Product Description

This is a deluxe 2-volume, slip cased collection of the work of Don Martin - the best-loved artist of the iconic "MAD" magazine. Don Martin is the most recognized and best-loved artist of the iconic "MAD" magazine. His twisted, original approach to art was revolutionary and inspired generations of artists - in the words of Gary Larson - the Far Side creator and a huge fan - "Don Martin was the one who really stood out". This complete, deluxe, two volume set includes every piece of art Don Martin ever published in "MAD". It also features letters and from other prominent artists and well-known Don Martin fans, including Jim Davis (Garfield), Matt Groening (The Simpsons), Stephen Hillenburg (Sponge Bob), Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, Conan O'Brien and many, many more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60768 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-03
• Format: Box set
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1200 pages

About the Author
Don Martin (1931-2000) was known as "Mad's Maddest Artist" during his 30+ years with the magazine. His wacky sound effects, memorable characters and signature style made him an icon, and a key influence on the generations of artists who followed him.

Customer Reviews

BUY IT!!!
Love Don Martin and MAD. Bought it, LOVE IT! A real treat and I will treasure this collection. Be warned, books are quite heavy, so watch your back.

Utterly wonderful, but with an omission
This is nearly as comprehensive a collection of his works as it claims to be. However, I could find no Captain Klutz or Fester Bestertester. This could be due to these characters having had seperate books rather than having been printed in the magazine itself (I believe). However, owning the original books of both aforementioned characters, I can confirm they were published under the MAD moniker and therefore, I feel, merit inclusion in this collection.
This, however, is the single, solitary reason I do not give this release five stars (I would actually give it 4.5 but do not seem to be able to). Otherwise it is a sheer joy to read (although it IS quite heavy and cumbersome to do so - I recommend using the armrest of the chair for additional support), and not a single page was turned without producing at least a chuckle - and then only a chuckle because I had read the strip so many times before.
Highlights are too numerous to begin to list here, but I would draw all attention to the some of the wonderful portraits included, as these one really would need the original magazines to find anywhere else. My favourite is the Beatles one, and I would, could I, purchase the original just so I could frame it and display in a prominent location.
Please buy this book so that the genius of Don martin may once again enrich not only your lives, but those of all who enter your home, as well.

Busted a gut laughing at it and got a hernia lifting it.
I earn my meagre living from drawing cartoons and caricatures. Mad magazine was my(and everybody elses)inspiration. All the artists were and still are wonderful. But the one who i originally latched onto was a certain Mr Don Martin....Totally surreal,crazy ,animated and strangely for a comic strip,often without a caption, noisy...Due to his self invented sound effects. These two massive beautiful hard back books in an illustrated box binder weigh about a ton and a half. Which is understanable as you have in your hand a whole world, the manic crazy world of Don Martin. And it is a world like no other.
It is fascinating to see the evolution of Martins humour and drawing style. The characters are flattened and angular in the earlier strips, but as you move on the trademark Martin style starts to make increasing appearences and the nuggets of gold appear with greater and greater frequency. The fair, but odd cartoonist become a weird ,but good cartoonist. And he becomes a deranged total one off wonderful cartoonist.
This is wonderful stuff and will take ages to read, so make sure you've something to rest it on, or you'll sever the blood supply to whatever body part your leaning the volumes upon.
I was given it as a christmas present and was absolutly chuffed, it is by the coffee table almost permamentally and i still dip into the crazy world of Don Martin.