R.I.P. Jack Davis (cartoonist/artist)*

I was a big fan of his work for MAD. Later on I 'discovered' his work thru reprints for EC. I remember how stunned I was to find the dark side of an artist whose impeccable caricature work and humor had entertained me for so many years. I loved it! Another once in a lifetime talent gone, too sad. RIP.

 

Jack Davis did indeed design Uncle Creepy and Cousin Eerie, but those sketches you posted were not drawn by him.

 

Corrected:

 

He did a lot of classic monster kid art.
I liked his Frankenstein poster that was sold in the back of the Warren magazines.

 

That poster is from the 1970 reissue; note the rating and the word Transamerica under United Artists.

 

Jack Davis,cartoonist who's work primarily appeared in Mad magazine,has passed at 91.I bring this to the music forum because of the many great LP covers Davis drew, as well as movie poster art that adorned many a soundtrack LP. Others,I'm sure, will chime in with example artwork,but a simple Google search will keep you occupied for hours. I'll point out that a favorite of many is the poster for the 1963 big budget,all-star cast- It's A Mad, Mad, Mad,Mad World. Personally,I still think the movie overblown and forced and the music fitfully rises to the occasion,though it is forgettable. But that artwork,with caricatures of the stars trying to catch a satchel of money,is so iconic that years later Mad magazine commissioned Jack to do a similar feat for a book that just had to be titled :It'a A World,World,World Mad. Here,everyone is chasing Alfred E. Neuman. Jonathan Winters,a major player in the film,had one of his Verve LP covers done by Jack,with the Winters characters in chase.
Davis did lots of covers for country comedy,especially Homer & Jethro but also Ben Folder(aka Sheb Wooley) as well as Johnny Cash's Everybody Loves A Nut.
If you're flipping through the dollar bins and come across a Davis cover(my favorite: A Bob & Ray Stereo Spectacular) and the LP is trashed but the cover in nice shape,pick it up-it's a steal. Affordable art. Homer & Jethro's Songs My Mother Never Sang For Me is way more degenerative than those original Mom's Apple Pie covers that were quickly banned,while H&J quietly stayed in the country music bins for decades,and big time RCA never blinked. If only A&M had commissioned Davis to do a Baja Marimba Band cover-what a dream! Can't you picture the guy with his back turned?
RIP to a guy who has wallpapered my brain since I was a kid and had a quarter to spend.

 

RIP Mr. Davis ... your work has given me measureless pleasure over the years.

 

Gone but never to be forgotten!

 

One of my favorites. His work on "Superfan" in Pro Quarterback magazine was the perfect meeting of two of my childhood obsessions (other than rekkids): Mad Magazine and the National Football League. Rest well sir!

 

Right you are, but the Jack Davis art is from the original film artwork.
Also, he did a cover for a Jonathan Winters comedy album from the same period:

 

Just like everyone else, I grew up with Mad Magazine, and always loved Davis' work. And I can remember going through my dad's LPs as a kid in the 80s and just being fascinated by this Guess Who record. It wasn't until years later that I realized Davis was the illustrator, although looking at it now, it's incredibly obvious. He was an excellent cartoonist.

 

Jack Davis also drew one of the most infamous horror stories at EC - "Foul Play" [gasp!][choke!]

 

R.I.P. to one of the masters.

His drawing style was instantly recognizable, whether it was in MAD, on the cover of TIME or TV Guide, in an advertisement, or on an album cover.

 

One of the BEST of ALL TIME. I used to stare and study his MAD magazine and the MAD board game illustrations and marvel at the humor, grotesqueness, and detail in them. RIP Jack.

 

Jack Davis - an artist extraordinaire who mastered the macabre, the silly body language, the on target caricature, with a fine line and trademark touch.

Thankfully his gracefully drawn frenetic art remains for us to still enjoy.p

May your talented pen and skillful insight rest well.

 

One of the greatest ever.

RIP Jack...

 

An awesome artist. I can't get enough of his work.
Thanks for the kicks Jack!
RIP

 

c'est la vie

 

He also contributed character designs for the stop-motion movie Mad Monster Party. You can instantly see his style in the various characters.

 

Just google the image results for "tv guide" and "jack davis":

Google Search »

 

RIP Jack.

 

RIP another giant gone.

 

These treasures are slipping away. RIP

 

Awesome man