' whole book. If you pick up a copy of Smith's book and one of the many books about pen and ink that aren't specifically related to comics, you should do quite well.

I've read a lot of books on how-to-do comic art, some on writing and publishing, and this book stood out as soon as I began reading it. Last night I finished, and have to recommend this as the best book I ever read on the subject of comic book inking, and there is little need to improve over it as a feast of information. What Janson leaves out can be found in other books, but he carved the meat off the bone where others before were clawing off unappetizing chunks.

Absolutely brilliant tips, tricks and approaches are found in these pages. The reviewer that calls this book 'preachy' merely is set to stumble into the holes awaiting most comic book artists on their way to mediocrity. Janson's primary lesson through every chapter is TO CONVEY INFORMATION TO THE COMIC READER. An inker clarifies and improves on the pencils, tightens them, and makes sure the storytelling in improved from pencils if not maintaining. Inside he covers light and dark, feathering, line weight, textures, and other basics that just aren't touched on in other books with the insight Klaus provides. And to help, he provides lots of lush B&W inked art from a period that probably influenced him - the Adams/Giordano/Wrightson/Kane period of DC comics. He also compared pencils to inks with more current art he inked over from Kane and Miller.

While Janson's own ink style is rough and appears heavy handed, it does everything it has to with grit. Sometimes the art cries out, "USE THE CIRCLE TEMPLATE!!" but over all it demonstrates how he thinks in planning textures, placement of black and white or tone, and use of feathering to describe form. What the neo-Amero-Japo-manga artists need to learn, as does any art student going anywhere, is that art books give you information, and the more information they give you then the more their worth. Super enticing, glossy, sex bent art work should be reserved for the books people buy to enjoy the art and story, not the training manuals telling you info you use to plug into your own work. Janson hit it right on with this book, the rest is left up to you to DO and IMPROVE.

Other books with good inking information - "Marvel Way" by Lee/Buscema has nice beginning info, and quick but pertinent info on weak and strong inking examples. "Rendering in Pen and Ink" by Guptill is a genius book on how to render and draw in ink for illustrators (or comic artists). "How To Draw Manga: Pen & Tone Techniques" by Ryo Touda handles a brilliant look at manga pens and tones. Everything else I fail to mention by name because it really isn't worth buying. You can put together a foundation of inking information with these 4 books that can't be beat at any art school in the nation.

The customer reviews on this book fairly well describe what you can expect from it.It is obvious that the type of humor presented here is very selective. I have never been much taken by the New Yorker Magazine;but I realize that it is highly regarded by many.I have always felt that the people who enjoy this magazine are those who live on the upper floors of expensive appartments in Manhatten.Their world is not one where they expose their thoughts or humor to others and they are certainly not mainstream or indicitave of the the broad spectrum of people in America.
However,to the people of this part of society,this book gives a very good insight into where their interests in humor lies.It's almost as if they have carved out this little world which insulates them from reality;and there's nothing wrong with this.The humor in this book has nothing personal about it and this seems to be the way they like it;totally sanitized.
This book is the editors selection of 700 cartoons from the archives of 60,000 and from a period of 75 years.
Its what's missing from the humorous side of life that this book leaves me cold.
There's nothing about anything military and the Wars,nothing about Politics and specific Politicians,nothing about the great Ethnic humor of America, nothing resembling Regional Humor,nothing from the Arts and Sciences,and many other areas of life. So,if your bent on on humor excludes all these things,I guess the humor of the New Yorker is for you.
As I read through this collection ,I was continually surprised and actually annoyed by the number of his own cartoons the Editor chose as the best.The other cartoonist that I found totally over represented was Chast,which I personally found pure drudgery and soon skipped over.
So ,some will like this collection of cartoons,but I suggest that if you are not one of those who are enthralled with the New Yorker,this book will leave you somewhat disappointed. Then again, New Yorker readers will probably like it. Anyway, that is how I feel,and so do the other reviewers.

This rendition codifies 75 years of cartoon caricatures in the
New Yorker. The work is an important contribution to our
culture since it documents journalistic humor in a sequential
and interesting fashion. The research contained in this acquisition would take many years to accomplish except for the monumental work of the editorial staff which produced this 75th Anniversary Edition.

Classic cartoons are depicted; namely,

- Windshear
- Dealmobile
- Parallel Universe
- The End of Innocence
- Climbing Mt. Everest

There are over 69T cartoon entries- a list too exhaustive to
mention here. This volume would be a perfect gift for the
art/cultural enthusiast in your home. It is reasonably priced
and well written. The cartoons tell much about the historical
context surrounding the creation of each cartoon witicism.

Considering how literate and erudite the New Yorker tends to view itself, it's surprising that a collection of cartoons supposedly representing 75 years of social change are presented so randomly and without temporal identification.

The purpose of most cartoons is to make contemporary social commentary in a humorous, visual format. The trouble is, when those cartoons are reproduced years (or decades) later, the cultural situations or mores they originally poked fun at can be meaningless to present-day readers.

Early suburban life, the Organization Man of the 50s and 60s, big business, womens lib, the Me Generation of the 80s, etc., were all fertile fields for cartoonists of the time, but topical humor isn't always timeless and needs to be placed in some perspective if it's to be understood years later.

Most astute readers of this book will be able to place the cartoons in general time periods from clues in the subject matter or the drawing style, but printing the original date of publication in the margins would have allowed this material to be appreciated as timely social commentary and not just a haphazard collection of stand-alone jokes.

Este libro es muy adecuado para introducirse en el estupendo mundo de las viñetas del New Yorker. Me fue posible aquí descubrir un montón de autores esenciales para esa publicación y que son de una calidad excelente. Inteligencia y verdadero ingenio están muy extendidos en las páginas de este libro. Lo recomiendo vivamente.

While I would agree that The New Yorker cartoons in this book could have been better organized and that the introduction was inconsequential, there are many classic cartoons in this volume that are well worth the price of admission. In my collegiate youth, I lived for my weekly New Yorker, just to read the cartoons. I found many old friends in this book and was grateful to be reaquainted with them.

Let's start this review with some reality. If you read the buying info carefully you will note the book is only 36 pages! So you are not going to get a college course in all of the Simpsons methods!...This book only gives you info on the Simpsons core family...Bart,Lisa,Maggie,Marge and (My Fav) Homer! Just learning to draw his stubby fat fingers is a riot! And yes,....you do learn secrets! You learn the secrets to the scale and balance of these characters....that Marge's hair is about 2 bowling balls high, bart's hair has 9 points, Lisa's hair has 8 points, you learn how many eyelashes each character has and how to place them, how the eyeballs should be placed on the head in comparison to the nose, how each characters hands and feet details should be drawn..... True, it is only 36 pages but it does give you all you need to start drawing the Simpsons family. What did I not like about this book? I really wanted tips on Mr. Burns, Moe, Smithers, Krusty.. Who is this book for? This book might be for a beginner but I doubt it. Want to learn how to draw? Look elsewhere. Someone with some skill or ability who wants to learn how to draw the Simpsons? Yes! On the side for extra cash do you street sketch, air brush at the local mall, do cartoons, do charicatures? Well, then get this book and use it to expand your portfolio. Are you just a kid (8 yrs to 88yrs old) who loves the Simpsons and wants to be able to look cool with your friends by drawing them?Get this book, live your life, be happy and have fun!

Okay, what is the deal with these silly complaints that this book doesn't reveal any "secrets." What secrets? If anyone believes he or she will be able to instantly draw cartoons well after simply reading this or any other book, they need to get in touch with reality. The bottom line is: the secret of doing ANYTHING well -- and that includes cartooning -- is to PRACTICE. A LOT. That said, this is a great little book. It's written with a generous dose of humor, and it tells you exactly how to draw the Simpsons in certain poses. In other words, it's a good basic cartooning book if you are interested in drawing these specific characters and are willing to do the practice necessary to learn to draw them well. Once you're familiar with the construction of those little yellow bodies, then you can start making them do what you want them to do. (PRACTICE, remember?) If you have talent and imagination, it may also help get you started on drawing your own characters. No magic, no secrets, just a good book on how to draw the Simpsons.

This is just great! I'm sure every Simpsons fan has wondered if they could draw America's favorite family, and I'm sure plenty of you have got it down-packed. But if you just can't draw Bart's head, or Marge's body, I strongly suggest you buy this book (and afterwords, if you STILL can't draw them right, trace, hee hee). The book teaches you how to draw Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie's anatomy, and the best thing about the book is if you look at a picture of another character (for example, Apu), you can use Homer's anatomy (not making him so fat, mind you) and draw Apu from there. It's a great guide, so if you're a Simpsons fan and love to draw...buy it. Buy it now!

I am an illustrator, animator, AND I work at Fox. My copy of this book has gotten so much use over the 7-odd years I've had this, it should be falling apart. This is why this is such a great book:

1) IT'EASY AND IT'S FUN. Many "how-to" aniimation and cartooning books purportedly cater to children, yet the drawing level is way beyond most entry-level artists; the Simpsons, by Groening's own admission started out as lame doodles. Everything is made up of circles and squiggles - perfect!

2) IT'S WELL ORGANIZED AND VERSATILE. There are many poses and expressions to try drawing, which set you into the whole "vocabulary" of the Simpsons.

3) IT'S FUNNY, AND REALLY EDUCATIONAL. Tips like "Bend those elbows!" and "Marge's hair hides two bowling balls," not only get a laugh, but really give you an insight on how to contruct a solid animated figure.

I refer to this book all the time, even for my own drawings. For the money, this has been one of the most useful pieces of reference I have. Get it for your favorite starving artist, or doodling kid.

OK. I do not understand what some of the people hear have posted. They say they were lied to and it was supposed to unlock the secrets of how to draw The Simpsons?

All it says on the book is "Study basic construction methods!", "Discover the techniques of bulgy-eyed characterization!", "Uncover the mysteries of Simpsonian anatomy!" and "Learn the secrets of the overbite!".

Could someone please tell me where it says it unlocks the secrets of the Simpsons? No you can not. What is to know? They are just circles and squares that have been down sized.

I people get so worked up over a drawing book, what is next?

The book is a good tool for kids and adults alike. It shows many different facial features and different scenes so you would be emersed for hours.

A Good Choice.

Have A NiCE LiFE!

Ryan

and it doesn't pretend to be, but I found it very worthwhile. I like CHUNKY RICE and I think BLANKETS is one of the great American novels, graphic or otherwise. I felt I needed a Thompson fix, and hoped this would help while I wait for the Next Book. Thinking it would be bedside reading, a few pages at a time, I read it in one sitting. His voice is as true as ever and his art is wonderful. You will meet many interesting people and suffer through his mishaps with him. It was just what I had hoped it would be, a good solid Craig Thompson fix.

Craig Thompson is fantastic. If you like his work, you'll love this collection of musings, sketches, and stories of life on the road in Europe and Morocco. This book provides insight into Thompson's inner life, what drives him, and what he yearns for. Side by side this there are sketches that are so accurate and evocative that I felt like I was back in Morocco myself. Thompson experiences all the highs and lows of travel on his trip and very openly shares them all. For anyone who's traveled alone, but wished for company this book will ring true. But, Thompson also shares with the reader the exhilaration of new places and new people that can be found out in the world. A fantastic quick read and visual journey.

This was actually quite good, but it ends way too abruptly, with Thompson informing his audience afew pages before the end that he was only given 231 pages and then stopping right in the middle of his tour. I hope this might mean that there's a second volume, possibly? I was especially affected because I am an Oregonian as well ( though I was born here, as opposed to having moved here like Thompson) and because I lived a year of my life in Montpelier, where he stopped on his tour. It was cool seeing stuff I recognized. I also enjoyed Thompson's whiny, self-pitying and -criticizing tone which reminded me of Crumb or Pekar. It was just good.

With "Blankets", Craig Thompson established what I think will remain as a landmark in the book/comics/cartoon world. With this one, I expected basically just a sketchbook filled with random drawings and what not.

The truth is that the book was a lot more continuous than I expected, and it does read like a story. The best of this is that originally this notebook wasn't supposed to ever see print, it was Craig's private sketchbook, but as it grew, people expressed interest and suggested that he publish it. And thank God that he did!

"Carnet de Voyage" is a fascinating book. It's more raw than "Good-bye, Chunky Rice" and different from "Blankets", but in its very own genre, it definitely achieves something memorable. And the intensity of the emotion is as strong as ever. I found myself laughing here, and being very concerned about Craig there. Indeed, I don't think I was ever made to care so much about someone I never met before Craig Thompson. The man is simply saintly in that sense. He is a mix of gracious humility and honesty, and his truth-like art is just mind-blowing.

So what will you find in there? The telling of his travels through France, Morocco, Spain, Switzerland, and the Alps. Thompson's artistic vision shows through that book and one can sort of get an idea of how he functions. And one certainly gets to see how tortured poor Craig really is. That unpretentious notebook will make you feel closer to him, because he is so genuine in his art, doesn't hide his life from his work, and as a result, you get a window to his soul.

Craig Thompson's epic 600 page graphic novel, BLANKETS is one of the most beautiful comics I've ever read. I was astounded at the breadth and depth of the book and wondered how someone in his mid twenties could have crafted such a massive achievement so early in his career.

With the publication of CARNET DE VOYAGE, I now understand a little bit more about Thompson's work habits... he is a nonstop drawing machine. But no... machine is wrong... there's nothing mechanical about his work. Art flows out of Thompson's brush pens with the organic fluidity of a true master. He may well be the greatest natural cartoonist of his generation... hell, even a handful of others.

CARNET DE VOYAGE wasn't even supposed to be a book. While traveling through France, Barcelona, the Alps and Morocco last Spring to promote BLANKETS, Thompson's omnipresent sketchbook suddenly became his next project. In his introduction, the typically self-effacing artist dismisses it as "a rather self-indulgent side project."

Yes, there's lots of self-indulgence, but no more than any other writer or artist's work is self indulgent. Smarting from a recent breakup, suffering from crippling rheumatoid arthritis exacerbated by nonstop signings, sketches and portraits of locals (many of whom demand money for the privilege of being models), Thompson's travelogue is filled with the kind of subjective experience that's only interesting to others if it's told well.

And in CARNET DE VOYAGE, it's told beautifully. Mixing his two styles, the cartoony whimsy of GOODBYE, CHUNKY RICE with the more naturalistic impressionism of BLANKETS, Thompson allows us to experience everything he does: The homesickness, the culture shock, the thrill of the new and the comfort of other people. His passion for beauty, be it architectural, arboreal, feline, culinary or (often) feminine is all delineated with an artistic embellishment that's more effective than any photograph could be.

That's the power of comics; They can be (in the right hands) surreal and realistic at the same time. Thompson is as much a master of capturing the empirical world as he is conveying his inner demons (and he's got a lot of `em... this boy is one tortured, sensitive artiste). He may dismiss CARNET DE VOYAGE as "not (his) next book," but it's the richest, most rewarding graphic novel I've read since... well, since BLANKETS.

Everyone has nostalgic affection for what Mad once was, and the art generated for it in its heyday has been endlessly recycled. The names Davis, Coker, Drucker, Wood, and others are legendary. The selections for this book are nice, but the reproductions are tiny. The color section is printed in dull, brownish colors, with no chronological order or comment. There is exactly one rough preliminary sketch (from Dave Berg) to give any insight into the process.

The writing is perky and lightweight, like a testamonial speech for a retiring employee, with a little biographical information, where he was schooled, what a gifted cartoonist, how repected by his peers, what a funny guy, etc. Here and there are hints at the real pressures that must have come into play in the production of the magazine, but the fluff piece mentality always wins out, and the real story is glossed over with well-worn Madisms like, "...mainly because, (insert quip here)...!" and other breezy, hand-me-down phrases. With no glimpse into the creative life behind the vacant gaze of Alfred E. Neuman, you might as well just buy a reprint of the actual magazine from the days when it used to parody superficial stuff like this book. I would suggest Mad about the Sixties (or Seventies).

The only interesting thing about "Mad Art" is its inclusion of the newer artists who have appeared since most of us stopped reading Mad. They are technically very good (if uninspired), and it's important to see what's being done today, even though Mad hasn't been funny for a decade and a half.

I liked this book in the sense that it was a Mad sampler. I got to see art by old friends (I have been into Mad since the early 1970s) but I don't know if a novice researcher would find this book as good. There are short biographical sketches of all involved.

The best history of Mad was The Mad World Of Bill Gaines which is sadly out of print for decades now.

Also while I know that the title is Mad Art this book lacks for not talking of the writers of Mad.

I could not believe that a book with such obvious
interest to many would be printed in the form it was.
The print is so small in the cartoons that have been
reproduced that one needs a magnifying glass to read.

And I am not exagerrating. I would rate this book
as a 5 if it were not published with such unreadable print.

What a rush of nostalgia this compilation of MAD art brings back! I first started reading MAD as a late pre-teen, in the early Seventies. As I collected issues, I came into possession of some older copies, from which I got my first impressions of the lately concluded Sixties. The early MAD, freshly spawned from EC Comics back when William Gaines had a buzzcut, didn't interest me. But once he let his hair down and assembled his famous Usual Gang Of Idiots, the resulting humor and satire was a surefire hit with smart-alecky adolescent boys like me.

This collection presents a couple of pages of biography on each artist, along with a few panels of their work. I remembered most all of them from my era, but some were rediscoveries for me. Sergio Aragones, Jack Davis, Paul Coker, Jr., Al Jaffee with his goony inventions, Dave Berg--to name them is to summon to mind a favorite riff in the greatest cartooning ensemble ever assembled. Possibly the most poignant was the sad case of Don Martin, who drew those jug-headed characters in those "One Fine Day" episodes. Through illness and unspecified other problems, he was forced into an unwanted collaboration with the equally talented Duck Edwing, and then decamped altogether to an imitator, before passing away not too long ago.

If you are not familiar with MAD, then you certainly can't be expected to have all these fond memories. The social satire is dated in a retrospective like this, too. But coming to the collection cold, you'll still find something to chuckle at, surely. With so much talent on display, it'd be impossible not to.

The title of "MAD Art" is a nice, simple title, achieving a sense of balance by consisting of a pair of three letter words, but it is a bit off target. Even when you through in the subtitle--"A Visual Celebration of the Art of 'MAD' Magazine and the Idiots Who Create It"--we are still off the beam a bit, because what Mark Evanier has compiled here is a tribute to the specific artists who made "MAD" magazine the cultural icon it has been ever since I was a kid (and a little bit earlier than that as well). Evanier, a former assistant to the legendary Jack Kirby has written comic books (including "Groo the Wanderer" with "MAD" artist Sergio Aragones) as well as becoming a historian on the subject of cartooning, so there is a sense of scholarship to this effort. Those who comes to this rather thick trade paperback with expectations of reading some choice movie parodies and other familiar "MAD" pieces are going to be disappointed, because this is not that type of "MAD" collection.

Evanier uses a double chronology for "MAD Art," with the chapters detailing the general process by which artists join the "MAD" gang of idiots and end up producing their mini-comic masterpieces in discrete stages, while each chapter provides profiles of over five dozen artists with examples of their work, from the infamous advertising parodies, and classic front (and black) covers to the interior art, including dozens of rare and previously unseen preliminary sketches and photographs. That means the first chapter, representing the fabled time when "MAD" was a E.C. comic book, looks at the legendary artist Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Will Elder, John Severin, and Wallace Wood. There is certainly something to be said for any list of artists that end up with Wally Wood being on the bottom. Kurtzman gets special credit for being the writer-editor and occasional artist for the all 23 of the comic book issues and the first five of "MAD" as a magazine, while Davis is the premier caricature artist of our time.

With each chapter revealing another wave of fan favorites, you get a sense for how the "MAD" stable of artists was created. The second stage sees Dave Berg, Bob Clarke, Mort Drucker, Frank Kelly Freas, Don Martin, and Norman Mingo being added to the ranks, while chapter three looks at Sergio Aragones, Paul Coker Jr., Harry North, Antonio Prohias, Jack Rickard, and Angelo Torres. These are the artists that defined "MAD" when I was a mere lad, and even if you do not recognize the name, you will recognize the artwork (I actually made it almost all the way to 2004 before I realized that Antonio Prohias did all the Spy vs. Spy bits when I was a kid).

However, after that point we are up to the next generation of "MAD" artists, which means those who have been working on the magazine since I moved on up to "The National Lampoon" and then abandoned written satire for weekly doses of "Saturday Night Live." So Tom Bunk, John Caldwell, Don "Duck" Edwing, Sam Viviano, Drew Friedman, and Roberto Parada were all news to me. But, to be fair, how many people have actually been reading "MAD" magazine for a half-century? If the younger generation gets introduced to Harvey Kurtzman, then that justifies this entire 304-page book with its black-and-white illustrations and two 16-page color sections. As for me, my favorite of the "new" artists is Richard Williams, with his updating of Norman Rockwell for the 90's (The cast of the first "Survivor" doing the Thanksgiving dinner "Freedom From Want" bit).

For those who are interested in finding out about the favorite pieces, stylistic influence, and references the veteran "MAD" contributors used to create their art, "MAD Art" is going to be a treat. If it tries the patience, not to mention the memory, of those who have no clue who "Flesh Garden" and the "Lone Stranger" are parodies of, then that is their problem. It is about time somebody took the artists of "MAD" magazine seriously.

I really like this book very much. I do think that there is an expectation of a certain amount of artistic ability from the get go but there is a certain amount of rudimentary skill building included as well.

It is a nice large size that I think is necessary for art instruction books and it is also a fairly big book as far as total pages go. One issue I have with many *how to draw* books is that they tend to be pretty thin. This is quite a nice size.

In the beginning there are a lot of examples of types and styles of features that people have...not in caracature form but just in general. I like this. I find this very helpful in general drawing as well as helping you focus on what features you can play up for the art of caricature. Proportion is also discussed with an eye on how to manipulate it. It is also a great lesson in general drawing.

The examples that are used to show what to do are quite good. there is a photo (or photos) on the page and the drawing that accentuates certain of the features. It's very helpful, I think, to start with an actual photo and see how the artist picked up on certain features in his finished drawing. I do notice that the people selected for photos *do* tend to have obvious traits that are easy to pick up on (a VERY square jaw... A *very* pointed chin... Large bags under the eyes, etc) I think this does get you used to looking for these things but perhaps a few more examples of less obvious features would be a big help.

Over all I like this book very much. It shows different styles and while the focus is on the caricature it isnt on making the subject look bizarre. Quite a good first book.

i really taught this book was going to be another step-by-step book,i mean it`s entitled `HOW TO DRAW` rayt?but it doesn`t mean i didn`t like this book,i found some of his theories quite heplful,like the use of the in-betweener.i`m still hoping guys ...would really put out a really,really,really helpful `how to draw caricatures` book.

Len Redman could be an ok cartunist but he's definetely a great professor. His book shows how to catch the comic detail, a corner stone for a good cartoon, in a simple and direct way.
If the wannabe cartunist have some talent, this book will be a great help for a good start. I recomend.

June, 2001- I own more than twenty books on the subject of how to draw caricatures and cartoons. Following only five weeks of practice, I recently started working part time as a caricature artist at a major theme park (mostly for the fun of it). I have no previous experience in art or drawing. Studying Redman's book did more for me than any other. The key to success in caricature is being able to produce a clean, simple sketch that has adequate likeness to the subject's face yet, in a kind way, also employs some fun with "exaggeration" -- not distortion. Redman's book does the best job, for the complete beginner, of any text out there. This is one of the only instructional references that makes a special point to include at least one and often several photographic views of each subject before showing you how to construct the basic caricature drawing. There are many such examples of photo studies and caricature results. He also covers children and and a wide variety of ethnic groups. Redman includes examples of how to draw the same subject using several different caricature styles. There are also examples of famous people done in caricature. Too many of these to even count. If you combine this book with Jack Hamm's Cartooning: The Head & Figure to learn cartoon bodies to go along with the faces, you have a great pair of reference books. As a cautionary note, Redman's book does contain some cartoon nudity which I feel was not needed at all to make the text a valuable learning reference. Parents might want to remove these few pages before the book is used by children. This is a great learning tool. Good luck!
July 2, 2002- As a follow up to the above review, for those seeking the very best caricature training references, I must add a third book from the many that I have reviewed. I recently purchased, for a reference on cartooning, The BIG Book of Cartooning by Bruce Blitz. To my surprise and delight this turned out to be perhaps the best text yet on CARICATURE as the art form is applied in theme parks and private parties. Like Redman's book, Blitz offers many training exercises starting with actual photos of the person to be sketched and showing step by step how to "construct" the caricature. More than this, Blitz ties together at a beginner to intermediate level the techniques of "catching" a caricature likeness and adds a huge resource of comic techniques and gag ideas.
Redman's and Jack Hamm's books are still the best for starting to draw caricature. However, a theme park or private party caricaturist in their early years of development will see a BIG jump in skill, income, and tips after a thorough study of Blitz's BIG Book of Cartooning. Blitz's book, having been published in 1998 is more current in its examples and styles, and, due to its emphasis on gags and cartooning, more likely to hold the interest of young artists of say junior high or high school age. Warm regards, Brock

This book is a dissapointment. All it tells you to do is picture a perfect face in your mind with all of the facial features the perfect size. Look at the face that you're drawing and if he/she has any facial features that are too big, you make them even bigger and if he/she has any facial features too small, then you make them even smaller. Only true beginners will benefit at all from the information stated in this book. It never tought me how to draw caricatures like the ones I see people draw at amuesment parks or the ones I see in MAD magazine. The author doesn't have the same drawing style as them. It only told me the very very basics of caricaturing, which I already knew. If I were you I wouldn't buy this book, you can learn just as much by looking at how Tom Richmond and Chris Rommel draw their caricatures at tomrichmond.com and chrisrommel.com.

I have a soft spot for Luann because she is so relatable! I mean, who didn't want to be more popular in school, have a crush on a popular person who didn't notice you, or felt self-conscious about how they look? Luann faces all those issues with a vulnerability that is heartwarming.

there is going to be a tv series of "Luann". the role of "Luann" was turned down by JamieLynn Spears. the younger sibling to pop superstar Britney Spears.

for more info go to:: http:://www.jamielynn.net

This is one the best Luann books. It addresses issues that adolescents go through with refreshing humor. I like how Brad constantly makes fun of Luann and Luann's never-ending boycraziness. I know that my friends sometimes can't stand it when I go on and on about men. I enjoyed this book, however the "connection" between Luann and Stuart never got resolved. It seemed as though he just disappeared. Still worth the read.

Now changed from a baby-faced 13-year-old kid to a 16-year-old Barbie doll, Luann looks down on men and older people, has glittery movie fantasies about herself, and chases pretty boys just like any cartoon teensyboppers those days.

Now fewer and fewer people outside the idealized teen group can relate to Luann, who might as well be twin sisters to Tiffany, her once-upon-a-time rival. Heck, it won't be long before she becomes the busty, short-skirted captain of a cheerleading squad and a prom queen with her boy toy, the elusive Aaron Hill permanently at her side.

So it's goodbye to pathetically low self-esteem and hello to ridiculously sky-high ego.

But that doesn't mean it's too bad of a book. The story line is pretty decent. It's more like a serious strip like Apt. 3-G or Brenda Starr, but with a saracastic teenager. Just don;t expect to laugh and you should be ok with this book.

Biting satire is the name of the game in this book. The cartoons are brilliantly portrayed and are the best of the year from a variety of cartoonists from all over the country. I have several years worth and these are really collectors items in many ways portraying politics and many other topics too. (if you are for Bush don't read this book- you won't like it). Being a Bush basher , I love it!

You don't have to hate President Bush to like this book! Granted, most of the cartoonists are liberal and take their best jabs, but the humor in the irony that permeates politics transcends party affiliation. The conservative cartoonists are outstanding, too! With this book, Cagle continues the great job he does every day with his world-famous website. IMHO, anyone who flames this book either a) hasn't read it, or, b) is demonstrating some sort of professional jealousy.

The satire in the book is very good... the man in the White House at the moment cannot speak any more that two sentences at a time....

If you wish a whimsical history of the Bush presidency, choose THE BIG BOOK OF BUSH CARTOONS! THE HISTORY OF THE BUSH PRESIDENCY IN CARTOONS! Editorial cartoons gained from the best political cartoonists contribute a diversity of drawing, perspective and focus in revealing the history of Bush's interactions around the world, from his initial hanging chad election to the war in Iraq. Black and white cartoons are as large as a full page, while others are four to a page: all provide fun commentary those with a sense of humor and interest in social and political issues will appreciate.

I was disappointed in the quality of the cartoons. Sorry, but I had expected some from the top-flight editorial cartoonists of America. These seem to be confined to one service. You won't want to use this review, I'm sure.