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Rating: 
Summary: Sergio Aragone's final collection of MAD comic strips
Review: It sure is strange to see the art of Sergio Aragon?s blown up to one panel per page given that he is the "MAD" Magazine artist who does the little cartoons buried in the borders fondly known as "Marginal Thinking." To help readers along in getting through "Sergio Aragon?s' Next MAD Book," the numerical sequence of each page in a particular bit provided in a little circled number at the top. Otherwise you would have some trouble in figuring out what is the set-up and what is the punch line in this collection, the sixteenth and I believe final such collection.
A native of Castellon, Spain whose family moved to Mexico during the Spanish Civil War, Sergio Aragon?s has the well-deserved reputation of being known as the fastest cartoonist in the world. He game to New York City and did his first bits for "MAD" Magazine, beginning with "A Mad Look at the U.S. Space Effort" in the January 1963 issue. Then when he was in the 1980s Aragon?s and writer Mark Evanier (to whom this collection is dedicated) created "Groo the Wanderer," the best pastiche to date of the sword & sorcery genre and a success story as a creator-owned comic book.
All of these bits are done without dialogue, with thought balloons in place of the traditional word balloons. The humor consists mostly of gentle gibes and simple ironies, such as the man who climbs all the way to the top of a mountain to talk to a wise man only to discover he is one mountain over. Aragon?s is also a master of the cut, where the point of view suddenly changes to deliver the punch line. Of course, since this is Sergio Aragon?s that means the back of this paperback includes a shameless plus for his other 15 books, form "Viva MAD" to "Totally MAD." The only downside to this sub-series of "MAD" collections is that you can get through this entire book in just a few minutes, a subtle reminder perhaps that the humor of the master of "Marginal Thinking" should be taken in small doses.
Rating:
Summary: Sergio Aragonés finally collection of "MAD" comic strips
Review: It sure is strange to see the art of Sergio Aragonés blown up to one panel per page given that he is the "MAD" Magazine artist who does the little cartoons buried in the borders fondly known as "Marginal Thinking." To help readers along in getting through "Sergio Aragonés' Next MAD Book," the numerical sequence of each page in a particular bit provided in a little circled number at the top. Otherwise you would have some trouble in figuring out what is the set-up and what is the punch line in this collection, the sixteenth and I believe final such collection. A native of Castellon, Spain whose family moved to Mexico during the Spanish Civil War, Sergio Aragonés has the well-deserved reputation of being known as the fastest cartoonist in the world. He game to New York City and did his first bits for "MAD" Magazine, beginning with "A Mad Look at the U.S. Space Effort" in the January 1963 issue. Then when he was in the 1980s Aragonés and writer Mark Evanier (to whom this collection is dedicated) created "Groo the Wanderer," the best pastiche to date of the sword & sorcery genre and a success story as a creator-owned comic book. All of these bits are done without dialogue, with thought balloons in place of the traditional word balloons. The humor consists mostly of gentle gibes and simple ironies, such as the man who climbs all the way to the top of a mountain to talk to a wise man only to discover he is one mountain over. Aragonés is also a master of the cut, where the point of view suddenly changes to deliver the punch line. Of course, since this is Sergio Aragonés that means the back of this paperback includes a shameless plus for his other 15 books, form "Viva MAD" to "Totally MAD." The only downside to this sub-series of "MAD" collections is that you can get through this entire book in just a few minutes, a subtle reminder perhaps that the humor of the master of "Marginal Thinking" should be taken in small doses.
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