Illustrator and Prankster Will Elder Dies at 86
Journalista: The Comics Journal Weblog is reporting that Will Elder, the famed illustrator and one of the founders of Mad Magazine, has died at 86. (This comes via boing boing.) Elder was considered a major influence on artists like Robert Crumb and Daniel Clowes.
Gary Groth, an editor at Fantagraphics, which published several Elder books (including Will Elder: The Mad Playboy of Art and Chicken Fat) told the Media Mob, "He was such a fabulous talent in the sense that he could do almost anything." Recalling his penchant for pranks, Mr. Groth called Mr. Elder "instrumental in making Mad."
In David Hajdu's recent book The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America, the author described Elder as follows:
He could render anything he could see with the precision of a photograph—or mimic virtually any fine-art style, including various modes of impressionism and early abstract art—yet he had no inclination to waste his time on anything other than his overriding interest, pranksterism. The sound of his name to those who knew him well, such as his former schoolmates and fellow cartoonists, Al Jaffee (who met Elder in eighth grade, when they were both being tested for admission to the High School of Music and Art), John Severin, and David Gantz, was a cue for grin and a round of 'Crazy Willy' stories: the time, when he was a kid in the Bronx, when Elder took discarded pieces of beef carcasses from a meat-processing plant, arranged them in old clothes on the railroad tracks, and started screaming that his friend Moishe had been killed; or the time, when he was in high school, that he smeared chalk dust on his face and pretended to be hanging in the coat closet; or, when went to lunch with some friends from EC [Comics] and tried to pay the cashier with leaves of lettuce that he had in his wallet. His humor was almost aggressively madcap, startling, often dark, and silly.
"He really was one of the sweetest, most generous guys I've met in this profession," said Groth, who is currently compiling a complete reprinting of Humbug, a post-Mad project by Elder, Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, and Al Jaffee for a new Fantagraphics book.
"He really was wonderfully helpful and incredibly sweet. Which is probably why he didn't become an enormous success in this business. He was too nice a guy."
Will Elder was the greatest comic book artist I have ever seen. His artwork in those early issue of Mad (#1-23) was absolutely astonishing. The way he would mimic the styles of Walt Disney (Mickey Rat), Bob Montana (Starchie) and many others was incredible. I just happened to be thinking about Will's artwork in Mad today and decided to surf the web, only to be shocked to find out that he died today. By the way, Humbug was a POST-Mad magazine, NOT Pre-Mad. Thanks, Bill, for the laughs, lots of them over the years. Rest in peace, Buddy!
As a child, stealing glimpses of my father's Playboy collection, Little Annie Fannie captured my imagination and helped sculpt my fantasies to this day.
Bon Voyage, Sr. Elder!
I sometimes think that the 60's- and we can lump together everything from Dr. Strangelove to Monty Python- would have never happened had Elder not influenced an entire generation of artists and activists. He might, finally, be the man in clown shoes, hiding behind the curtain...and I thought he'd never die. Adios, Mr. Elder.
Wow. I'm glad people could appreciate him. He was a pretty awesome guy- up until his final years. I'm glad he could spread his humor.
-his niece
When I was a little kid, I used to read Will Elder till I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face. I had to hide them from my parents, but they found my comics and burned them up. I was so angry at them that later I became one of the most outrageous hippies in the neighborhod.
When I was a little kid, I used to read Will Elder till I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face. I had to hide them from my parents, but they found my comics and burned them up. I was so angry at them that later I became one of the most outrageous hippies in the neighborhod.
Will Elder was a great artist...I like to study the way he did his work, it is so unique. Thanks for all the talent that you shared with us! Rest in peace.
He was by far my biggest influence in comedic storytelling.
As incredible as his art was, no one could tell a funny story--or tell a story funnier--than Will Elder! All those amazing and hilarious background gags and goofy puns and attention to detail made each of his pages a delight. It would take me twice as long to read one of his stories because I'd pour over every panel.
BTW, Groth is dead wrong. Being a "nice guy" has nothing to do with being a success (as evidenced by the success of Kirby, Barks, Hughes, Romita, Lee and others). I believe it may have had more to do with not staying with MAD and focusing on "adult" humor/comedy like his Little Annie Fanny. Most average comic readers just don't appreciate comedy like the general public, which celebrates its comedians. Many MAD artists achieved commercial success but Bill went off with Kurtzman instead.
However, financial success is not the same as genuine or aesthetic success, which Elder achieved in spades. His work will live forever, which is more than many can say for their career.
I thank God I got to meet him at the EC reuinon in San Diego a few years ago...very nice gentleman and still very funny. Thank you, Bill!