Tom's Mad Blog
June 1st, 2022 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
We continue our horror film themed “Sketch o’the Week” with a person that, while not very well known the the general public, is a beloved cult figure in the world of B-List horror film fans. Tor Johnson was a Swedish professional wrestler before became one of infamous director Ed Wood’s cast regulars, as well as appearing in many other B-films. In the comic book world, he’s equally famous as having appeared as himself in many of the early comics of my fellow MAD man Drew Friedman. READ MORE
May 30th, 2022 | Posted in General
Here in the U.S. Memorial Day is a lot of things… the unofficial start of summer, part of a three day weekend, a day many people spend on the lake, at the beach, or in the backyard cooking up hotdogs and hamburgers, eating potato salad, and spending time with loved ones. All those things are excellent ways to celebrate the day, but the real reason for the day is to remember all the soldiers who have died in the service of our country. Enjoy the sunshine, the brats and beer, and the company of family and friends, but take a moment to pay your respects… READ MORE
May 25th, 2022 | Posted in News
Things just got weird! I’m thrilled to be part of the forthcoming “Weird Al” Yankovic Graphic Novel, the Illustrated Al, published by Z2 Comics. Z2 describes the book as “a career-spanning visual feast of over 20 classic “Weird Al” Yankovic songs interpreted by some of our top illustrators and cartoonists.” The book was just announced today. MAD fans will see a lot of members of the “Usual Gang of Idiots” (both long time and occasional ones) in the book, including Drew Friedman, Sam Viviano, Johnny Sampson, Peter Bagge, Bill Fingerman, Gideon Kendall and R. Sikoryak, among other cartooning giants. It should be a really fun… READ MORE
May 25th, 2022 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
What hump? Our sketch subject this week is pronounced “Fronkensteen”! We continue our horror film inspired sketches with a lighthearted one of the late, great Gene Wilder as “Dr. Victor Frankenstein” from the Mel Brook’s classic “Young Frankenstein”. Terrific movie, great actor, fantastic performance. Definitely one of my favorite movies of all time. READ MORE
May 23rd, 2022 | Posted in MAD Magazine
Live from New York, it’s Monday! Yes, I know this isn’t from “Saturday Night Live”, but it’s close enough. This week’s MADness is a look at MAD‘s parody of the TV show “30 Rock”, written by Arnie Kogen and first appearing in MAD #490, June 2008. So, what’s with the odd looking monkey I added in the lower center of the splash on the final? Well, if you remember a few issues ago was the “All Monkey Issue”, and I did the art on a piece showing the MAD staff as monkeys. After the issue came out, the folks at MAD decided they should have added former art director Nadina Simon in that group.… READ MORE
May 18th, 2022 | Posted in Sketch O'The Week
I sometimes do themes with my weekly sketch, like my ongoing “classic rock stars” series. I think I’m going to spend the next few weeks doing a series of horror film related, starting with the legendary father of horror himself, Vincent Price. I’m going to avoid doing horror characters in heavy makeup like Pinhead or Freddy Kruger, but instead do actors who are either famous for their work in horror films or as a famous character that does not involve a lot of prosthetics. READ MORE
May 16th, 2022 | Posted in MAD Magazine
It’s Monday AGAIN!?! It seems like this happens every week. In today’s installment of our incredibly tedious hike through the twisted trails that was my work for MAD Magazine, we have a look at a spoof of a TV show about a woman who forgets everything about herself… which is appropriate because no one remembers anything about this show! Actually it got high ratings its first season but was cancelled during its second season, but it wasn’t exactly ‘Friends”. “Slomantha, Who Cares?” was written by MAD‘s MADdest Writer Dick DeBartolo and was first published in MAD #489, May 2008. This is another job where I… READ MORE
May 11th, 2022 | Posted in Classic Rock Sketch Series
“Welcome to the Sketchbook, we got fun and games!” This week’s sketch subject is “Guns’n’Roses” frontman Axl Rose! “Appetite for Destruction” was released right in the middle of my time in art college, and got played relentlessly during a lot of all nighters when I was trying to wrap up school projects. I never did see them live though. READ MORE
