RIP, MAD Magazines’s Jack Davis

“Jack was one of the founding members of MAD Magazine ” s “Usual Gang of Idiots.’ An enormously gifted and versatile artist, Davis’ work appeared in the very first issue of MAD and virtually every issue over the next four decades”.

Jack Davis, the prolific cartoonist and illustrator who was best known for his work for MAD Magazine, has died. The cartoonist also created posters for films such as American Graffiti and Bananas.

MAD art director Sam Viviano said Davis’ “immediately recognisable style revolutionised comic illustration”.

He added: “Among his most iconic parodies from MAD’s comic book days are of The Lone Ranger and High Noon”.

MAD editor John Ficarro remembered Davis as someone who could do it all.

He was known for his artwork appearing in Mad Magazine and hundreds of University of Georgia Bulldog caricatures.

“Front covers, caricatures, sports scenes, monsters – his comedic range was just incredible”.

The cartoonist and movie poster artist started work in NY in 1950 with E.C. Comics, which published a line of horror titles including Tales from the Crypt. His early work includes a training manual for Coca-Cola and a comic strip called “Beauregard”.

Davis drew his last MAD cover in 1995, and his work has been frequently reprinted in the magazine to the present day.

In 1996, Davis was honored with the National Cartoonist Society’s Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award.

Davis is survived by his wife, Dena, of St. Simons; a daughter, Katie Davis Lloyd, and her husband, Chris, of Athens, and their two daughters, Sara Lloyd Alias and Molly Lloyd; a son, Jack Davis III, and his wife, Ann Davis, of Atlanta.