Sunday Mailbag- New MAD West Coast News?

Q: As a 53 year subscriber to Mad, I am both apprehensive and excited about the upcoming move and changes.  I was wondering if you learned anything more about the changes coming during NYC Comic Con and also if you will still be involved with the “new” magazine and whatever online things they are planning?

A: DC Entertainment paid a lot of attention to MAD at NYCC this year, theming their annual party around the magazine (I had a couple of pints of “Pale Ale Jaffee” at the party) and otherwise giving the New York staff some appreciation for the many years of stellar work.

It was really sad knowing this was the last MAD panel at a comic con with the long time NYC staff. That party really hit home that I am on my last couple of issue working with Sam Viviano, John Ficarra, Ryan Flanders and several other longtime editors and art staff. My 17 years at the magazine is a drop in the ocean compared to guys like Al Jaffee and Sergio, but it’s still a long time to be working with this great group. I am really going to miss that. They really knew their stuff and they made me a better artist.

I did have some conversations with new editor Bill Morrison as well as meeting some of the new staff including the new art director and design director. I’m not going to name them here nor reveal anything I talked about with them and Bill, as I am sure they plan on some official announcements concerning staff and new projects. I will say that they have a lot of plans on the social media/internet side of things that are very exciting and I think you will see MAD‘s online profile becoming much more active and robust.

As for me, I think they plan on continuing to underpay me for my substandard work done at the last minute and turned in a day late… at least until the find some other schmuck willing to do it for less.

Thanks to Hal Freiman for the question. If you have a question you want answered for the mailbag about cartooning, illustration, MAD Magazine, caricature or similar, e-mail me and I’ll try and answer it here!