Don Martin

Like a lot of people, I learned to draw from copying other cartoonists. One of the cartoonists I loved was Don Martin. He was part of the Mount Olympus of cartoonists (and still is). When I was a kid, I copied his work at home and I learned how to draw the Don Martin guys with their big ears and tongues wagging outta their mouths in my school notebooks when I should have been taking notes. It helped cement my burgeoning rep as "the guy who can draw" in school.

It seemed like every class had one or more people who could draw a passable "Joe Fonebone" or a "Captain Klutz." Martin was a seminal influence.

Hairy Green Eyeball II gives us some scans from Mr. Martin's post-MAD work: the short lived DON MARTIN MAGAZINE. He also reminds us that the big, 2 volume set THE COMPLETELY MAD DON MARTIN, originally priced at $150 is now remaindered at something cuckoo like $25.00.

DON MARTIN MAGAZINE © 1993 Don Martin

Oh, and don't forget about the one and only Don Martin Dictionary with entries like these:

• Ack gak gark! Man having a heart attack.
• Blorf breedeet: Gagged man trying to talk.
• Clink cloink bzzt: Putting money in Vend-O-Hair machine.
• Grunch grunch gashlikt! Sculptor pressing thumbs into man’s head
• Snap ploobadoof: Wonder Woman releasing her Amazon brassiere.
• Spa-zunch: Superman swatting a fly on Lois’ back.
• Spaloosh: Mafia informant dumped in river wearing cement shoes.
• Stroinggoink: Olive Oyl falling down a sidewalk grating and being saved by her nose.
• Thwak: Tooth being knocked out of mouth with a hockey puck.
• Tip-tippity tap: Tadpole tap dancing.
• Unklik: Man being released from dungeon wall.

More at the Don Martin Dictionary!