Don Martin - Illustration History

Biography

Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Don Martin was widely regarded as one of the best satirical artists of his time. Growing up in New Jersey, he attended the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts between 1949 and 1951 before leaving to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. Following his time in Philadelphia, Martin moved to New York, working in commercial illustration. Projects he worked on included jazz records, postcards, and science fiction magazines. Covers he did for jazz records include Miles Davis’s 1956 album Miles Davis and Horns, and Stan Getz’s 1956 compilation album The Brothers.

Martin’s next big endeavor began in 1956. Following Harvey Kurtzman’s departure from MAD, and the subsequent leave of artists like Will Elder, Jack Davis, and John Severin, Don Martin became one of the regulars that made up the Usual Gang of Idiots. Don Martin worked in a unique style that appeared to have developed out of nowhere. Dubbed “MAD’s MADdest Artist,” Martin’s characters were wild and wacky — with their foolish postures, absurd gestures, and distinct hinged feet. His illustrations were an instant hit with both the editors and the readers. Martin was a meticulous artist who often labored over his drawings and continuously redrew each panel until he met his standard. His popularity can be seen through his almost three-decade long career at MAD, which includes appearances in 241 issues, and 13 best-selling paperback books. Unlike some artists, he had his own section in the magazine called the “Don Martin Dept.” However, due to matters relating to reprint rights, Martin left MAD in 1987 and began working for the rival magazine Cracked. He worked at Cracked for six years before launching his own magazine, which was short-lived.

Martin later became one of the most influential and important satirical comic artists in the U.S., creating characters such as Fester Bestertester, and Captain Klutz. Martin was also a member of both the National Cartoonists Society, and The Graphic Artists Guild. He remained active well into the 1990’s despite his eyesight failing him, which prompted him to reduce the amount of work he was producing. In 2000, Martin died of cancer at the age of 68.

Illustrations by Don Martin

Additional Resources

Bibliography

Martin, Don, Nick Meglin and Zachary Leibman. Don Martin. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2014.

Martin, Don and E. Solomon Rosenblum. Mad’s Maddest Artist Don Martin Bounces Back. New York: Warner Books, 1976.

Martin, Don, E. Solomon Rosenblum and Al Feldstein. Mad’s Maddest Artist Don Martin Steps Out!. New York: Warner Books, 1975.

Martin, Don. MAD’s Greatest Artists: The Completely MAD Don Martin [Volume 2, 1974-1988]. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2007.