Sergio Aragones produces comics which always bring a smile to my face. His style is that of a real professional, it seems effortless, but clearly it's not and reflects an innate understanding of how to stage scenes. I well remember my earliest encounter with Aragones, in the pages of a MAD Fall Special which I was secretly reading during school hours. As I glommed through the pages fill with parodies and whatnot, I became aware of little drawings in the margins, like bugs skittering across the edges of the pages. I hadn't noticed them at first, but with the tiniest scrutiny I discovered they were at least as funny as what was happening at the center of the page. After that the marginals became one of my favorite parts of the magazine, and I'd scout through the books looking for them. The marginals seemed to say that this was a magazine jam-packed with entertainment, so much so that they couldn't fit it all in at regular size.
Later of course Sergio did other stuff and I found him over at DC on Plop! and other things. Over the decades I've followed him here and there on his exceedingly successful Groo and Magnor with Mark Evanier. As the years have gone by Sergio Aragones has increasingly seemed to be a force of nature, with tons of visual gags tumbling forth from his fingers making seem all too easy too much of the time. When that dark dark day finally comes when he is no longer among us, we will truly begin to understand just how important he's been to the craft of cartooning.
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Like yourself Sergios art always brings a smile to my face. My favourite Mad artist and one of my favourite all time cartoonists. Those double page spreads that he did are wonderful pieces of art. Looking forward to seeing you number 1 and 2 ( Ive got a feeling I know who they may be)
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