MAD’s Greatest Artists: Sergio Aragones

To my estimation and experience, Sergio Aragones is the finest living cartoonist. He is also the fastest. He delivers art by the pound, and even today at 73 years of age his genius remains as quick and apparently effortless as it was in 1963 when he first appeared in MAD Magazine.
Since that day, his work has appeared in almost every issue of MAD published, and in volume Sergio stands second only to Al Jaffee who had an eight year head start at the magazine.

This large volume from Running Press collects a timeless selection of his mostly wordless gag comics  in chronological order. What’s most astonishing about the book is that his style and ideas have changed so little throughout the years, yet they are timely to the date of publication, and totally comprehensible to a current reader. This is a true universal cartoon history of the world, accessible to almost any reader in any language (though a rudimentary knowledge of western culture might be necessary). Sergio (I can’t think of him as Mr. Aragones, even if I’ve never met him) finds hilarity in every thing and body, but even when dealing with grim subject matter he remains gentle and accessible. The interview presented in the opening pages shows him to be just as delightful in person: considerate, thoughtful, sneakily observant and with the ability to turn any given situation upside down on its head.

Sergio Aragones is an artist entirely comfortable in his chosen medium, a love child of Buster Keaton and Luis Bunuel who can find and visualize the absurdity and buffoonery in any human endeavor, who can expose human wishes and foibles with a visual wit to match Thurber.

This selection can be taken as either an easy access point to Sergio’s brand of wonder, or a best of hits compilation for fans to giggle and guffaw over. Regardless of your approach, it is a joy to hold and behold. You can pass it on as a gift to your friends or your family. You can even send a copy to your enemies and make the world a better place. After that, go and pick up the latest issue of Groo the Wanderer.

Finally, let me quickly fine tune my earlier comment: To my estimation and experience, Sergio Aragones is the finest living cartoonist.

That ever lived.

See also an interview with Sergio Aragones.