99.
I bought this book sometime in the very early 1980s, and I remember taking some time to save up enough money to pay that remarkably high $3.95 cover price, which was like, what, six, seven, eight times the cover price of the monthly Mad. I was fascinated at the time by the very idea of this oversized squarebound collection, so much larger than the other Mad paperbacks I would occasionally acquire.
And once I had it in my hands…frankly, when I pulled it off my shelf to scan that picture above, I was surprised it was in as good a shape as it was. By all rights it should have been in tatters, I read it so often. It’s such a great compilation of the variety of Al Jaffee’s output for
Jaffee is 99 years old today. He is purt’near the very definition of a living legend and I’m glad he’s still around and able to see how much everyone loves his amazing work, both old and new. I follow his Instagram and there’s almost always something delightful going on there.
And I’m very happy I get to have my 51st birthday on this momentous occasion. And happy birthday to my atomic blogging brother Andrew as well.
Happy Birthday to all! Long live comix!
Happy Birthday, Mike! Stay safe everybody!
Happy birthday, Mikeman!
Happy Birthday Mike!
Watch your mail for a Swamp Thing related wonder.
B. Fatty
I share my birthday with Art Garfunkel and the opening of your store.
Al Jaffee is a lovely person to share today with. Have an excellent one.
Happy birthday, Mike! :)
Happy Birthday, Mike! I wish you health and happiness.
Happy birthday, you sly old quinquagenerian!
A belated happy birthday from Germ-any as well!
Happy birthday, Mike! I hope the year treats you kindly.
And oh, man — I read the hell out of that book, too! My neighbor had a copy of it, and it just *killed* with us. I remember particularly loving the Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions, which we’d read out loud, and try to come up with our own.
Pretty sure I had this when I was a kid. I was a Mad fanatic and this cover image feels burned on my brain.
Happy Birthday!!!